Julius Caesar - Mark Antony
It is human nature to change one's personality to fit the situation. People behave differently when speaking to a dignitary that when talking to a friend. Over time one can change due to a loss or gain of power, sometimes for the better or worse. In Julius Caesar, for example, Mark Antony goes through several changes. Mark Antony loved Julius Caesar, yet when he passed away Mark Antony swears vengeance, and ultimately is corrupted by the power of running a country. At the beginning of the play Antony is harmless and extremely loyal to Julius Caesar. Mark Antony is about to run a race, but "When Caesar says 'Do this,' it is performed." It is almost as if Mark Antony is only a puppet to Julius Caesar. He is being respectful of his leader, yet it seems as if he is fearful of him. While Caesar does not realize Mark Antony's potential, Brutus underestimates him. Brutus refers to Rome as a body and Caesar as the head, yet "To cut the head off and then hack the limbs" would be killing Mark Antony. If the head of something was shot, there is no need to try to shoot the heart. Julius Caesar is concerned about his well-being, for good reason. Casca has been speaking in low tones and Caesar would "Have men about
me that are fat" because he feels that they can be trusted easier. Caesar trusts Mark Antony as his closest confidant due to the fact that they have been like brothers all their lives. Mark Antony plays several roles, ranging from that of a devoted follower, to a clever manipulator, to a greedy and corrupted individual. At the end of the battle, Mark Antony knows that Brutus "Was the noblest Roman of them all." He plays on Brutus' sense of honor and deceives him to gain power. Antony has learned that mistakes can and have been made by Brutus, yet he does not try to explain Brutus' actions. While in the second triumvirate, Antony is corrupted and becomes greedy. As the conspirators were driven away, the new leaders of Rome are making a list of the people who were associated or that they just plain don't like. This has made Mark Antony callous, as "These many then shall die; their names are pricked." Two names on the list are Lepidus' brother, and Antony's nephew. He then sends Lepidus on an errand to get Caesar's will and proceeds to mock Lepidus and compare him to an ass "To groan and sweat under the business." Caesar had left a will that was being discussed at the same time. Ant
Some common words found in the essay are:
Mark Antony, Caesar Brutus, Antony Fled, Lepidus' Antony's, Julius Caesar, Antony Brutus, Mark Antony's, mark antony, Philippi Brutus, Octavius Caesar, julius caesar, Brutus' Cassius', gain power, octavius caesar,
Approximate Word count = 810
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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