Blogger #30 - Shao Quan Wang - Period 2 - 11/04/2021

Blogger #30 - Shao Quan Wang - Period 2 - 1/13/2022

Aim: How can analyzing the new triumvirate, and the conspirators, illuminate a clear comparison of the conflicts?

Do Now:                 PAIR/SHARE   

In Act III, scene ii, we witnessed speeches from both Brutus and Mark Antony. Based on what we read and viewed in the film, how do you think Brutus feels after witnessing and hearing Antony’s speech? Do you think he should be doing anything at this moment? If so, what?

    In the beginning of class we discussed the feelings and his decision after Antony’s powerful speech. As we have said in class, Brutus has made a terrible decision of not killing Antony before when he had the chance too. Someone mentioned that Brutus thought that Antony was a “headless chicken running around without the guidance of Caesar”. This is quite ironic because Brutus didn't think Antony was able to deliver such a speech so he spared him but now that the crowd was on Antony’s side, we can suggest that Brutus definitely regrets not killing Antony. At this point, Brutus should just go home and protect his family since the crowd has said to burn his property. 

Teamwork

1. TRIUMVIRATE: -  a group of three men holding power

What could be some strengths and weaknesses of a triumvirate?

From what we have mentioned in class some of the strengths of this is that there will be more opinions on the table and it could possibly come out to be a better decision. As people have quoted, “3 brains are better than 1 brain.” Some of the weaknesses is that not all people agree with each other and this can cause a dispute. We see this with Caesar and Pompey, where Caesar killed Pompey over a dispute between the two. 

2. Consider the fact that 2 sides are now clearly established: Antony and Brutus.

Based on your knowledge, list the potential strengths and weaknesses of Mark Antony’s team and Brutus’ team at this point in the play.

Strengths of Antony:

- Antony has the favor of the people (He has power to puresuade them to do something)

- Antony is really intelligent which is showed from his quick thinking of the speech and just after a spectacular speech that Brutus did, Antony managed to one up that speech. 

- Antony is also really persuasive, which is displayed from his ability to change the side the crowd is on with just one speech. 

Weakness of Antony:

- Antony doesn't have as much power or fame as Brutus and the other Conspirators. But this doesnt stop hjim from beating the well respected and honorable Brutus. 

Strengths of Brutus: 

- Brutus has a lot of power and respect from the Citizens of Rome. (This won’t really matter at this point anymore since he already lost the crowd).

- Brutus also respects his wife a lot, he is able to make choices with her opinion incorporated. (The respect Caesar has for his wife leads to his downfall). 

Weakness of Brutus: 

- He has lost the respect that the people gave him. ( Would pose a major threat to Brutus.)

- He underestimates Antony which leads to his defeat in the battle of winning the crowd over. 

- Brutus is a traitor to Caesar which shows that he could be manipulated. (This was what Cassius had taken advantage of to get Brutus to kill Caesar).

Discuss what you believe Comic Relief is.

 Do Not use the internet!!!

What purpose(s) do you believe it serves and why do you believe so?

We discussed in class that Comic Relief is when there is a break in tension, seriousness, or mood in a tragedy. Comic Relief is used to show the seriousness of the situation. For example, in the beginning of the play, when the shoe menders said a pun about “soles” and “souls”. It broke the tension between the 2 people that were foul mouthing Caesar for killing Pompey. This break in the tension gives us time to think about just how serious that situation was because all the chaos that is happening all stems from Caesar killing Pompey. 

Julius Caesar 

Act III, scene iii

(This is a copy of the comic relief of Cinna the Poet and the Triumvirate)

Julius Caesar—Act III, scene iii [2 pgs]

What purpose does it serve in this scene? (Cinna the Poet)

The purpose this scene served was to show just how hard Antony got the Citizens of Rome to be on his side. We see here that Cinna the Poet is being accused of being Cinna the Conspirator, and there is a funny moment/ break in tension but this shows us just how severe the hatred the Citizens have for the Conspirators. 

Julius Caesar 

Act IV, scene i

(same as scene 3 but on the second page)

Julius Caesar—Act IV, scene i [2 pgs]

1. Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus are the Second Triumvirate.

