Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers, Summary and Effect of Speech of Brutus:-
Give the substance of funeral speech delivered by Brutus in
the forum. What was its effect on the Roman mob?
After the murder of Caesar, the people of Rome become very
excited. They demand an explanation from the conspirators for the murder of
Caesar. Brutus gives “public reason” for the murder of Caesar. He appeals to
the reason of the common people. He tells them that Caesar was murdered for the
good of Romans. He killed Caesar for the protection of Roman liberty. Brutus
tells the mob that he killed Caesar less but because he loved Rome more. He had
no ill feeling against Caesar. He admired Caesar for his leadership and great
power. He honoured him for his courage and wisdom. He killed Caesar because he
grew ambitious and wanted to make the people of Rome his slaves.
At first the speech of Brutus exercises a great influence on
the Roman mob. The common people are superficially touched by Brutus’s
patriotic sentiment. In fact, the “public reason” given by Brutus at first draws
the Romans completely to his side. But the Roman people do not understand the
real stand of Brutus. They do not know what liberty or patriotism is. They miss
the main point of his speech. They want him to be another Caesar. This shows
that the effect of speech of Brutus on the common people is temporary. When
Antony speaks to the common people, they changed and at once call Brutus a
traitor.
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