Antony no uses the first part of his sarcasm, he says that Brutus and his followers have made Caesar pay “grievously” for his ambition, he then says that, “Brutus is an honourable man”. This instantly begins to cast doubt in people’s minds as to how Brutus can be right, for “an honourable man” would not stab someone. This first example is relatively subtle in it criticism of the conspirators. However this becomes more and more blatant criticism as his speech goes on, until finally it reaches a pinnacle, “ I fear I wrong the honourable men Whose daggers have stabb’d Caesar…”
This obviously is an absurd idea as how could a group of men who are son noble commit such a barbaric act, these sarcastic comments undermine Brutus’s credibility and thus making his argument implausible and unbelievable.
Sarcasm is used in a different way but with much the same affect when Antony tells the crowd that he had “…thrice presented him a kingly crown” that Caesar refused “Which thrice he did refuse”. He then uses logic, as if Caesar had been ambitious then would he not have taken the crown, again he weakens Brutus’s position by saying
“Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And sure he is an honourable man”
He has just convinced the plebeians that Caesar was not ambitious but then he says if Brutus said he was then he must have been, either that or Brutus was not such an “honourable man”. Also he says that Caesar has filled the “general coffers” and he wept when “the poor cried” none of these traits are those of a tyrant as Brutus tried to make Caesar out as.
After he has done this he says: -
“My hart is in the coffin with Caesar
And I must pause till it come back”
In the BBC screen version of Julius Caesar you can see Keith Michelle looking to see how the crowd is reacting, he does this so that he know if it is safe for him to start a more direct and open criticism.
When Antony returns he uses a new method, he plants ideas in the plebeians heads, “O masters, if I were dispos’d to stir
Your minds to mutiny and rage
I should do Brutus wrong, and Casius wrong”
This is clever, as it makes the crowd think of starting riots, but what he is saying is that he does not want them to, as this would be in violation of his agreement that allowed him to speak at the funeral.
Now that he knows the crowd is turning to his side he can bring out his trump card, Caesar’s will. This plays on the general people’s self interest, but he tantalises them, not reading out the will. He explains that as by “…hearing the will of Caesar
It will inflame you, it will make you mad.”
Again he subtly hints that murder should take place, but as ever this is not an open incitement to violence.
He uses the crowds begging for the will as an excuse to come down to their level, thus making himself seem more trustworthy and less pompous than Brutus. When down to their level he tells them to “make a ring about the corpse”. He then shows them to body, whilst giving a running commentary on who made the wounds “Look! In this place ran Cassius’ dagger through” this allows the plebeians to empathise with Caesar and it gives them something to see and allows them to understand why Antony is upset. He also makes Brutus seem more and more despicable as he cut was “the most unkindest cut of all” this is because Caesar thought of Brutus as his angel. Each time Brutus is shown to be a horrible and untrustworthy person the crowd moves further towards Antony’s side.
Again Antony puts words in to the mouths of the Plebeians
“let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny
This is opposite of what he actually wants but cannot be seen to be encouraging them or else he will be going back on his agreement with Brutus.
As he is winding the crowd up to a state of fury he uses a new technique to push them even further on the path of mutiny. He says “I am no orator, as Brutus is” this implies that he can be trusted as he does not use fancy methods of persuasion but Brutus does and so he cannot be trusted. In fact this is almost the opposite, as he is using many methods, whereas Brutus only used one solitary technique. He also says if he and Brutus swapped roles that Brutus,
“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”
Again he is using subliminal messages, sowing the seeds of destruction in the heads of the people. Just as the crowd begins to leave he calls them back, reminding them of the will, which he had previously been so reluctant to read; “You have forgotten the will I told you of.” This is where he is able to play on the selfishness of people as they want to hear what Caesar has left them, which turns out to be “seventy-five Drachmas” which was a fair amount of money. This finally shows that Brutus was wrong about him being ambitious and a tyrant, as he has given away a vast sum of money to the people. Now he can send the people off safe in the knowledge that he has worked them to a state of extreme fury.
Finally he shows that he knows what he was doing with his speech as he says
“Now let it work, Mischief thou art afoot,
Take what course thou wilt”
In conclusion his speech builds in persuasive power, until it reaches boiling point and makes the crowd start a mutiny. The success of his speech can be monitored in the attitude of the people, at first they are hostile, soon they start to see sense in his ideas, and finally they are so in favour of him that they go on the rampage destroying everything in sight.