1. Evaluate their equality. Do they appear to be equals? Find Textual Evidence to support your response. 

From what my group has discussed, we responded that they were not equal. From what Antony said to Octavius, “ Octavius, I have seen more days than you”, it indicates that the decisions that Antony makes would be a lot better since he has more experience and Octavius lacks it. It can cause Antony to sway the opinion of Octavius and use him as his puppet. 

2. Why does Lepidus agree that his brother should die, and what condition does Lepidus attach to his agreement?

Lepidus agrees that his brother (Cinna)  should die because he has betrayed Caesar but he only agrees on the condition of executing Antony’s sister’s son (his Nephew) and Publius. 

Reflection - 

In today’s lesson I have learned that comic relief is a really powerful tool in the art of writing a tragedy. It opens the eyes of the audience and it makes them realize just how serious this scene actually is. We learned this thing because this could aid us in writing class next semester. This opens the eyes of the audience and it makes the audience say “Wow”. It also breaks the tension which is good because we wouldn't want the audience to always focus on the tension between things, we want to break it so that we give the audience a minute of reflection and this could create a deeper story and would really make the audience go crazy. This could benefit me in the future because I can have a different impact on what I write. This will give my story more of an impact/ a punch, and my teachers would be really proud of what I write. 

Blogger #28 Armaan Singh 1/11/21 P2

Aim: How does Antony’s speech provide insight as to his reasoning, and motives, while establishing the Roman

people's feelings, through an in-depth rhetorical analysis and evaluation?

Do Now: TEAM DISCUSSION

How might you feel if you were Antony after hearing Brutus’s speech? Why? 

As Antony, listening to Brutus’ speech would likely anger and frustrate me. Being aware that these conspirators have brutally assassinated Caesar and then had the audacity to label him as “ambitious” and selfish when it came to his people, I would likely not be able to contain myself. However, considering how momentous Brutus’ speech was in shifting the public’s attitudes regarding Caesar, I would also feel immense pressure to make them realize how honorable Caesar was. I would need to work on developing a convincing argument to avenge him.

