Julius Caesar

1
Garca Landa Mariana

Professor Isabel del Toro Macas Valadez
0021
14 May 2015
William Shakespeare develops the character of Mark Antony in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
through what he says and what the rest of the characters think of him. First of all, he suffers various
changes that are noticeable in his speech throughout the play. These are consequences of the
assassination of Julius Caesar in the first scene of the third act. For this reason, these changes make the
character develop at the same pace the peripeteias occur in the play, of which the most significant is
Julius Caesars murder. As a politician, Mark Antony uses his knowledge of Rhetoric in his speech,
while he expresses his inner turmoil about the recent events to directly contrast it with Brutuss speech at
the Forum (III.ii.); this can be interpreted as Mark Antonys ability to accustom his social position to
different situations in order to succeed in his political aspirations. The scene where this is most
noticeable is in the Act III Scene II, where his main objective is to convince the Roman citizens of the
conspirators guiltiness and to reaffirm Julius Caesar as a symbol of justice in Rome.
In order to exemplify the most prominent, yet questionable, qualities politicians use in their jobs
with the help of Rhetoric, Mark Antonys place in the plot is not entirely fixed, nor does his speech. This
apparent fixity is understood as the blunt opinion other characters have of him and his illusive role in
Julius Caesars government. An example of this misconception is noticed when the conspirators are
planning the fall of Caesar, where Cassius is the only person that is aware of Marc Antonys main
political ability- his versatility:
I think it is not meet
Mark Antony, so well belovd of Caesar,

Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and you know, his means,
If he improve them, may well stretch so far
As to annoy us all, which to prevent,
Let Antony and Caesar fall together.
(II.i. 156-161)
On the other hand, Brutus explains his perception of Marc Antonys role in Julius Caesars government,
which shows his naiveness: ...For Antony is but a limb of Caesar. (II. I. 65.) Subsequently, Cassius
asseveration will be proved right in Act III Scene II, the climax of the play. In this scene, Marc Antony
shows the audience his real characteristic qualities, both in the plays fictional Forum and in the actual
representation of the play. Schanzer describes these trademarks as his consummate histrionic powers,
his great skill in manoevering, the mixture of emotionalism with Machiavelism, of loyalty and devotion
with ruthlessness and treachery. (Schanzer, 100) As a result, another peripeteia occurs in the play: Mark
Antonys funerary speech and its further consequences.
After Brutuss speech, the general impression of Marc Antony is one where he is not considered
a menace for the conspirators, since he reaffirms that he came to the Forum to bury Caesar, not to
praise him. (III. ii. 76). Nevertheless, he is still aware that his audience is at the verge of turning into a
mob, and takes advantage of this awareness. One important contrast with Brutuss speech is the
language they use to address their speeches to the Roman citizens; Brutuss speech is in prose, while
Antonys is in rhymed verse. He will now proceed to use his knowledge in Rhetoric in order to convince
his audience that I, Antony am a loyal follower of Caesar; you love me for a good fellow; [], and as
one given to pleasure, I am not likely to lie awake at night plotting you injury. (Burke 56) First, he
addresses his audience as Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears (III. ii. 75) because he
knows this will attract their attention. Subsequently, Antony advocates in favour of Caesars innocence,
while he sarcastically enhances his concept of honour with the help of apophasis; this is a recurrent
structure in his speech. An example of his convincing abilities is when he tells the Roman audience:
You all did see that on Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
(III. ii. 97-101)
One character that exemplifies the before and after Antonys speech is the 4th citizen, who previously
said Caesars better parts / Shall be crownd in Brutus. (III. ii. 54-55), and who now believes in
Antonys words Markd ye his words? He would not take the crown: / Therefore, tis certain, he was
not ambitious. (III. ii. 115-116). At this point of the play, the audience knows that he is conscious of the
following responses of his public and proceeds to keep manipulating them through his apparent turmoil
and the discovering of Caesars will. Indeed, this demonstrates Antonys understating of pathos, which
he uses as a device to support his speech.
At the end of the scene, Antonys role in Roman politics has changed just as he had planned it to
be in order to avenge Caesars death and to support his political aspirations. In Burkes interpretation of
the character of Antony this new role is defined by the Roman politician himself: I serve a double
purpose. Not only do I let Caesar shine a bit warmly by his reflection of my glow, but when the actual
persona of the Caesar-principle is dispatched by daggers, the principle lives on in me, who continue the
function of Caesar in the play. (Burke, 56). By saying Now let it work. Michief, thou art afoot,/ Take
thou what course thou wilt! (III.ii. 261-262), the character of Antony confirms his speech as a
demonstration of his rhetorical skills that will inevitably lead to a war, along with Octavius and Lepidus.
To conclude, the main peripateia in the play is Caesars murder, thus the representation of Mark
Antony in Act III Scene II acknowledges him as the successor of Julius Caesar because of his
characteristic qualities, such as his oratory skills. His speech is a proof of an impeccable knowledge of
Rhetoric and awareness of the human pathos; it is remarkable because of the various devices he uses in
it which results in a speech that is both rational and emotional. Nevertheless, the representation of how
politicians and orators can easily deceive and convince his audience with the only purpose of obtaining
what they are aspiring for is what makes us understand the real problem in the play: The main issue of
Julius Caesar, as I see it, is not a political but a purely moral issue, consisting in the conflicting claims of
the world of personal relations and that of politics. (Schanzer 99)
Shanzer Ernest. Preface to Julius Caesar. Shakespeares Julius Caesar. Ed. Julian Markels.
New York: Scribner Research Anthologies, 1961. 94-102. Print.

Burke, Kenneth. Antony in Behalf of the Play. Shakespeares Julius Caesar. Ed. Julian
Markels. New York: Scribner Research Anthologies, 1961. 55-60. Print.

Julius Caesar

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Julius Caesar

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Garca Landa Mariana

Mark Antony, so well belovd of Caesar,

New York: Scribner Research Anthologies, 1961. 94-102. Print.

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