Friday, July 25, 2014

Example of Antony being clever.

Antony is diabolically clever in his speech to the crowd after Caesar's murder. After essentially promising that he will not oppose Brutus and the conspirators, he asks that he be allowed to speak. Brutus naively trusts him and gives his consent, thinking that by speaking first, he can avert any damage that might come from having Antony speak. He also gets Antony to swear that he will not say anything negative about the conspirators and instead will only eulogize Caesar. He cleverly adheres to this promise in his speech, appealing to the sentimentality of the people by emphasizing Caesar's virtues.
Throughout, however, he reminds the crowd sardonically that Brutus is an "honorable" man. He does not directly call for the people to avenge Caesar's death, but he stokes their fury by reading Caesar's will after repeatedly saying (with sarcasm and mock decorum) that he does not want to move them to violence. Having worked the crowd to a fever pitch, he then describes the murder as an act of traitors but still repeats that Brutus is honorable. So Antony is very clever in securing permission to speak and by stirring up the crowd to avenge Caesar's death through innuendo and suggestion.

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