Persuasive Elements of Caesar's Speech

Many people today have been faced with uncomfortable situations in which they have had to deal with deceptive and dangerous characters. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare advocates the idea that a person should, as a matter of fact, be wary of those who pose a threat. During Act I scene ii, Caesar expresses his opinions of a potentially threatening man named Cassius; as a result of his exemplary application of persuasive techniques, such as logical appeal and audience involvement, plus his exceptional as well as organized speaking skills, Caesar is able to convince the audience, his close friend Antony, that Cassius is, indeed, a dangerous person.
Due to the substantial amount of facts that defend Caesar’s standpoint, the predominant persuasive technique he utilizes is logical appeal. In lines 201 to 203, he states, “He [Cassius] reads much, he is a great observer, and he looks quite through the deeds of men”. Through this statement, Caesar points out crucial characteristics of Cassius that make him appear like a devious and sly man. It is common knowledge that people who constantly inspect others’ actions and closely observe as well as analyze every detail are incredibly sharp and have the potential to be extremely insidious. Caesar has seen all of these traits with his own eyes, and therefore, they are valid facts. Logical appeal is reputably the most effective persuasive technique because nobody can refute the arguments made. Hence, it is wise of Caesar to put this tactic into use while convincing Antony that Cassius is a dangerous man. Later, in lines 208 to 209, Caesar says, “Such men as he be never at heart’s ease whiles they behold greater than themselves”. This statement is also primarily based on fact; it is obvious that a person who does everything to be the best will become extremely agitated if there is another person who is doing better than he. Caesar comes to this conclusion by watching Cassius’ actions—there is no doubt that he is a jealous man and has...