ANTONY'S SPEECH (POEM) || 9TH CLASS || SUMMARY, GLOSSARY, ANTONYMS, SYNONYMS, AND COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 ANTONY’S SEECH

Summary: In this famous speech from William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," Mark Antony addresses the Roman citizens after the assassination of Julius Caesar. He seeks to refute the accusations made against Caesar by the conspirators, particularly Brutus. The speech serves as a eulogy for Caesar and a call for the people to reconsider their views.

Summary: Mark Antony begins by addressing the crowd with the famous lines, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." He clarifies that he has come not to praise Caesar, but to bury him. Antony acknowledges that the evil deeds of men often live on after their death, while their good deeds are forgotten.

Antony repeatedly emphasizes that Brutus is an honourable man, yet he subtly challenges Brutus' claim that Caesar was ambitious. He recounts instances where Caesar displayed humility and declined the offer of a crown three times. Antony questions whether refusing a crown can be considered ambitious.

While Antony does not directly challenge Brutus's words, he uses sarcasm and irony to sow doubt in the minds of the listeners. He reminds them of Caesar's virtues, loyalty, and kindness toward the common people.

Antony expresses his personal grief over the loss of Caesar, stating that his heart is in the coffin with Caesar and he can't continue speaking until he composes himself.

Overall, Antony skilfully employs rhetoric and persuasion to turn the citizens' sentiments against the conspirators and towards a re-evaluation of their views on Caesar. By the end of the speech, the crowd is swayed in favour of Caesar, and they begin to question the motives of the conspirators.

Glossary:

1. Antony: Refers to Mark Antony, a character from William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar."
2. Countrymen: Fellow citizens or people of the same country.
3. Praise: To commend or speak favourably about someone.
4. Interred: Buried.
5. Noble: Possessing high moral character or distinguished qualities.
6. Ambitious: Having a strong desire to achieve success, power, or fame.
7. Grievous: Serious or severe.
8. Fault: A mistake or wrongdoing.
9. Answered: Faced the consequences or paid for his actions.
10. Honourable: Worthy of respect and admiration.
11. Funeral: A ceremony or service for a deceased person.
12. Ransoms: Payments made to secure the release of captives.
13. Coffers: A strongbox or treasury for holding money.
14. Lupercal: Refers to the Lupercalia festival, an ancient Roman celebration.
15. Disprove: To prove something to be false or incorrect.
16. Mourn: To express grief or sorrow for someone's death.
17. Judgment: The ability to make decisions or form opinions based on reason and logic.
18. Brutish: Behaving like a brute or animal, lacking reason or intellect.
19. Coffin: A box or container used to bury the deceased.

Antonyms:

1. Praise - Criticize
2. Evil - Good
3. After - Before
4. Oft - Rarely
5. Ambitious - Modest
6. Fault - Virtue
7. Honourable - Dishonourable
8. Captives - Liberated
9. Ambition - Contentment
10. Love - Hate
11. Brutish - Civilized
12. Lost - Found

Synonyms:

1.     Friends - Companions

2.     Romans - Citizens

3.     Countrymen - Fellow countrymen

4.     Praise - Commendation

5.     Evil - Malevolence

6.     Often - Frequently

7.     Interred - Buried

8.     Noble - Honorable

9.     Ambitious - Aspiring

10.  Grievous - Serious

11.  Fault - Flaw

12.  Honourable - Respectable

13.  Funeral - Burial

14.  Ransoms - Ransom payments

15.  Coffers - Treasury

Comprehension Questions and Answers:

1.     Who is the speaker in the speech, and who is the audience?

Ans: The speaker in the speech is Mark Antony, and the audience consists of the citizens of Rome or the "Friends, Romans, countrymen."

2.     What is the purpose of Antony's speech?

Ans: The purpose of Antony's speech is to defend and honor the memory of Julius Caesar after his assassination, contradicting the accusations made against Caesar by Brutus and the conspirators.

3.     What does Antony mean when he says, "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him"?

Ans: Antony means that he is not there to simply praise Caesar but to speak honestly about him, acknowledging both his faults and virtues.

4.     According to Antony, what is the evil that men do, and how does it live after them?

Ans: According to Antony, the evil that men do refers to their wrongdoings or negative actions, and it continues to have an impact even after their death, overshadowing the good deeds they may have done.

5.     Why does Antony repeat the phrase "Brutus is an honourable man" throughout his speech?

Ans: Antony repeats the phrase "Brutus is an honourable man" sarcastically to highlight the irony that while Brutus is seen as honorable, he was the one who led the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar.

6.     How does Antony use rhetorical devices, such as repetition and parallelism, to persuade the crowd?

Ans: Antony uses repetition of certain phrases like "Brutus is an honourable man" to create a sarcastic tone and cast doubt on Brutus's integrity. He also uses parallelism to structure his arguments, making them memorable and impactful.

7.     What effect does Antony's speech have on the crowd?

Ans: Antony's speech successfully sways the crowd's opinion in favor of Caesar, causing them to turn against the conspirators and mourn Caesar's death.

8.     In the end, does Antony's speech achieve its purpose? Why or why not?

Ans: Yes, Antony's speech achieves its purpose as it successfully turns the people against the conspirators, and they become sympathetic towards Caesar's memory. The crowd is moved to seek justice for Caesar, and it eventually leads to further unrest and conflict in Rome.