Is This Ambition? - Mark Anthony

Alexandra Golovko

Ms. Tate

English II- 7th

27 April 2007

Is This Ambition?

In this essay Mark Anthony (Mark Anthony) is giving a speech. In his speech there is couple of persuasions. Techniques that will focus on are verbal irony and suasive aim, It will explain that to much ambition cause people to dislike one another.

The first persuasion techniques that Anthony uses in his speech is, verbal irony, because under the circumstances he can say what he want. By saying “he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man.” Trying to show that it is opposite of what happened or what it really is. If Brutus is an honorable man, he would not go against Caesar. Brutus is more than a traitor he is disgrace to his roman people. Brutus is just a jealous man, who wants all power to himself; the conclusion must be Brutus is not an honorable man.

The second persuasion is suasive aim, this technique is trying to lead, to think or act in a certain way to agree with Mark Anthony. It also supports his cause, by saying to the people “I thrice presented him a king crown, which he did thrice refuse was this Ambition?” To prove to people that Caesar was a considerable man, and a great ruler. Anthony convinces Romans that Caesar loved them all, but to get closer to the murder Anthony needed to convince conspirators as well. So Anthony is planning to join then by shaking their hands, which turns in to peace freedom and liberty. By doing so he turned Romans against conspirators.

When Anthony started to feel that he had control, he became power hungry. This shows the conflict how too much power can create a big disaster. By explaining two of the main persuasions in this essay, points out that ambition can cause people