Literary devices are used by authors for many reasons. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is no exception. William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar shows a Roman named Caesar rising above his peers and soon to become a ruler. However, conspirators kill him in order for the monarchy not to form. But their noble efforts to save Rome lead to their own destruction. The plot of Julius Caesar is influenced by a variety of literary devices.
The play is full of foreshadowing. The Soothsayer, who tells Caesar “Beware of Ides of March (A1, SI, line 21),” foreshadows the death of Caesar. Calpurnia has a dream about Caesar’s demise and warns him of it, but Caesar does not listen. This shows how Caesar’s ego, status, and decision-making abilities are affected by his ego. The foreshadowing tells us what will happen and what stage of the plot we are at.
The play does not only use foreshadowing. Puns also feature early in Julius Caesar. Marullus’ response to the Cobbler is a pun. In this dialogue, Cobbler has two meanings: first as a shoemaker and secondly as a bungler. The Cobbler uses the term “mender of poor soles” to play with words. Marullus interprets Cobbler’s character as one who mends people’s souls. The plebeians or commoners can fool the so-called “upper class”. This adds to Julius Caesar’s story by adding some humor, and also by enhancing the personality of the characters.
In the funeral speech of Antony, the climax in Act III, there are several figures of expression, such as repetitive questioning and sarcasm. Antony will often use reparative criticism of Brutus for killing Caesar. He repeatedly repeats “But Brutus a noble man” in order to convince people that Brutus killed Caesar wrongly. Basically, Antony makes Rome’s people question if Brutus is a man of honor. Antony gains the loyalty and respect of the Romans through his use of various figures of speech. In turn, this influences the plot of the rest of the play and what happens to the conspirators. This is an excellent example of the way literary devices affect the plot, the characters, and the audience in a play.
Figurative language can be used to make a play more entertaining and interesting, as well as make it more thought-provoking. Shakespeare, as any other writer, uses figures in his works. Julius Caesar shows how these techniques can be used.