UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
In the end, why was Antony’s speech more successful that Brutus’s? Was it because Antony’s speech went on longer and presented more actual facts (Caesar’s political history)? After all, Brutus’s speech mostly contained fearful rhetoric about how Caesar supposedly had a big head and how everyone could have ended up as slaves if he were to remain in power (III.ii.23). Whether or not these things could have actually happened was irrelevant because Brutus was merely being speculative without much actual proof.
However, maybe the issue was more logistical and structural. In other words, did Antony succeed simply because he went second; did he win simply because Brutus could not make a retort since an angry mob was out to burn his ass?
Even further still, did Antony win simply because his attack was directed at Brutus (indirectly, of course)? Brutus did not direct his attack at Antony, and in this respect the whole situation is a little unfair.
Lastly, persuasion is an art and not necessarily a science, and as with any art, there is a factor of luck (or chance) involved. For Antony and Brutus, that chance factor was the crowd. Maybe Brutus did not see the need to give a long winded speech, or a long list of Caesar’s evil deeds, because he believed his honesty was merely enough for a sympathetic audience. If that was the case, then he obviously miscalculated.
However, maybe the issue was more logistical and structural. In other words, did Antony succeed simply because he went second; did he win simply because Brutus could not make a retort since an angry mob was out to burn his ass?
Even further still, did Antony win simply because his attack was directed at Brutus (indirectly, of course)? Brutus did not direct his attack at Antony, and in this respect the whole situation is a little unfair.
Lastly, persuasion is an art and not necessarily a science, and as with any art, there is a factor of luck (or chance) involved. For Antony and Brutus, that chance factor was the crowd. Maybe Brutus did not see the need to give a long winded speech, or a long list of Caesar’s evil deeds, because he believed his honesty was merely enough for a sympathetic audience. If that was the case, then he obviously miscalculated.