Antony’s Funeral Oration Analysis

Antony - Questions	Quotes/Evidence	Analysis/Commentary
What is the significance of Antony’s second sentence?	“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interrèd with their bones. So let it be with Caesar.”	In this quote and by the second line of his speech, Antony opens with a strong statement. Antony states “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” Essentially, what Antony is trying to say is that he is here to fulfill his duty as a loyal friend. At his funeral, he does not intend to sing praises that may not be true, but rather show that he is a loyal, responsible friend of Caesar, even up to the grave, after his demise. He goes on to remark on how many men’s legacies have to do with the evil acts that they committed, while any good they may have done is swept over and readily forgotten. Here, by saying “good is oft interred with their bones,” Antony conjures a powerful image and personifies the good in Caesar as being subverted and suppressed in a coffin.
What is the purpose of referring to Caesar’s will?	“I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will. Let but the commons hear this testament, Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read, And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds And dip their napkins in his sacred blood— Yea, beg a hair of him for memory And, dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue.” “You are not wood, you are not stones, but men. And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar, It will inflame you; it will make you mad. ’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs, For if you should, O, what would come of it?” “Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbors, and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber. He hath left them you, And to your heirs forever—common pleasures To walk abroad and recreate yourselves. Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?”	These quotes reveal Antony’s purpose in alluding to Caesar’s will. By constantly mentioning the will but simultaneously urging the public to have patience, Antony builds suspense in a way and garners the audience’s attention. As the speech progresses, they become more anxious to know what the will states. This is a cunning, yet effective move on Antony’s part, as he makes the audience realize what an immense loss has occurred following Caesar’s death. By making statements such as “beg a hair of him for memory” and “kiss dead Caesar’s wounds,” it’s almost as if Antony is hyping up the benefits that the citizens stand to gain following Caesar’s death, in an effort to emphasize all the potential advantages they have lost with the death of such a kind, generous leader.   As we discussed in class, human beings tend to be egotistical and even narcissistic. Knowing this, Brutus invokes the will many times because he knows people will pay more attention when they are invested and know they are benefitting in some way. The will helps him elucidate how much Caesar did for the citizens, proving he was not selfish, and in turn, spur them to action to avenge his murder.
3. How does Antony manage to bring the crowd to tears? (Oh, now you weep…)	“Even at the base of Pompey’s statue (Which all the while ran blood) great Caesar fell. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! Then I and you and all of us fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourished over us. O, now you weep, and I perceive you feel The dint of pity. These are gracious drops. Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here, Antony lifts Caesar’s cloak. Here is himself, marred as you see with traitors.”	Antony manages to bring the crowd to tears by revisiting the brutality with which Caesar was murdered. Antony states “Oh now you weep” in a woeful way, saying the sympathy and pity the citizens are offering Caesar come far too late as he lays there, lifeless. He speaks of Caesar’s fall, which symbolizes not only his physical fall and death, but more importantly, signifies his loss of authority and power as a leader. Antony speaks of the events of the murder as “treason,” meaning that traitors quite literally stabbed Caesar in the back.  As we mentioned in our group discussion, the powerful speech Brutus delivers, along with exposing his mutilated body to the crowd, evokes a sense of guilt and a need for action. Throughout the speech, Antony repeats “honorable men,” when referring to Brutus and other conspirators. The literary device used here is anaphora, and through the use of anaphora, it becomes clear as the speech goes on that this is not meant to be taken literally, but is rather a form of verbal irony. What is being said is the opposite of what is truly meant, so Antony means that Brutus is dishonorable and is a traitor to Caesar. The repetition of “honorable men” compels the audience to consider whether Brutus was truly acting honorably, or if his act was one of sedition.
4. In his will, what has Caesar left to the people?	“Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal: To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.” “Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbors, and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber. He hath left them you, And to your heirs forever—common pleasures To walk abroad and recreate yourselves. Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?”	In his will, Caesar has left seventy-five drachmas, but also many services that will last a lifetime, for generations to come. He allows the public to go into private gardens and orchards for recreation, indicating how down to earth he was, and how he had the best interests of the public in mind. He was not “ambitious” or selfish as Brutus might say, but rather a generous, considerate leader. By mentioning these items from the will, Antony reminds the audience how they are the “heirs” of Caesar, inheriting great pleasure for many years to come. Caesar left them facilities they could use for a long period of time, not just those in the present.
5. Antony pauses several times in the course of his speech; what are the effects of these pauses?	“I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for him?— O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason!—Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me. (He weeps.)”	By pausing several times in the course of his speech, Antony adds a dramatic flair and suspense to the speech. The pauses enable the crowd to process what he has been saying. The words he is uttering set in, allowing the audience to have a stronger emotional reaction. By pausing and providing them with a moment of time to think and digest, Antony’s speech becomes even more impactful. There is time for discussion, as the crowd slowly comes to a consensus that Caesar was wronged and was indeed a noble leader.  In the quote in the middle column, for instance, the pause Antony takes implores the crowd to summon their judgment and reason and encourages them to mourn the death of Caesar. It forces them to consider what has suddenly changed their mind about Caesar, who historically was a great leader, until Brutus said otherwise.
Mood of audience	The mood of the audience is attentive yet somber. The audience listens intently to what Antony has to say in regards to Caesar. The audience is captivated by what Antony has to say, and goes from being complacent about Caesar’s death to infuriated.
What he says	Through this speech, Antony effectively reverses the audience’s sentiments on Caesar. He does so in a clever manner; rather than explicitly turning the blame on Brutus and the conspirators, Antony refers to them ironically as “honorable men,” which forces the audience to reconsider this as a matter of fact. By revisiting the vicious, savage murder of Caesar, Antony makes it clear that Brutus is in no way honorable. Rather, the honorable man is Caesar, who even in his passing, thought deeply and considerately of his citizens’ lives after he was gone.
How he says it (literary & rhetorical devices) How would you describe the style and tone of the speech as a whole?	The style and tone of the speech is impassioned and somber, yet highly ironic. The whole purpose of Antony’s speech is to come in and contradict what is put forth by Brutus. Brutus has convinced the people that Caesar was selfish, even tyrannical, and had to be murdered for the greater good of the Roman Republic. Antony, though, must reveal to the people that this is simply not true, and he does so through verbal irony. He constantly refers to Brutus as being “honorable,” which is ironic considering the bloody nature with which Caesar is killed. The repetition and anaphora of “honorable,” along with “ambitious,” forces the audience to reconsider the conclusions they have drawn from Brutus’ speech. In reality, it is Brutus who is dishonorable, on top of the fact that Caesar was not ambitious; rather, he was charitable and kind as demonstrated by his will. Furthermore, by making statements such as “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,” Antony uses pathos (an emotional appeal) to persuade the audience of how deeply hurt they should all be by the untimely, undeserved death of their beloved leader.
Reaction of audience	The reaction of the audience goes from somber to vengeful and enraged. The audience starts out by listening to Antony, rather unswayed initially. They seem to be alright with and undisturbed by the fact that Caesar has been murdered. However, by the end of the speech, when the clauses of Caesar’s will have been fully disclosed and indicated to be in their favor, the audience is suddenly mournful of his demise. At the same time, they are highly enraged at the people who took Caesar away from his throne. According to the play, “Never, never!—Come, away, away!/We’ll burn his body in the holy place/And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses./Take up the body.” Essentially, the citizens vow to give Caesar the reverence he deserves, while also punishing the traitors.

