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ASSIGNMENT
MARK ANTONY’S SPEECH
AT CAESAR’S FUNERAL-
FROM WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE’S
‘JULIUS CAESAR’
Submitted By:
Nema Najaf
120416263005
B.A- P.L.P 3rd Year
Background
Cassius persuaded Brutus to join with him and
conspirators to assassinate Caesar
Marc Anthony is suspicious
After assassination, Brutus speaks to the crowd and
persuades them Caesar was a tyrant and it was for
the good of the people that they killed him
Marc Anthony must persuade the people against
what Brutus has just said
Cannot directly accuse him of murdering Caesar
since he has a high position
Mark Antony’s Funeral Speech
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him;
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones,
So let it be with Caesar ...
Rhetorical Question
Address the “ambition” Brutus said was his reasoning
for killing Caesar
Turns “evil ambition” to Caesar being a faithful friend
He discredits Brutus without directly stating it
Mark Antony’s Funeral Speech
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
■ Irony
– He counters all of Brutus’ claims and questions
his honor.
– Uses repetitive aspect to persuade and make his
point.
■ Doesn’t directly disparage the murderers
■ Continually uses honourable
– Focuses on good aspects of Caesar
Mark Antony’s Funeral Speech
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honorable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for
him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
Mark antony’s Funeral speech
■ Apostrophe & Alliteration
– “Oh, judgment! Thou are fled to brutish beasts.”
■ Antithesis
– “I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I
am to speak what I do know.”
■ Rhetorical Question
– “What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?”
■ Hyperbole
– “My heart in the coffin there with Caesar.”
■ Emotional appeal
■ Exaggeration to heighten statement
Mark antony’s Funeral speech
Repetition
Continually states “Brutus was an honorable man.”
Line that precedes it contradicts statement.
Repeats words ambitious and honorable inciting crowd to
realize what has actually happened.
Diction
Mentions “mutiny” and “rage” indirectly stirring emotions
in crowd.