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THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR, ACT THREE
Literary Analysis
RHETORICAL DEVICES
The funeral speeches by Brutus and Antony are famous examples of rhetoric, or persuasion. Both
make use of the following rhetorical devices:
 repetition of words and sounds
 parallelism, or repeated grammatical structures
 rhetorical questions—questions requiring no answer because the answer seems obvious
Directions: In the chart, record examples of rhetorical devices found in the two funeral speeches
(Brutus: Scene 2, lines 12–41, Antony: Scene 2, lines 70–248).
Example
Speaker
Type of
Rhetorical Device
What It Suggests or
Emphasizes
Resource Manager Unit 11
67
Answer Key
THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR, ACT THREE
Literary Analysis, pages 67, 68
Examples of rhetorical devices will vary. Sample responses are provided.
Example/Speaker/Type of Rhetorical Device/What It Suggests or Emphasizes
“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (line 20) /Brutus/repetition/
Emphasizes that Brutus and the conspirators acted out of genuine love for the country.
“There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for his ambition.”
(lines 24–25) /Brutus/parallelism/Caesar had many virtues (love, fortune, valor) but was killed
for his fatal fault (ambition).
“Who is here so base that would be a bondman?” (lines 25–26) “Who here is so vile that will not
love his country?” (lines 28-29)/Brutus/rhetorical question/That the killing of Caesar was a
patriotic act committed by people who love their country.
“But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man.” (lines 84-85, lines 95–
96)/Antony/repetition/Suggests that the opposite is true, that although Brutus claims to be
honorable, he has committed a dishonorable action.
“For I have neither wit, nor words, not worth,/Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech”
(lines 217–218)/ Antony/ parallelism/ Emphasizes Antony’s claim of humility, his suggestion
that he does not have enough verbal skill to persuade others to believe things that are not true.
“Did this Caesar seem ambitious? (line 87); “Was this ambition?” (line 94); What cause
withholds you then to mourn for him? (line 100); “Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your
loves?” (line 232); “When comes such another” (line 248)/ Antony/ rhetorical questions/
Emphasize that Antony’s conclusions are logical and inevitable.