Analysis of Diction and Tone in Antony's Soliloquy

Analysis of Diction and Tone in Antony's Soliloquy

The author’s diction can affect the feelings, or tone, of the piece. If there are negative connotations of the words used, then the negativity will be expressed in the tone. In Julius Caesar, Act 3 Scene 1, Antony’s soliloquy over the dead body of Caesar, diction that Shakespeare uses affects the tone dramatically.
The words that Shakespeare chose express negative connotations in the text. In line 255 Antony calls the conspirators who murdered Caesar “butchers” and apologizes to Caesar’s body for being “meek and gentle” with them. The choice of these pessimistic phrases communicates Antony’s hate for those who murdered Caesar. The use of the word butchers is conveyed as meaning slaughter or murder whereas being meek and gentle comes across as Antony being accepting of Caesar’s murder when he is with the senators who killed Caesar when actually Antony is really enraged at them. In line 273, Antony prophesies that Caesar’s spirit will return and “Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war” upon Italy and the conspirators who played a part in slaying him. When Caesar’s spirit uses the command “Cry Havoc”, it gives the signal for the devastation and disorder to begin upon Rome. The dogs of war symbolize how there will be no mercy upon the people of Rome because of the deed that the senator carried out. Antony prophesies the destruction of Italy because of Caesar’s death, when he cries out that “carrion men” will be “groaning for burial”(line 275). This prophecy is Antony’s reaction to the assassination of Caesar. The use of the phrase carrion men describes how there will be dead and rotting people because of the senators’ actions. The destruction of Italy will be caused by Caesars absence. The people will be groaning for proper burial because it is a very important tradition since without a proper burial the sprit could not safely travel to the next world. The lack of burial for the men is seen as a punishment for the senators’ wrongful deeds. This represents how a...