The Role of Persuasion in Julius Caesar Essay examples

Julius Caesar Topic: Write an expository essay on the role of persuasion in the play. Julius Caesar is a tragic drama written by William Shakespeare in 1599. This tragedy takes place in ancient Rome around 44 B.C when Rome was a great empire. Julius Caesar was a very important figure at this time as he was a very successful general who helped spread the Roman Empire and after his defeat of his political rival Pompey, he took on the role of becoming a dictator of Rome. But many citizens â€Å"feared that Caesar’s power would lead to the enslavement of Roman citizens by one of their own. Therefore, a group of conspirators came together and assassinated Caesar. The assassination, however, failed to put an end to the power struggles dividing the†¦show more content†¦Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And sure he is an honorable man.† (III.ii.82–96)† ). In this statement, Antony is trying to persuade the audience to think that Caesar is a good man a s he refused the crown and through this he is trying to emphasize on the goodness of Caesar. So Antony, a friend of Caesar, when speaking a funeral oration over Caesar’s body, he spectacularly persuaded the audience to withdraw their support from Brutus and condemn him and the conspirators as a traitor. Antony engages masterful rhetoric to stir the crowd to revolt against the conspirators.†3 Another evident example of persuasion occurs when Cassius flatters Brutus. In this scene of the tragedy, Cassius is knowledgeable enough to know that Rome would be harmed if Caesar became the leader and that he (Cassius) would need Brutus’ help in the movement to kill Caesar with the conspirators. Cassius therefore uses a lot of flatter and persuasion whenever he talks to Brutus. Cassius states â€Å"Caesar doth bear me hard, but he loves Brutus. If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius, he should not humor me. (I.II, 308-315).† Through this statement Cassius is trying to persuade Brutus and convince him of the love that Caesar had for him (Brutus) and not for Cassius. He later states â€Å" I will this night, in several hands, in at his windows throw, As if they came from several citizens, writings all tending to the great opinion that Rome hold of his name, wherein obscurelyShow MoreRelatedFemale Roles : Titus Andronicus Vs. Julius Caesar901 Words   |  4 PagesFemale Roles: Titus Andronicus vs. Julius Caesar The portrayal of Shakespeare’s female roles in the plays Titus Andronicus and Julius Caesar, leave one to question his belief on gender equality. Even though both of these plays take place during the Elizabethan era in Rome, the depiction of women’s roles in each play is significantly different. 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