Special Method Of Language Antony example essay topic

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespere is one of the world's most famous tragic plays. It is about a group of conspirators who assassinate Rome's most powerful general, one who the people love. Antony, the general's closets supporters, gave the most famous speech in western literature at Caesar's funeral. Antony's purpose was to turn the mob against the conspirators. By using seven techniques of language, he powerfully influenced the crowds thinking and emotions to eliminate the traitors. Antony begins the body of his funeral oration by giving four specific pieces of evidence.

One of them was Caesar's generous gifts of money to the common man. Antony reminds them, "Whose Ransoms did the generals coffers fall" (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 90, pp. 683). He begins his argument with solid proof in order to get the people to trust him more than Brutus. People must believe the truth, the evidence, whether they want to or not. Another powerful method of language that Antony used was verbal irony; this is saying a word but really meaning just the opposite. Antony used "honorable" and "wept" as well as" poor" as a form of verbal irony.

"When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff" (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 92, pp. 683). Antony really lead the crowd to believe that Caesar was more honorable to them than the conspirators. He lead them to believe that Caesar wept for them; verbal irony is a powerful form of language to persuade people to feel the way you do. Antony also used loaded words to lead the mob to believe what he did. One word was "ambitious."Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill; Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?" (Act 2, Scene 2, Line 90-91, pp. 683). With this quote Antony turned the crowd's feelings around; he had them wondering that if Caesar was so ambitious, he wouldn't have gave them gifts of money or refused the crown to become dictator.

Antony also repeated a heap amount of words in his speech, this is called repetition. "Honorable" was used eleven times. "The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was grievous fault, and grievously hath Caesar answered it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest (For Brutus is an honorable man, so are they all honorable men) " (Act 2, Scene 2, Line 78-84, pp. 682). Antony used "honorable" so many times so it wouldn't seem that he was under minding Brutus and the rest of the conspirators.

It was important for Antony to keep the crowd thinking he wasn't against the conspirators because Brutus had already spoken to the crowd and turned them against Caesar. Antony did so by using repeated words. Another special method of language Antony used appeals to self- interest, this is about convincing people how your ideas will really help them. "You all did love him once, not without cause; What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 103-104, pp. 683). This quote influenced the mob alot, he had them wondering why were they hating Caesar so much, they had loved him once why do they need a cause to love him now? This was a very important thought that Antony had brought up.

He shifted the mob a little with this idea. The use of the technique appeals to self-interest is very useful when trying to pursuade someone. Antony also used props to help pursuade the mob. One of the props that Antony used was Caesar's dead body, "Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar; and let me show you him that made the will" (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 152-160, pp. 684). When Antony started to use the props he already had the crowd at his finger tips; he just added this to get them more wrath up at the conspirators. The use of props is a very powerful method if you " re trying to pursuade people, because it's used as a sense of evidence you can see, and touch.

The last method Antony used was suspense. He points out who made each wound on Caesar's body in order to identify all the conspirators. "Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through; see what a rent the envious Casc a made; Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed, and as he plucked his cursed steel away, mark how the blood of Caesar pollo wed it, as rushing out of doors, to be resolved if Brutus soon kindly knocked, or no; For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! This was the most unkindest cut of all" (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 178-184, pp. 686). The use of suspense made the crowd furious, and also informed them of who all the conspirators were.

I think suspense played an important role in the play because it got the mob wrath up and ready to kill. Language is the most powerful weapon in the world. It could get you killed or it could get you rewarded. Antony used several methods of language to turn the mobs emotions and thoughts against the conspirators. The result of Antony's speech and powerful use of language landed Rome into another war. You should be aware of the different ways language is used, because it's a powerful weapon that can have good or bad results.