As a tragic hero, Brutus maintains noble intentions throughout the play. Grabbing at any opportune moment, Brutus desirably protects the Roman Republic from becoming corrupt and ruled by dictatorship. Cassius and other conspirators felt that Caesar’s ambition and tyrannical ruling reflects upon a dangerous outcome for future Rome. Persuaded by Cassius’s hatred of Caesar’s immediate gain in power and acknowledgement, Brutus constructs a plan for the assassination of Caesar. He greatly fears that “the people// [will] choose Caesar for their king” (I.ii.78-79).
Antigone: Moral Law vs. Political Law In the Theban play Antigone one of the central themes is the fight between what the state finds to be immoral or wrong and what an individual believes is the right thing to do. In the play, Antigone buries her dead brother and gives him funeral rights which the king, Creon, has decreed a crime. This conflict makes us question what power the state should have over people’s lives, what should be done when one believes a law is unjust and how far personal beliefs should be taken in making or changing laws. We find the author hinting at democratic ideals over the monarchs that were common in his time.
Antony. They call him the "middle man" between Brutus and Caesar, but not anymore! Antony chooses aside, and not just any side, he chooses the side of Caesar. Antony uses rhetorical devices such as red herring and assertion to get his point across with an appeal of Pathos and Ethos. The devices work together to convince the crowd that Caesar being the better and more legitimate ruler, has previously connected with the Romans in a proffessional ethical way as well as connecting with them an emotional way.
Despite the increased responsibility and independence the senate became more subservient to him, “Though at first the senate showed real independence, it soon realised the risk of encroaching too far” (Scullard). This was due to the fact of the growing treason trials and Sejanus’ influence, senators afraid of their safety began to win favour by sycophancy. Whilst through his reserved temperament and ambiguous instructions led confusion to the senate steering towards deterioration, Tacitus notes he remarked them “men fit to be slaves”. This declining power of the senate under Tiberius became more obvious when he administered the empire from Capri failing to create the diarchic balance, Scullard writes “Tiberius had tried and failed and his failure was made irremediable by his retirement to Capri” illustrating the impact on Princeps becoming more dominating issuing imperial
Caesar was not a strong enough leader for Rome, a booming city that was quickly accumulating knowledge and wealth. He needed to be stopped before he turned Rome into a monarchy, or even a dictatorship. Brutus did not kill Caesar out of jealousy or hatred. In fact, he considered Caesar to be a good friend of his, while Caesar returned these feelings. Despite this, Brutus was more loyal to his country, the land he calls home, and the people with whom he shares it with.
Rease May Mrs.Clark/Mrs.Taylor English II Dec 10. 2013 Rhetorical Strategy Here Julius Caesar’s cold body lay. The great Caesar has been slain by his “loyal” friends. Brutus tries to explain that the death of Caesar was for the good of Rome because he became too ambitious while Antony tries to explain subtlety that Caesar was not ambitious and that it was the conspirator’s ambition that had slain Caesar. Both Brutus and Antony delivered great eulogies to Caesar, but Marc Antony’s was more persuasive to the crowds of Rome.
Though Brutus and Antony had the same rhetorical strategies, Antony’s speech was more effective in winning over the audience. Brutus and Antony both used the strategy of ethos, the image and character that they portray to the audience. Brutus started off his speech with “Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor that you may believe.” (126).
He undermines Brutus, conveyed through his lamenting tone “thou art the ruins of the noblest man” to further challanege the perspective that caesars thirst for power was a threat to the roman republic. Shakespeare furthers these conflicting perspectives in Act 3 scene 2 to demonstrate the power of political rhetoric. In the funerary speeches, Brutus’ patriotic tone in “not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved rome more” representes him as a protector of the roman republican values that Caesar threatened. This is sharply
Julius Caesar is a play wrote by Shakespeare that tells the story of a man who is worshipped as a god, and the treason of his own friends. Julius Caesar is a general who has an enormous amount of power, and he is about to become the king of Rome. But, as there are people that adore him, there are also people that fear and dislike him. One in particular. Cassius.
Shakespeare makes the relationship between Brutus and Cassius pivotal from the very start of the drama. He does this as he uses the pair’s relationship not only to progress the play, but also to show the difference in character and motive of the two strong and influential politicians. Their discussions show the two main motives that exist among the conspirators for killing Caesar. Firstly, Shakespeare uses their relationship to progress the play forwards right from the very start of the play. In the very first Act, we see Cassius at work, trying to bring Brutus over to the conspirator’s side, by manipulating him.