Persuasion of the Crowd in Julius Caesar

In “Julius Caesar”, understanding what persuades the crowd is the most important factor in deciding the course of the play. The crowd is important because of its potential for power. Anyone who can control the allegiance of the mob can control the city of Rome itself. All the major characters in Julius Caesar recognise this power. Cassius needs them to gain acceptability, Brutus needs them to prevent backlash, while Mark Antony needs them to rebel against the conspirators. However, Antony and Cassius understand what moves the people more accurately than Brutus and is so rewarded with greater control of the crowd. Their better controlling arises from them using ideas which the people themselves have recognised.

Cassius dictates the plot initially because he recognises that he needs someone honourable and trustworthy to convince the crowd to accept Caesar’s murder. This is his key motive of siding with Brutus, which eventuates to be a significant part of the plot. In Act 1 Scene 2, when Cassius convinces Brutus to join his scheme, he says “ I cannot tell what you and other men / Think of this life, but, for my single self, / I had as life not be as live to be / In awe of such a thing as I myself. / I was born free as Caesar. So were you.” This shows that Cassius’ main argument is that he is just as deserving of the treatment that Caesar is receiving. He also knows that while the plebeians do not rate him anywhere near Caesar’s level, Brutus has proven over the years to be one of the leading figures of society. This means to the gain the same treatment, he needs to operate through Brutus as the populace knows Brutus as an honest, loyal man who has the faith of Caesar. This is proven by Brutus when he says, “If it be aught toward the general good, / Set honour in one eye and death i’th’other / And I will look on both indifferently”. This shows that Brutus would do anything for the better of Rome, an aspect of him the population has come to realise. Moreover, historical context tells readers that Brutus has a veritable heritage as his great ancestor of the same name was part of a conspiracy to rid Rome of its first kings. Cassius knows that although the population would never listen to him if he was the figurehead of the murder, but they would listen to Brutus. In Act 3 Scene 2, Plebeian 3 says, “Let him be Caesar”. This shows that the Roman population see Brutus as almost a sound replacement for Caesar. Cassius thus feeds the crowd his arguments from the mouth of Brutus; to give him legitimacy and to convince the crowd. This proves significant to the plot as it allows him to puppeteer Brutus to kill Caesar, and the populace to stop violent repercussions. Cassius recognised that people are more easily persuaded by people and ideas they already support and respect rather than those forced upon them. The only reason he ultimately fails is because Brutus isn’t able to do the same.

Brutus fails to keep the crowd on his side because instead of using ways that appeal to the crowd, he uses logos rhetoric. This failure is of great importance as this allows Antony to eventually form a stronghold upon the crowd that leads to Brutus’ and the other conspirators’ demise. During Caesar’s eulogy speech, Brutus states, “But, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition.” Brutus’ primary argument in his defence is that Caesar was overambitious. But he fails to understand that the crowd does not think that ambition is a weakness. His argument does not possess much value to the audience because to them, Caesar’s ambition has brought great reward and has let them live prosperously. In Act 1 Scene 1, Cobbler says, “But indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph”. This represents a general view of the crowd towards Caesar’s ambition: that his ambitious conquests are worthy of celebration. Brutus then remarks, “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?” Here Brutus threatens the crowd that they are low and barbarous if they do