REFLECTION:

Through this lesson, I learned about many new literary devices, including anaphora and verbal irony. Antony’s passionate speech and indirect plea to the people indicates how language can be used in powerful ways to sway public opinion. I learned to better analyze Shakespearan literature and understand how so much lies beneath the literal interpretation of the words. Many of the choices in the language are deliberate and are meant to have an effect not only on the Roman people, but also the audience watching or reading the play.  This lesson taught me how to approach Shakespearean work and all complex literature with a critical lens, and to question the diction, syntax, tone, and mood of a piece to extract its true meaning. In the future, I hope that I can apply this knowledge and identify additional literary devices and decipher their rhetorical effects. As a writer, I hope I can incorporate some of these literary devices myself to reinforce my arguments and make them more cogent and impactful. 

 

Blogger #27 Sophia Ripoll 1/10/2022 P2

 JC Act 3, 2 Speeches [2-3 Days]

Blogger #27 Sophia Ripoll 1/10/2022 P2

Aim: How can an in-depth rhetorical analysis and evaluation of Brutus’s speech provide insight on multiple levels (POV, Roman PPL, etc…)?

Before the break, we had previously watched and analyzed Brutus’ speech in Julius Caesar Act 3, using the document’s questions to guide us with our understanding. Today we had completed our analyses and discussed them with the class. 

