Julius Caesar, Act III

1. Julius Caesar, Act III Rhetorical devices and other terms to know

2. Antistrophe • Definition: the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses • Example: repetition of the phrase “Brutus is an honourable man.” Act III, scene ii

3. Antithesis • Definition: juxtaposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction • Example: "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” Act III, scene ii

4. Aposiopesis • Definition: a sudden breaking off in the midst of a speech/sentence, as if from inability or unwillingness to proceed. • Example: “Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me..” Act III, scene ii

5. Appeals: Emotional/Pathos • Definition: persuading by appealing to the reader/listener's emotions • Example: Antony, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men; And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad: 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs; For, if you should, O, what would come of it!”

6. Appeals: Logical/Logos • Definition: persuading by the use of reasoning/logic • Example: Brutus’s speech

7. Appeals: Ethical/Ethos • Definition: Appeal based on the credibility or character of the speaker • Example: Brutus’s speech, “believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe…”

8. Asyndeton • Definition: Figure of omission in which normally occurring conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet) are intentionally omitted in successive phrases, or clauses; a string of words not separated by normally occurring conjunctions. • Example: "Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?" Act III, scene ii

9. Epimone • Definition: frequent repetition of a phrase or question; dwelling on a point • Example: "Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him I have offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak; for him have I offended.” Act III, scene ii

10. Eulogy • Definition: formal speech of praise, usually associated with a funeral • Example: Antony’s speech, Act III, scene ii

11. Metonymy • Definition: substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is meant (e.g., "crown" for royalty) • Example: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” Act III, scene ii

12. Paralepsis • Definition: emphasizing a point by seeming to pass over it • Example: "Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it. It is not meet you know how Caesar lov'd you." Act III, scene ii

13. Parallelism • Definition: similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses • Example: “Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended.” Act III, scene ii

14. Polysyndeton • Definition: the deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses (opposite of asyndeton) • Example: “For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood….” Act III, scene ii

15. Rhetorical Question • Definition: a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply • Example: “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?” Act III, scene ii

16. Verbal Irony • Definition: a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant • Example: “For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men” Antony’s entire speech in Act III, scene ii