“Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves; that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?”
Brutus was an “honourable man”. I imagine Caesar himself and the rest of Rome never expected such actions from him, but his speech suggests that even though he stabbed his friend in the back, he was still an “honourable man” he was honourable to his country.
Further on into his speech, Brutus told the plebeians how he honoured and rejoiced Caesar. He also explains to the silent crowd about a dagger for himself, which will be there for when Rome shall be pleased to see his death, eventually like he has Caesar’s:
“As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it, as he was valiant, I honour him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There are tears, for his love, joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death for his ambition”
“As I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shell please my country to need my death.”
This plays on the heartstrings of the plebeians. His eloquence won over the heart of
every Roman in the throng, and making them see that he was also upset over Caesar’s death, that his murder was not because he was disliked, but because it was for the good of Rome. The emotion Brutus puts into his speech wins over them all. They forgave Brutus and even cried. In no time at all, the entire crowd had forgotten their devotion to Caesar. They had sided with Brutus and exulted him as their new leader and had been convinced that what Brutus had done was right. They all cheered for him as he got them on his side:
“Live Brutus, Live, live”
“Let him be Caesar”
“Caesar’s better parts, shall be crowned in Brutus”.
After his speech and its success with the plebeians, Brutus invited Antony, Caesar’s right-hand man, to address the crowd. Antony starts his speech off:
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”
This is similar to Brutus’ introduction to his speech, however Antony addresses friends first. I think this is because Antony’s views on Caesar’s death were different to Brutus’. He thought that friends should come first unlike Brutus who put the welfare of Rome first, rather than his friend Caesar. What's more Antony was deeply and truly upset about the death of Caesar, which changed the moral of his speech compared to Brutus’.
“Thy heart is big: get thee apart and weep: Passion I see is catching for mine eyes”
Shortly after this Antony describes Brutus as “noble” and “honrable”, Antony has to do this because he his speaking to the plebeians, who are now on Brutus’ side:
“The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious”
“For Brutus is an honourable man;”
Furthermore Antony addresses Brutus as “Honourable” three time since this, he his really playing to the crowd now. What’s more not only does he praise Brutus, he also calls the conspirators honourable men:
“All honourable men”
My opinion on this is that he his being Sarcastic. This is because Antony speaks bitterly and coldly about the conspirators; he regarded them as “Butchers”, and secretly vowed to avenge the murder.
In Brutus’ speech Brutus calls Caesar “Ambitious”. Antony questions this, on more than one occasion he talks about how Caesar refused his “Kingly crown” on the Lupercal three times.
“Was this ambition?”
I think that Antony is right in saying this. If Caesar was so ambitious and keen to become king he would of accepted it at the Lupercal, instead Caesar went to the capitol, on the day of his death. Caesar thought that more people would be there to witness his crowning. In addition to this Antony doubts his ambition yet again:
“He hath brought many captives home to Rome whose Romans did the general coffins fill. Did this in Caesar seem Ambitious”
“When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.”
Antony is disagreeing here with what Brutus said about Caesar:
“I honour him: But as he was ambitious”
Antony is explaining this to the crowd but he still has to dreadcarfully with the plebeians, because they are on Brutus’ side. So this is why he continues to call Brutus a “honrable man”. My opinion on this is that Brutus said all these things, about Caesar being ambitious in his speech, to win over the crowd. Praise Caesar and assure them even more he needed to be killed, rather that he wanted him to be.
Has Antony continued his speech; he was slowly driving his listeners against Brutus. Imagery was used as a technique to do so. At the end of Antony’s speech he began to create the portrait of Caesar’s murder scene. The shocking tactics Antony uses really gets the crowd going. He tells the plebeians exactly what happened at the capitol. He shares with the crowd all the gory, juicy and bloodthirsty details regarding Caesar’s death. In addition he told the crowd to gather around his body, to really illustrate the tragedy and influence their anger:
“A ring, stand round”
Making clear to them all the places he was viciously stabbed, and how his heart was burst open:
“Then burst his mighty heart”
The imagery of Caesar’s death Shakespeare uses, in this scene chokes the crowd with tears:
“Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through: see what a rent the envious Casca made:
And as he plucked his cursed steel away: Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it; as rushing out of the doors, to be resolved if Brutus so unkindly knock’d or no: for Brutus, as you know, who was Caesar’s angel. Judge o you gods, how dearly Caesar lov’d him: This was the most unkindest cut of all”
As he goes into detail it distresses the crowd and seems to shock them, he explains how much Brutus meant to Caesar and that cut would hurt and feel the deepest to him emotionally.
Overall Antony rose to deliver an even more impassioned speech, in which he defended Caesar forcefully, yet indirectly, condemned Brutus. The plebeians were so moved by his words that they turned in rage against Brutus. In effect to the play this led Brutus and his cohorts from the city, and the people to rise, causing civil war in Rome. So Brutus and Antony’s speech’s play a big part in the play, they stir war through Rome.
In summary to Antony and Brutus’speechs they both prove to be really effective to the play. Shakespeare uses a clever devise to get his point across to the crowd without stating the obvious; his use of imagery is so effective and plays on the hearts of the plebeians during the speeches. The audience seems to be enthralled by what they were saying. The crowd shows enthusiasm to both Brutus and Antony and soon change their opinions on things after both speeches. Shakespeare is shown to be intelligent throughout the funeral scenes this must of fascinated the Elizabethans, as most were very educated and tuned in.
