- Enroll in Honors English 10..........check
- Read an extra book each quarter....check
- Post consistantly 1 post weekly.......check
- Get 90% on the honors books (kinda).....check
- Stay on top of my English regulars class......check
- Post and honors book anayalsis with each book.....check
Have Honors English 10 appear on my High School Transcript.... PRICELESS!!!!
This week I am going to do a essay that I typed for english about Julius Caesar:
The Depth of the Madness
"To Be or Not to Be, that is the question"- William Shakespeare, that is what most people think of when they hear the name Shakespeare. Others think of "Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?" or other sappy love quotes that have no meaning other than to suffice the grieving ex girlfriend. While the "To be or Not to Be" quote actually refers to living or not living which one would have the best outcome? In truth Shakespeare has many more quotes that have much more of a deeper meaning than a fancy way to speak of love. My most favorite quote ever spoken by Shakespeare is one from his play Hamlet "Through this be madness, there is method in it". Shakespeare is referring to the craziness in life that actually has meaning and truth to it. That amazing quote came from a man born in the enlightenment period. A time period that changed views on freedom and government. That quote also is exactly what measures up the funeral speeches given by Brutus and Mark Antony in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar . It is my conjecture that after reading the accounts of both speeches, Brutus gave the most effective speech because he knew who his audience was;Brutus made a valid argument without arguing. However, both made good arguments that appealed to aporia, ethos and logos.
The rhetorical strategy of Aporia is defined as expression of doubt by which speaker appears uncertain as to what he should think, say or do. This often gains sympathy from the audience as if the speaker is torn on what to do. This strategy is flat out acting sad or hurt to get more support. While I am not at all a fan of this strategy being used I think that Anthony used it well. Antony said, " 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."( Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 4) Antony thinks that Caesar was killed for no reason and he uses words like "Bear with me", "My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar...I must pause till it come back to me"( Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 4) to gain sympathy from his audience. He uses Aporia to gain sympathy and in the process Antony is able to persuade his audience of his point. Brutus used Aporia in the quote "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him, as he was fortunate I rejoice at it: As he was valiant I honor him" (Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 3) Brutus is gaining sympathy from the funeral attendees by expressing his sorrow and emphasizing the friendship he and Caesar had. Antony was more effective because he used aporia three times, he even paused so the audience could feel his emotion and sadness. Brutus touched on aporia twice and did not let emotion take over. Antony was better equipped to use the strategy of aporia.
Ethos is defined as building the speaker's credibility. In the process of building credibility the speaker is able to build trust with the audience. Brutus used his credibility in the quotes "Not that I have loved Caesar less but that I loved Rome more...For him I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country?(Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 4) Brutus is appealing to the credibility or loyalty of his audience. Brutus is saying that if he has offended anyone then they are not true Romans. Antony uses ethos when he says "For Brutus is an honorable man", latter in the speech he says "And Brutus is an honorable man... I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong who you all know are honorable men".(Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 1 and 3) Antony is destroying the credibility of Brutus and Cassius by repeatedly saying that they are honorable men. Antony repeats that to the point where he is mocking Brutus without completely saying it. Antony is aware that Brutus is popular so Antony is mocking Brutus without saying bluntly. The winner of its usage is Brutus. Brutus gets his audience involved by appealing to the credibility of them. Brutus almost uses ethos as a scare tactic by saying they are not a true Roman unless they agree. Antony does not involve the audience and does not appeal to the good of Rome.
Logos is the final rhetorical device which is known as a logical approach to the argument. Antony uses logos when he says " The evil that men do live after them; the good is oft interred with their bones".(Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 1) Antony makes a point that people understand and that follows where the society's logic reaches. Brutus makes his logos known when he says "Had you rather Caesar living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?"( Act 3, Scene 2, Stanza 3) Brutus considers the consequences of having Caesar as a king compared to Caesar’s death. Brutus makes the best argument because one of the natural ideas that all humans have is the concept of freedom. Freedom being so natural and human is thought of a lot and Brutus follows common logic to make a point that there would be no freedom with Caesar as the king.
Shakespeare is known to come up with the overtold love quotes that single women fantasize over. However, Shakespeare also has a side of him that goes a lot deeper. Shakespeare was born in the time period that is known as the enlightenment. The enlightenment age is when ideas of freedom were spoken of more verbally and new ideas of government were born. That birth of new government and actual freedom are what motivated the American Revolutionary War. Shakespeare contributed to the American Revolution. Even through in his plays, Shakespeare wrote his characters to contribute to that. I believe that Brutus contributed the most to the idea of freedom and overthrowing the government all in the name of freedom. Brutus was the most aware of his audience, made the most justice in his argument, followed ethos better then Antony ever did and Brutus followed logic by using freedom to persuade his audience. Antony was good at receiving feelings of sympathy from his audience. Brutus, overall, made the best funeral speech because he followed passionate feelings of freedom. There is “method in this madness”, and it is called the inspiration of a nation.
