Julius Caesar Research Paper

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Table of Contents

Introduction............................................................................................................................3

Body.......................................................................................................................................4

Conclusion.............................................................................................................................5

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Jay Kim

Miss Kolnik

12 December 2010

Act III Scene II Speech Analysis

“We find that the Romans owed the conquest of the world to no other cause than

continual military training, exact observance of discipline in their camps, and unwearied

cultivation of the other arts of war.” Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, a novelist during the

Later Roman Empire, referred to the Romans like this. The Romans were a valiant people,

who had a strong nationalistic mindset. Brutus assumed the Plebeians wanted to be free and

true Romans and expressed it in his direct speech. Antony, on the other hand, used the

Plebeians’ greed and poor judgment to manipulate them in his speech. There was a distinct

contrast between the rewards presented, repetition of the word honor and Caesar’s ambition,

and different bases of previous knowledge between Antony and Brutus’ speeches.

Both Antony and Brutus’ speeches display a repetition of the word honor and

honorable, however, it is more apparent in Antony’s speech. Brutus states the word honor in

his speech three times. “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor that you

may believe” (lines 14-16). “As he was valiant, I honor him” (lines 27-28). Antony

constantly repeats about honor, phrased in different ways: “(For Brutus is an honorable man;

So are they all, all honorable men)” (lines 91-92). “And Brutus is an honorable man” (line 96,

103). “And sure he is an honorable man” (line 108). “Who (you all know) are honorable

men” (line 136). “That I will wrong such honorable men” (line 139). “I fear I wrong the

honorable men” (line 163). “They are wise and honorable” (line 226). These phrases

emphasize and refer back to Brutus’ speech and justification for Julius Caesar’s death.

The speeches by both Antony and Brutus were presented to the same people group,

the Plebeians of the Roman society. The Plebeians were the lower class of the Roman

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society, the class that made up a large sum of the population. The Plebeians consisted of

common farmers, artisans, and merchants, who could not hold high ranking government

positions. Therefore, the Patricians were significantly wealthier than the Plebeians. Building

from this fact, Antony targeted the thing that the Plebeians wanted most, wealth. To target

this element, Antony brings up the will of Caesar into his speech. “Here is the will, and under

Caesar’s seal: To every Roman Citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five

drachmas”(lines 254-256). However, Brutus assumed the Plebeians were fonder of

experiencing freedom and proving they were true Romans, directly questioning the crowd.

“Had you rather Caesar was living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar was dead, to live all

freemen?” (lines 24-26).

Antony and Brutus both presented a reward that occurred due to Julius Caesar’s

death. However, the rewards were both presented in different ways. Relating to the paragraph

above, Antony was aware of the fact that the citizen’s liked money and tangible things.

Taking advantage of this fact, he introduces the will of Caesar into his speech. Antony tells

the Plebeians of all the earthly things Caesar had left them in his will. “Here is the will, and

under Caesar’s seal: To every Roman Citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five

drachmas”(lines 254-256). Later, he also goes on to say, “Moreover, he hath left you all his

walks, His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,…Here was a Caesar! When comes such

another?(lines 260-266). Antony tries to convince the Plebeians with these tangible items,

presenting it to the Plebeians as a positive outcome of Caesar’s death, but also, lifting up

Caesar’s generosity to the people. Brutus, on the other hand, assumes the citizens want

freedom and presents to the crowd that Caesar’s death was a mark of freedom for the Roman

people. He directly questions the crowd, which is another contrast from Antony’s speech.

“Had you rather Caesar was living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar was dead, to live all

freemen?” (lines 24-26). “Who is here so base that would be a bondman?” (lines 30-31). The

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reward offered by Brutus’ speech is the freedom that has happened due to the death of

Caesar.

Antony and Brutus’ speeches were similar in numerous ways; however, they also

differed in multiple aspects. Brutus assumed the citizens of Rome wanted freedom and

Antony knew the citizens of Rome desired money. The repetition of the word honor, the

differences in the outcome of Julius Caesar’s death, and the amount of information the two

speaker’s knew about the crowd, were portrayed in their speeches.

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References

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. New York City, New York: Scholastic,

June 2009.

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I. Julius Caesar

A. Book written by Shakespeare

1. Tragedy

2. One of the most famous classics today

B. Has suggestive themes of murder

II. Brutus’ Speech

A. Uses word honor

1. The word is used with good connotation

2. This word makes up a majority of his speech

B. Directed towards the Plebeians

III. Antony’s Speech

A. Uses the word honor with a bad connotation

B. Insults the conspirators