Julius Caesar Shakespeare Essay Example For Students

Julius Caesar: Shakespeare Essay After the murder of Julius Caesar both Brutus and Antony made a speech to the citizens of Rome. Brutus was one of the conspirators who murdered Caesar, he was also a good friend of his but he murdered him on the behalf of Rome, he makes a speech to explain to the citizens why he did it. Antony was a loyal friend of Caesars and he makes a speech after Antony to commemorate Caesar. Brutus allowed Antony to do this so that he would not seem to be harsh and ruthless. Brutus was an idealist who wanted everything to be truthful and right. It was a big mistake letting Antony speak last and leaving him to speak, because his speech had a big effect on the fickle crowd. If Brutus had spoken last, then maybe the crowd would have turned in his favour as they had done after he made his speech at the beginning. Brutus speech is a blank verse; it is flat and responsible sounding. It is not poetical and does not use many sentences that are hard to understand, because he is speaking to the common people. He speaks to the people from the pulpit so he is distant from them and higher than they are. He is and intellectual and I think he finds it hard to relate to the common people. He is physically constipated; he uses nothing to grasp the crowds attention like Antony. He doesnt even use any gestures to show his emotions. There is a lack of passion and stagecraft in his speech, which makes it less powerful. Antony remarkably upstaged him. Brutus begins his speech Romans, countrymen and lovers, this is important, because he is addressing the people who love their country and are proud to be Romans. This means that his reason for murdering Caesar will be understood, because they would all do the same for their country. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for mine honour that you may believe. He is saying in this sentence that he is an honourable man and they should believe what he says because of it. He asks them to respect him first so that they might look at the situation from a different point of view. If they dislike him then they might not believe what he is saying, but if he commands their respect first then they will look at it from his angle. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesars, to him I say that Brutus love to Caesar was no less than his. He is stating the fact to the crowd that he did love Caesar as a dear friend. He uses the word love which is emotive and can be very powerful if used in the right context as it is here. He says that he loved Caesar so his reason for killing him must be very good. Not that I loved  Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Here he states his reason to the awaiting crowd. Again he uses the word love to involve emotions in the reason for killing Caesar. His reason is patriotism at its peak. He loved Rome so much that he would kill one of his dear friends to save it. I think this statement would have commanded great respect from the crowd, because they are all proud Romans. In the film of Julius Caesar there was a big uproar from the crowd at this point to show their respect for him. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? This rhetorical question makes the crowd realise that Caesar was a tyrant and that he would have lead a dictatorship if he had not been killed. Of course no one would like to be slaves so it seems absurd not to have killed Caesar sooner. The crowd is very fickle and will believe anything that Brutus says. He uses the words die and live to show that if Caesar lives they die, and if Caesar dies they live. As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious I slew him. He uses emotive language again to show his love for Caesar and his sadness for his death. He praises Caesar for his fortune and bravery to prove again that he respected and loved him, and again gives the reason for his murder. Romeo's Character Analysis EssayYou all did love him once, not without cause; what cause withholds you then to mourn for him? At the beginning of the play, two tribunes ask the plebeians on the street why they have forgotten Pompey and why the dont mourn for his death. This part of Antonys speech reminds me of that. The crowd is so fickle that it forgets the great leader as soon as he is dead and move on to the next icon. Then Antony breaks off from his speech to supposedly weep; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me. He then listens to the crowd to make sure it is safe to say something against Brutus or Cassius. This open show of emotion makes the crowd sympathetic of Antony; Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping. Then Mark Antony brings out the will, which is a very clever tactic which appeals to the greed of the Romans; But heres a parchment with the seal of Caesar, I found it in his closet, tis his will which, pardon me, I do not mean to read. He teases the crowd with this will, which he says will be full of riches for them. Its like holding a bone before a dog just out of its reach. This is a very clever tactic to keep the crowd hanging off of his every word; Being men, hearing the will of Caesar, it will inflame you, it will make you mad The crowd grow impatient and start to shout out for Antony to read the will; The will, the will, we will hear Caesars will! Antony cleverly uses the will to make the crowd say out loud bad things about Brutus and the conspirators. He uses their greed to fan the fires of hatred; I fear I wrong the honourable men whose daggers have stabbd Caesar, I do fear it. This turns the crowd around dramatically; They were traitors. Honourable men! At this point Antony comes down from the pulpit to the level of the common people. He comes face to face with them instead of keeping his distance like Brutus. He asks them to form a circle around Caesar so he can show you him who made the will. That day he overcame the Nervii. Holding Caesars cloak he casually reminds the crowd of Caesars great accomplishments. Look, in this place ran Cassius dagger through; see what a rent the envious  casca made; through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbd. Antony shows the crowd the holes that were made in the cloak from the daggers when he doesnt actually know who stabbed where. This is just a tactic to show the crowd something that will shock them. Then burst his mighty heart. Antony speaks of how Caesars heart burst when Brutus stabbed him. He makes it sound like Caesar died of grief from his best friend betraying him rather than by any physical means. This keeps up Caesars God like image. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen. Antony makes it sound like when Caesar fell, so did the whole of Rome, because Caesar was the one holding it together with his superior strength. I come not friends to steal away your hearts. Here Antony is being disingenuous, because he has already stolen away their hearts. He is trying to decieve them into thinking that he is not a clever man and that he is just like one of them; a plain blunt man. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech to stir mend blood. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what. Wherein hath Caesar thus deservd your loves? Alas, you know not! I must tell you then: You have forgot the will I told you of. The crowd is fickle and avaricious. They are easily changed and have a short attention and memory span. They had forgot Caesars will and were prepared to run riot already. Antony tells them what Caesar has left them. It is very democratic for he has left them money and his gardens. The crowd then riot for the loss of Caesar.