JULIUS CAESAR

Act III, scenes ii – Brutus’ & Antony’s Speeches

The Aim: To persuade the plebeians onto their side.

Brutus speaks in Prose (common language) whilst Antony speaks in verse making the plebeians feel important.

‘As he was ambitious, I
slew him’ – Brutus’ reasoning for assassinating Caesar.

Antony’s speech is a ‘tour de force’ (triumph, masterpiece).

Antony repeats again and again that Brutus and his fellow conspirators are ‘honourable men’ which becomes more ironic with each repetition.

Antony’s answers Brutus’ reasoning for killing Caesar (he was ambitious) by remind the plebeians of his sympathy for the poor and his refusal to take the throne when offered it – thrice – disproving he could be charged as ambitious.

He pauses to weep, making the plebeians feel pity for him.

He then, by means of praeteritio (rhetoric device implemented to bring attention to a point by disregarding it.), he alerts the plebeians to the fact that Caesar cared greatly for them and gave them something in his will, he used this to appeal to the plebeians sense of greed.

Antony descends from the pulpit – a more effective way of becoming one with the people than Brutus’s strategy of speaking in prose.

Antony first speaks about Caesars wounds and his horrible deaths, showing them the body; this evokes the anger and pity of the crowd.

‘This was the most unkindest cut of all’ – he wasn’t there at the time of Caesar’s death, he was held off by Trebonius, by this stage he is trying to make the plebeians feel the horror of the death, adding to the drama.

‘I am no orator, as Brutus is’ – Antony claims with false modesty; he is the better orator

Antony says, ‘What private griefs they have, alas, I know not’ alludes to the fact that they could have private grudges against Caesar.

Act II scene I 155-214 – Conspirators assessing People

Brutus thinks the murder of just Caesar is a righteous act.

The Dish Metaphor (extended), - sacrificers not butchers
Cold hearted murder – carcass fit for hounds
Righteous act – dish fit for the gods.

Brutus’ irony in saying – ‘ Our purpose necessary, not envious’, he is he only one doing it for the greater good, the others are envious and jealous of Caesar and Antony.

Anachronism – clocks weren’t invented until much later.

Supernatural theme, - man’s hand on fire, storms, lions

Shows a monumental event coming up, - bad omens.

Decius uses reverse psychology on Caesar by challenging his pride to bring him to get assassinated.

Act V Scene v

‘My bones would rest’ – personification

Brutus’ last words about Caesar, Caesar’s last words about Brutus ‘ Et tu, Brute?’

Brutus died on his sword, retaining his honour as a roman

Antony says Brutus is the noblest Roman of them all, he didn’t act out of jealousy when he killed Caesar.

Film Techniques

Shot Sizes and Angles

Wide or Establishing shot – this sets the whole scene and establishes the geography of the scene

Long shot – A slightly closer shot, that introduces figures in the landscape

Mid shot –Mid shots on characters are from waist to head, they reveal the action that is being undertaken by the