Rhetoric and public speaking can have a profound impact on the feelings and actions of many people. Barack Obama’s talent for public speaking is a ripe example of how powerful, influential, and inspirational a leader can be.
William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Julius Caesar is one of his more influential works that examines different rhetorical styles. Clearly, Marc Antony and Brutus manipulate the Romans to believe their own point of view. But what makes Marc Antony more of an effective speaker than Brutus? Brutus uses his knowledge of he audience to persuade the Romans into believing he killed Caesar for them. However, Brutus’ flaws damage his strength against Marc Antony. Antony uses irony, sarcasm, and pathos to convince the Romans that Brutus and the conspirators are at fault for Caesar’s death. Like a painter using his brush to create a beautiful work, Antony’s colorful language likens him to a great writer and artist with his own original style. Brutus hardly attains this powerful level of public speaking. Antony supports his arguments with substantial proof and has a better understanding of how the Romans felt about Caesar, as opposed to how Brutus wanted them to feel about him.
Before establishing Brutus’ rhetorical style, it is necessary to examine his weaknesses. As the play progresses, we learn that Brutus is vulnerable, compassionate, naive, and egotistical. Cassius manipulates Brutus into believing that he can be as powerful as Caesar, saying “why should Caesar’s name be sounded more than yours,” (1.2.143). Since Brutus wants Caesar’s position, he kills him for his own personal gain. But Brutus does hold respect toward Caesar, wanting to “carve him as a dish for the gods; not hew him as a carcass fit for the hounds” (2.1.173-4). Brutus believes that murder can be a moral act if it is performed gently without aggression. He is swayed into killing Caesar but his language leads us to believe he is not a cold-blooded murderer, but a competitor out for Caesar’s throne. At Caesar’s funeral, Brutus allows Antony to speak after him, a naive, weak decision since audiences usually remember the last speaker more because the person’s ideas are still fresh in their minds. As the final orator, Antony criticizes Brutus and attack his integrity.
Brutus does establish ethos during his eulogy for Caesar. The Romans view Brutus as a credible speaker because he admits his guilt. He knows how to manipulate the Romans, his pleading tone persuading them to “hear him for his cause” (3.2.13). He also persuades them into believing that he killed Caesar to free them from a reign of terror and hostility. It wasn’t “that he lov’d Caesar less, but that he lov’d Rome more” (3.2.21-2). Brutus reveals that he murdered Caesar for the Roman people, giving them the impression that he is a noble anti-hero, not a cold-blooded killer and that he was carrying out their wish to see Caesar usurped from his throne.
Marc Antony, however, is more of an effective speaker than Brutus. By speaking after him, Antony discredits and criticizes Brutus’ speech. With substantial proof, Antony convinces the Romans that Caesar wasn’t drunk with power, or a tyrannical dictator. He speaks on how Caesar “did thrice refuse” (3.2.97) the crown at Lupercal. Following this statement, Antony uses a rhetorical question, “Was this ambition?” (3.2.97) as a tool to highlight the strength of his argument. Antony is playing a psychological game with the Romans. He knows any logical person would answer “no” to his question. Once the Romans filter back through Brutus’ speech, they realize he lacked proof behind his accusations of Caesar which destroys his credibility has the Romans re-evaluating how Caesar felt about his people.
Furthermore, Antony’s funeral speech is more proficiently stylized than Brutus’ eulogy. Through the use of verbal irony, sarcasm, and pathos, Antony’s powerful speech discredits Brutus, honors Caesar, and plants the seed for the Romans to take to the streets. Antony states that he “comes to bury Caesar, not to praise him” (3.2.74), but outlines Caesar’s modesty and strengths. Throughout his speech, Antony combines verbal irony with repetitive sarcasm,. He states that “Brutus is an honorable man,” (3.2.82-3). He repeats this phrase constantly while slowly revealing Brutus’ dishonest tactics, thus revealing his true character.
Antony effectively uses pathos as a way to personalize Caesar’s death. He beautifully states, ” My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me” (106-7). This dramatic statement makes the Romans empathize with Antony for his loss, and their loss as well. He states that “all of us fell down, whilst bloody treason flourish’d over us” (3.2.191). This inspirational phrase touches the hearts of many Romans, unifying them in mourning Caesar while seeking revenge for those who are held responsible for his death. Although Brutus does use pathos in his speech, his language lacks the punch layered in Antony’s speech, probably because he did murder Caesar, and doesn’t hold as much passion for his cause.
Lastly, Antony’s most effective rhetorical tactic is how he gives the audience some control over the fate of the conspirators. He teases them about the will’s contents when he says “it will inflame you, it will make you mad” (3.2.144). This technique stirs the audience up and increases their desire to hear the will until they own the decision. They force Antony to read the will. Antony’s slick, stylized speech causes a revolution while he remains a modest, honest orator. He never loses credibility with the Romans.
Mastering the art of public speaking can be a powerful tool to shape public policy and stop social inequality. As the progressive left fights against the conservative right for bargaining rights and equal pay amid Wall Street’s greed, the rhetorical techniques found in Brutus and Antonys’ speeches’ are still widely used by politicians and activists today.
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