Rhetorical Appeals by Megan
Coyle, Brittany Bunce, and
Cicely Bunker_1
Ethos
Cassius persuades Brutus and
convinces him that fate does not
exist and that we choose our path
in life, it is not made for us. He tells
Brutus that Caesar is not worthy of
being king, and the only way that
he could show everyone that is by
becoming king himself.
The fault, dear
Brutus, is not in our
stars, but in
ourselves, that we
are underlings,
(I.ii.90-132).
At the Feast of Lupercal
Caesar's wife will never
have any children no
matter the outcome of the
race
"To touch Calphurnia;
for our elders say the
barren, touchèd in this
holy chase, shake off
their sterile curse,"
(I.ii.6-9).
When Cassius convinces
Casca that the storm is
because of Caesar. This is
when Casca then decides to
join the conspirators.
"A man most like
this dreadful night,
that thunders,
lightens, opens
graves, and roars
as doth the lion in
the Capitol,"
(I.iii.57-78).
Logos
Casca tells Brutus and
Cassius that Caesar
"was offered the crown"
and that "he put it by
thrice" (I. ii. 220-223)
This is an example of factual data and statistics.
Casca is speaking to both men who were not at
the event about things that actually happened.
With the use of numbers and vivid facts, he is
able to tell exactly what happened.
Cassius believes that Brutus
would be a better king than
Caesar, yet all of the
commoners love having
Caesar as their king, (I.ii.90-132).
This is an example of a logical
argument. Cassius believes that once
Brutus becomes king all of the
commoners will see how great of a king
he is, and how much better he is than
Caesar, but some people may think
Brutus would be a horrible king.
Caesar says that "Cassius
has a lean and hungry look"
implying that he is hungry for
power, and that "such men
are dangerous"
(I.ii.194-195)
This is an example of theoretical, abstract
language. Caesar doesn't actually mean that
Cassius is hungry as in he needs to eat food,
he means that Cassius is hungry for power
and he is someone who could possibly
threaten his reign.
Pathos
But ere we could arrive the point
proposed, Caesar cried “Help me,
Cassius, or I sink!” I, as Aeneas, our
great ancestor, Did from the flames
of Troy upon his shoulder the old
Anchises bear, so from the waves of
Tiber did I the tired Caesar.
(I.ii.110-115).
This shows that
Brutus was swayed
by Cassius' speech
and feels that Caesar
is weak and unfit to
rule.
A man no mightier than
thyself or me in personal
action, yet prodigious grown,
and fearful as these strange
eruptions are. Tis Caesar
that you mean, is it not,
Cassius? (I.iii.79-82).
Cassius is trying to tell Casca that
Caesar should not be king because
the only difference is his name. He
is not a noble man and has done no
valliant deeds to deserve the title of
king.
"Why should that name
(Caesar) be sounded more than
yours?" (I.ii.151).
Cassius is asking Brutus what
makes Caesar so special that the
crowd chants his name. Cassius is
trying to get into Brutus' ego and puff
him up so he thinks he can take
Caesar's place as the ruler of Rome.