12.2 JC: 3, 2 Brutus’ Funeral Oration, Brutus' Speech [4:57], & 12.2 JC: Brutus' Funeral Oration Analysis 

Brutus	My Group’s Analysis & Evidence	Discussion Analysis & Evidence
1. Brutus uses prose in delivering his speech. Why? 2. What rhetorical questions does Brutus use in his speech? What answers does he expect? 3. How does Brutus feel about Caesar?	1. Brutus uses prose in delivering his speech to seem more genuine and authentic to the crowd of people to influence them to believe his words. It doesn’t seem fake and rigid.  2. Quotes: “Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?” “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? If any, speak, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.” 3. Brutus is saying that he loved Caesar but prioritizes the good of Rome more.  “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him. As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.”	Ms. Peterson starts off the discussion by saying: Prose - a text without any metric form (normal everyday way speech would be said)  → seen in many of Shakespeare's works → usually trying to show you that they are “common people” → flowery and poetic language is for someone would who have elevated language “royalty” 1. Group 3: Brutus uses prose in delivering his speech to make it seem more real and truthful to the people of Rome. 2. Group 2: (My Group’s Response)  Ms. Peterson adds on by saying: Rhetorical Question: a question you already know the answer to (often used to prove a point) 3. Group 3: Brutus is saying that he wants to look out for the people of Rome, so he has to kill Caesar.
Mood of Audience	The mood of the audience when Brutus begins his speech is that of outrage, as Caesar had just been murdered.	Group 3: At the beginning of Brutus’ speech, the audience is angry, skeptical, enraged, and untrusting.
What he says…	Throughout the speech, Brutus is saying that he loved Caesar but is more concerned with the good of the people of Rome. Along with that, he mentions that he would rather see a free Rome than for Caesar to be in power.	Group 2: (My Group’s Response)  Group 4: In his speech, Brutus is using pathos to persuade the people to agree with him, saying he’s doing it for the good of Rome.  Ms. Peterson adds to this by saying that Brutus is appealing to their emotions and patriotism/nationalism for Rome.
How he says it… (Literary & Rhetorical Devices) → How would you describe the style and tone of the speech as a whole?	Literary Devices: → Hyperbole - “Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?” Rhetorical Devices: → Anaphora - “Who is here…” “If any, speak…” → Antithesis - “Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more.” → Rhetorical Questions: “Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?” “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? If any, speak, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.” Style & Tone of Speech: Throughout the speech, Brutus is trying to say how he loved Caesar, but the murder needed to be done for the good of Rome. This paints the narrative that he was a good person in this situation.	Group 2: (My Group’s Response)  Ms. Peterson continues the discussion by saying how Brutus’ speech has a patriotic tone to it, as he uses pathos to convince the crowd to believe him. She also mentions how Brutus seems to be speaking from the heart, further persuading the audience.
Reaction of Audience	The audience by the end of his speech believes his word and trusts him. This is proven by their cheering and applauding, showing their respect.	Group 4: The audience seemed to want Brutus to be the next king and be a successor to Caesar.  Teacher: the ideals of the people were in Brutus's heart so the people might want him to be the next ruler of Rome

After our discussion on our analysis, we continued to the next slide where we read the aim and had a class discussion before proceeding to Antony’s speech. 

Aim: How does Antony’s speech provide insight as to his reasoning, and motives, while establishing the Roman people's feelings, through an in-depth rhetorical analysis and evaluation?

TEAM DISCUSSION How might you feel if you were Antony after hearing Brutus’s speech? Why?

My Group’s Response: If we were Antony, we would most likely try to make our speech as convincing as possible to sway the crowd to our side. As Brutus had previously just convinced all of the people to trust and believe in him, Antony’s job will now be much more difficult. 

Group 3’s Response: If we were Antony, we would feel discouraged. Antony's whole point was to get the people against the conspirators, wanting the people to be on his side, but now Brutus made a great speech in which the people trust his word. 

Ms. Peterson adds on by saying that Antony had just watched the people turn from loving Caesar to trusting the people who killed him. So, Antony now needs to convince the people to trust his word instead of Brutus’. He wants the people to realize there wasn’t a good reason for the death of Caesar. 

Once our discussion has ended, we go to the next slide in which we watch Antony’s speech and prepare to start an analysis. 

12.3 JC: 3, 2 Antony’s Funeral Oration, Antony’s Speech [4:58], & 12.3 JC: 3, 2 Antony’s Funeral Oration  

Reflection:

During today’s lesson, I learned about how to analyze Shakespearean speeches to more about the character’s motives, choice of language, such as literary and rhetorical devices, as well as how ethos, pathos, and logos can be applied to said speeches. Along with that, I learned about new vocabulary and literary terms such as prose, ethos, logos, pathos, and rhetorical questions so I can better comprehend how and when they are used in literature and everyday life. Throughout our reading of Julius Caesar, I have been able to analyze the characters through direct and indirect characterization, to further understand them and the major events of the play. I learned this because it will not only better my understanding of Shakespeare’s writing now, but also in the future, as I know there are other writings by Shakespeare that I will read in the next few years. As I previously mentioned, I will use what I learned in the future when I have to read other works of Shakespeare, such as McBeth in my upcoming high school years, and continue to apply it in and outside of school.