Literary Elements of Julius Caesar Act III William Shakespeare Julius Caesar

Rhetorical devices and other terms to know Julius Caesar, Act III Rhetorical devices and other terms to know

Antistrophe Definition: the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses Example: repetition of the phrase “Brutus is an honourable man.” Act III, scene ii

Antithesis Definition: juxtaposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction Example: "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” Act III, scene ii

Aposiopesis Definition: a sudden breaking off in the midst of a speech/sentence, as if from inability or unwillingness to proceed. Example: “Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me..” Act III, scene ii

Appeals: Emotional/Pathos Definition: persuading by appealing to the reader/listener's emotions Example: Antony, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men; And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad: 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs; For, if you should, O, what would come of it!”

Appeals: Logical/Logos Definition: persuading by the use of reasoning/logic Example: Brutus’s speech

Appeals: Ethical/Ethos Definition: Appeal based on the credibility or character of the speaker Example: Brutus’s speech, “believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe…”

Asyndeton Definition: Figure of omission in which normally occurring conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet) are intentionally omitted in successive phrases, or clauses; a string of words not separated by normally occurring conjunctions. Example: "Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?" Act III, scene ii

Epimone Definition: frequent repetition of a phrase or question; dwelling on a point Example: "Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him I have offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak; for him have I offended.” Act III, scene ii

Eulogy Definition: formal speech of praise, usually associated with a funeral Example: Antony’s speech, Act III, scene ii

Metonymy Definition: substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is meant (e.g., "crown" for royalty) Example: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” Act III, scene ii

Paralepsis Definition: emphasizing a point by seeming to pass over it Example: "Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it. It is not meet you know how Caesar lov'd you." Act III, scene ii

Parallelism Definition: similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses Example: “Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have 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? If any, speak; for him have I offended.” Act III, scene ii

Polysyndeton Definition: the deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses (opposite of asyndeton) Example: “For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood….” Act III, scene ii

Rhetorical Question Definition: a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply Example: “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” Act III, scene ii

Verbal Irony Definition: a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant Example: “For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men” Antony’s entire speech in Act III, scene ii