Mark Antony and Brutus’ Speeches in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar"

Julius Caesar Funeral Speeches

Mark Antony and Brutus’s funeral speeches in the book The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare both were very different and both had different intentions. One was to help the conspirators who killed Julius Caesar and the other was to bring justice to his death. I strongly believe that Mark Antony’s speech ended up being way more effective than Brutus’s. Both of these also speeches revealed important aspects of the characters.

The funeral speeches of Mark Antony and Brutus both had different purposes. Mark Antony’s speech he tries to sway Rome into thinking that Julius Caesar’s death was unjustified and that the conspirators were wrong. He accomplishes this by using rhetorical devices. “He was my friend, faithful and just to me, But Brutus says he was ambitious And Brutus is an honorable man.” (Shakespeare lines 94-96 Act 3 scene 2). The purpose of Brutus’s speech was to protect the conspirators and himself from the fury of the Romans for killing their respected leader. He accomplished this by using rhetorical questions. “Had you rather Caesar living and all die slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” (Shakespeare lines 24-26 Act 3 scene 2).

I strongly believe that in the end Mark Antony’s speech ended up being more successful than Brutus’s. However Brutus’s speech was still effective because he used rhetorical devices which enabled him to compliment Caesar while still proving that he needed to be killed. “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.” (Shakespeare lines 26-28 Act 3 scene 2). Brutus was also able to convince the crowd that Caesar would have became a tyrant and would have enslaved all of them. Mark Antony’s speech was even more effective. Mark Antony also used rhetorical devices to prove Brutus’s points wrong. He debunked the idea that Caesar was too ambitious and that he needed to be killed. “He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?”(Shakespeare lines 97-99 Act 3 scene 2). In the end Mark Antony’s speech ended up being more effective because he was able to rally the crowd to go against Brutus and the conspirators.

Both Brutus and Mark Antony’s speeches reveal important aspects about their characters. Brutus’s speech reveals that he intends to justify Caesar’s death and to save himself and the rest of the conspirators from the rage of the Romans. Brutus’s speech also reveals that he is skilled with rhetorical techniques which helps him convince the Romans that Caesar’s death was justified. This also reveals that he Mark Antony’s speech reveals that he intends to avenge Caesar’s death and that he does not agree with his assassination. His speech also reveals that he is skilled with persuasive techniques because he is able to sway the crowd from believing in Brutus to believing in him.

Mark Antony and Brutus’s funeral speeches in the book The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare both were very different and both had different intentions. Brutus’s speech uses rhetorical devices to convince the Romans that he and the conspirators were justified in killing Julius Caesar. Marc Antony’s speech is filled with rhetorical devices to avenge Caesar and to convince the crowd that he was right and Brutus was wrong. In the end Mark Antony’s speech comes out more effective than Brutus’s as he is able to turn the Romans against Brutus and the conspirators.