1. Marc Anthony’s Speech at Caesar’s Funeral
Julius Caesar
Marc Anthony’s Speech at Caesar’s Funeral

2. Background
Cassius persuaded Brutus to join with him and conspirators to assassinate Caesar
Marc Anthony is suspicious
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

3. 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 ...
Immediately indicates he is not there to praise Caesar but to bury him.
Indicates the goodness Caesar displayed will go with him to the grave.
Shift away from “evil ambition” Brutus indicated
Focus on emotion
Begins with “Friends”
Personifies evil and good

4. 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?

5. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
Sarcasm and Repetition
All the people whom murdered Caesar are “honorable”
We will “trust and listen” to Brutus because he’s “honorable” even though he murdered Caesar
Rhetorical Question
Address the “ambition” Brutus said was his reasoning for killing Caesar
Turns “evil ambition” to Caesar being a faithful friend
He discredits Brutus without directly stating it

6. Marc Anthony’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
Reminds crows Caesar refused the crown 3 times, how ambition?
Swaying crowd to question what Brutus said about Caesar.
To prove to themselves he was NOT ambitious.

7. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
Irony
He counters all of Brutus’ claims and questions his honor.
Uses repetitive aspect to persuade and make his point.
Doesn’t directly disparage the murderers
Continually uses honourable
Focuses on good aspects of Caesar

8. 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.

9. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
Apostrophe & Alliteration
“Oh, judgment! Thou are fled to brutish beasts.”
Antithesis
“I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.”
Rhetorical Question
“What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?”
Hyperbole
“My heart in the coffin there with Caesar.”
Emotional appeal
Exaggeration to heighten statement

10. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
Repetition
Continually states “Brutus was an honorable man.”
Line that precedes it contradicts statement.
Repeats words ambitious and honorable inciting crowd to realize what has actually happened.
Pathos: Emotional Appeal
You did love Caesar once, how can you not mourn for him?
Must be a beast with no reason.

11. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
But yesterday the word of Caesar might Have stood against the world; now lies he there. And none so poor to do him reverence. O masters, if I were disposed to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honourable men: I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honourable men.

12. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
Pathos: Emotional Appeal
Questions crowd’s loyalty and quickness of their change of heart. Plays on their emotions.
Diction
Mentions “mutiny” and “rage” indirectly stirring emotions in crowd.
Sarcasm and Repetition
I would never wrong Brutus and Cassius; they are “honorable” men.

13. Marc Antony's Funeral Speech
“Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up/ To such a sudden flood of mutiny” ( ).
Says not to consider mutiny- puts the thought in their minds.
Diction “good, sweet friends”

14. Marc Antony’s Funeral Speech
“To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas…
Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbours and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber; he hath left them you, And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures, To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves” (III.ii ).
Mentions that Caesar left the people of Rome many things

15. Act III Scene iii
People of Rome mistake Cinna (artist) for the conspirator Cinna
Indicates a mob mentality
Declining society of Rome
Still attack after they realize who it is- they still want to kill him: merciless, terror
Anarchistic and brutal state
Caesar’s spirit and ambition live on- his monarchy will live on even after his death