Antigone

             In all Shakespeare's plays, there is a center of drama where someone with a high sensitive moral conscience, suffers and dies because of a tragic weakness. In Julius Caesar, Caesar is the character to suffer and die because he was seen as too ambitious and thought by some to be a possible tyrant leader. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Brutus and Mark Antony, both Roman Senators eulogize Julius Caesar, each using a different technique and approach to sway the citizens to their side. Brutus, is somewhat arrogant in attempting to sway the people. Although Brutus speech is logical and he tries to justify why he killed Caesar, Antony has the most effective speech because he focuses on Caesar's positive traits, triggers the emotions of the people and cunningly disproves Brutus' justification for killing Caesar.
             In Brutus speech he tries to reason with the crowd and he uses logic to impress the crown. Brutus tries to justify killing Caesar by saying that he killed Caesar for his ambition. This is clearly shown when Brutus says "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death, for his ambition."(3.2 24-29). In this quote Brutus is declaring that he never wronged Caesar and gives one good reason of why he had to kill Caesar; for his ambitious ways. Even though Brutus verbal juggling in this quote may have impressed Brutus educated friends who can believe that it moves the heart of the people. Brutus speech is also logical and he speaks on degrees of good and evil. This is clearly shown when Brutus says "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more."(3.2. 21-22). In this quote Brutus justifies killing Caesar because of his great love for Rome even though he loved Caesar to a degree. "His assumptions about the appropriate political style are wrong for the reality of imperial Rome.