Evaluation Of Persuasion In Julius Caesar Essay

Getting your friend to kill someone isnt as tough a task to carry out as you may think--all you need to do is know simple persuasion technique! In fact, persuasion manifests in countless forms suited and built to capture and expanse our very minds. Every day we breathe in the powerful swaying effect of persuasive words and even breathe them out more than perhaps realized. William Shakespeare, in his timeless work Julius Caesar showcases with great accuracy how simple forms of persuasion can successfully sway a persons way of thinking. The entire play is energized and wrapped around the power and outcome of persuasive strategies. Act 1, Scene 2 is just one of many excerpts that use such persuasive tactics when Cassius is persuading Brutus to take part in a conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar due his increasingly puffed up ego. Some of them being successful and some not: such as emotional appeal, flattery, attacks on the person, as well as the absence of loaded words.

An example that proves to be quite obvious in the case of persuasive strategies is the presence of emotional appeal during this scene. Though to understand, we must first know the character of the person being persuaded while evaluating this strategy as its by nature a very personal oriented sort of persuasion. So Brutus, the one being persuaded, is a by the book, live for nobility, die for honor type of a Roman--and everyone in Rome knows it. Oh, but you dont believe me? Well just take a look at what Brutus says in line 88-89 of Act 1, scene II and Im sure you will:

88For let the gods so speed me as I love

89The name of honor more than I fear death.

This is fantastic! For we now know who Brutus is! Now to continue, Cassius, a friend of Brutus, is attempting to prove that Julius Caesar needs to be killed for the good of Romeand for the good of honor. To do this, Cassius first sparks interest to Brutus using emotional appeal. You can view this persuasion in these lines:

148Brutus and Caesar. What is in that name, Caesar?

Why should that name be sounded any more than yours?

Write them down together; your name is just as good;

Say them out loud; your name sounds just as good;

Think about their importance, yours is just as important;

Use them to contact ghosts, "Brutus" will bring a spirit

154As soon as Caesar.

So, knowing that emotional appeal simply builds on and challenges ones convictions or obviously emotions in a charming manner, we can see that Cassius has used emotional appeal like a winner. He has pinpointed Brutuss pentacle moral and built him up according to it to see that even a Caesar is no more honorable or better than him. Though not only is this a great example of emotional appeal, but was successful at swaying Brutus to believing :

176I am glad that my weak words

177Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus |

This proves that Cassius's emotional appeal was effective and appropriate for the circumstance of Brutuss character.

Yet another persuasive strategy used in this section of the play is flattery. Flattery is a big tool in persuasion and tends to be quite powerful, particularly in advertisementthe only sort given to me. But in all reality we eat it up every day. Cassius used flattery on Brutus in lines 34-36 in order to make an emphasis on Brutuss greatness:

34And show of love as I was wont to have:

35You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand

36Over your friend that loves you.