Marc Antony's Funeral Oration:
a speech to persuade the masses
Julius Caesar III.ii
Exigence
◆ 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
Marc 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 ...
Emotionally connects himself with the public
States Purpose
Elevates the conflict to one between good and evil
Mimics Brutus’ opening: “Romans, countrymen, and lovers!
hear me for my cause, and be silent that you may hear...”
Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men-- Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
Uses repetition to strike a sarcastic tone
Addresses Brutus' argument of Caesar's ambition by asking rhetorical
questions and calling on their common knowledge
Marc 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 honourable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Sarcasm and Rhetorical Question
Reminds crowd of Caesar’s love of his people and how he refused the crown.
Swaying crowd to question what Brutus said about Caesar
Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable 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.
Builds on use of rhetorical techniques,
viz., rhetorical questions and
repetition and adds literary techniques
Antithesis
Apostrophe & Alliteration
Hyperbole
Caesar’s Body
Marc
Antony
Plebeians
and free
citizens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X9C55TkUP8
How persuasive was Antony’s speech?
“Methinks there
is much reason in
his sayings.”
“We are
blest that
Rome is rid
of him.”
“This
Caesar was
a tyrant.”
“...Caesar
has had
great
wrong.”
“They were
villains,
murderers...”
“We’ll
mutiny.”
“We’ll burn
the house of
Brutus.”