Types of Appeal and
Rhetorical Strategies in
Julius Caesar
What are types of appeal?

There are three types of appeals people
use to communicate:
– Ethical: the speaker/writer uses language to
gain the listener’s/reader’s trust
– Logical: the speaker/writer uses facts, details,
and information to create a rational argument.
– Emotional: the speaker/writer uses emotionally
charged words and phrases to “move” the
listener/reader.
What are rhetorical strategies?
Rhetorical strategies are what good
speakers use to persuade effectively.
 There are many, many rhetorical
strategies, but we’ll be focusing on the
ones Shakespeare used in Julius Caesar.

Rhetorical Strategies



(1) Alliteration: repetition of the same consonant
sound throughout a line of verse.
– Ex: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled
peppers”
(2) Antithesis: juxtaposition or contrast of ideas
or words to give the listener a feeling of balance.
– Ex: “One small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind” Neil Armstrong
(3) Apostrophe: a sudden turn from the general
audience to address a particular person or group.
– “We women live in a time of open hearts and
minds. But without you, Amelia Earhart, there
would be no such things.”
Rhetorical Strategies

(4) Chiasmus: two corresponding pairs
arranged in a parallel inverse order. (a-b-b-a)
– Ex: “Fair is foul and foul is fair” (Macbeth)

(5) Epimone: frequent repetition of a phrase
or questions: dwelling on a point
– Ex: “You talkin’ to me? Are you talkin’ to me?
Because there don’t seem to be nobody else
around. I’ll ask again; are you talkin’ to me?”
(Scarface)

(6) Irony: saying the opposite of what you
mean
– Ex:
Rhetorical Strategies

(7) Metaphor: implied comparison between
two unlike things achieved through the
figurative use of words
– Ex: A strong wind of poverty blew out her life.

(8) Metonymy: substitution of some
attributive or suggestive word for what is
meant (i.e. “Crown” equals “Royalty”)
– Ex: “The pen is mightier than the sword”

(9) Parallelism: similarity of structure in a
pair or series of related words
– Ex: Ferocious dragons breathing fire and wicked
sorcerers casting spells do damage by the light of
night.
Rhetorical Strategies

(10) Polysyndeton: the repetition of conjunctions
in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or
clauses
– Ex: We checked under the blanket and the pillow and
the rug and the couch and the table and the bed and the
dresser and the coat rack, but we couldn’t find Fluffy
anywhere.

(11) Rhetorical Question: a question asked for
effect, but not necessarily needing to be
answered
– “To be, or not to be” (Hamlet)

(12) Simile: comparing two unlike things using
the words “like” or “as”
– Ex: He was solid as a rock.
On Your Own
 Now,
try looking for examples of
these strategies on your own.