Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare – Public Speaking and Classical Rhetoric

A concise and professionally structured resource exploring how Shakespeare presents public speaking and classical rhetoric as forms of political power in Julius Caesar.

This resource provides focused critical analysis of rhetoric, oratory and persuasion, examining how Brutus and Antony use speech to shape public judgement after Caesar’s assassination. It introduces ethos, logos, pathos, antithesis, irony, rhetorical questions and repetition, while showing how language, performance, evidence and emotion can redirect political reality.

Key features:

• Clear analysis of public speaking and classical rhetoric as central forces in the play
• Focus on Brutus’s appeal to honour and reason, Antony’s emotional performance, and the Roman crowd’s shifting response
• Exploration of ethos, logos, pathos, antithesis, irony, repetition, public oratory, staged evidence and political persuasion
• Activities to reinforce and practise key concepts, including terminology, Roman politics, Brutus’s funeral speech, Antony’s rhetoric, rhetorical appeals, speaker comparison, critical perspectives, creative speech writing and argument building
• Detailed answer key included for straightforward checking and review