Objective
By the end of this lesson, the student will understand the key components of a sentence including subject, verb, predicate, preposition, and indirect object. They will also analyze and appreciate the rhetorical techniques used in Antony's funeral oration from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," particularly focusing on how these elements work together to convey meaning and emotion.
Materials and Prep
- Printed copy of Act III, Scene 2 of "Julius Caesar"
- Notebook and pen for notes
- Highlighters in different colors
- Whiteboard and markers (optional)
Before the lesson, make sure to read through Antony's funeral oration to familiarize yourself with the text. Highlight any parts that stand out to you or seem particularly emotional or persuasive.
Activities
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Sentence Breakdown:
Choose a few sentences from Antony's speech and break them down into their components: subject, verb, predicate, preposition, and indirect object. Write them out on a whiteboard or in your notebook. Discuss how each part contributes to the overall meaning of the sentence.
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Rhetorical Devices Hunt:
Go through the oration and identify at least three rhetorical devices (like ethos, pathos, and logos) that Antony uses. Write down examples and explain how they enhance the speech's effectiveness.
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Creative Rewriting:
Rewrite a portion of Antony's speech in your own words, maintaining the original meaning but changing the structure. Focus on using clear subjects, verbs, and predicates. Share your version with someone and discuss the differences.
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Group Discussion:
If possible, have a discussion with a family member or friend about the themes of betrayal and persuasion in the speech. Use your sentence breakdown as a reference to support your points.
Talking Points
- "What is the subject of a sentence? It's who or what the sentence is about. For example, in 'Brutus is an honorable man,' Brutus is the subject."
- "The verb tells us what action is happening. In 'Antony speaks to the crowd,' 'speaks' is the verb. It shows what Antony is doing."
- "The predicate includes the verb and all the words that tell us more about the subject. So, in 'Brutus is an honorable man,' the predicate is 'is an honorable man.'"
- "Prepositions are words that show relationships between nouns and other words. In 'The speech is about Caesar,' 'about' is the preposition."
- "An indirect object tells us to whom or for whom the action is done. In 'He gave the crowd a reason to mourn,' 'the crowd' is the indirect object."
- "Antony uses repetition in his speech. When he says 'Brutus is an honorable man,' he repeats it for emphasis. Why do you think he does that?"
- "Pathos is about appealing to emotions. How does Antony make the crowd feel sad or angry?"
- "Think about ethos—how does Antony establish his credibility? Why do the people trust him?"
- "Logos is appealing to logic. Can you find any logical arguments Antony uses to persuade the crowd?"
- "The use of rhetorical questions can provoke thought. Can you find an example in the speech?"
- "How does Antony's tone change throughout the speech? Does he start calm and then get more passionate?"
- "Consider the historical context. Why was this speech so important at that moment in Roman history?"
- "What do you think the crowd's reaction was? How does Antony's speech reflect the power of persuasion?"
- "Why do you think Shakespeare chose to have Antony give this speech? What does it tell us about his character?"
- "What modern-day situations can you think of where someone uses similar persuasive techniques?"