8/12/2019 Caesar Speech Comparison

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Caesar Speech Comparison

Antony has the better speech between the 2 of them; it was not a hard choice. Antony had

better rhetoric, better Ethos, Pathos AND Logos in short he was the Muhammad Ali of speeches. Its

actually a shame; Brutus is built up as this great dominus politicoand when the time finally comes for

him to prove himself to the people, he fails miserably. He insults his audience which is the one thing you

NEVER do in a speechunless youre intending to make a point, which I think Brutus WAS trying to do,

but he just couldnt do it.

Anthony has a better rhetoric, and not just because he has MORE sheer rhetoric, but because

its quality:

Where I Brutus, and Brutus, Antony

there be an Antony

who would raise the stones of Rome

to rise and mutiny!

As opposed to Brutus:

There is tears for his love; joy for his

fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his

ambition

I honestly think that this is proof of my point. Antony has a better rhetoric because its justbetter

written.

The second reason Antony has a better speech is because of his Ethos:

Let me put a tongue in the wounds of Caesarpoor dumb mouths

This means hes going to use Caesar as a martyr. This is something Brutus never had any reason to

dobut he couldve planned for it, but he didnt because he didnt think Antony was THAT good of a

speaker.

The third and final reason why Antony has a better speech is because of his irony:

8/12/2019 Caesar Speech Comparison

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I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:

I am no orator, as Brutus is;

But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,

That love my friend; and that they know full well

That gave me public leave to speak of him:

For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,

Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,

To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;

I tell you that which you yourselves do know;

Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,

And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,

And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony

Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue

In every wound of Caesar that should move

The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

This is more irony in 15 lines, about 2 minutes, than the entire rest of the play. It has no real equivalent

in Brutuss speechand listen closely and you can HEAR Brutuss arguments being blown to bits.

These 3 reasons are why Antony was not part of Shakespeares patented Pile O Corpses at the end of

the play. He was an orator, Brutus was an instigator-and not in that good, Guy Fawkes kind of way, in

the bad Benedict Arnold kind of way. This speech more than likely saved Antonys lifeits a shame it

had to get Cinna killed, he couldve written a play about thisoh wait, its been done before.

By: Geoffrey Hankey

Pd.8 11/26/13