What Are Some Literary Terms Used in "Julius Caesar?"


Quick Answer

Literary terms, or devices, that are used in the play "Julius Caesar" include antithetical statements, epimone, metonymy and anachronisms. An antithesis is a statement that contains contrasting ideas next to one another.

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An example of an antithesis in the play is when Brutus states that he does not love Caesar less, he just loves Rome more. An epimone is constructed by continuously repeating a phrase. For example, when Marc Antony discovers that Brutus has committed suicide, and then he laments that Brutus was an honorable man repeatedly throughout his monologue.

A metonymy is when a word is replaced with another word that is closely associated to the original. An example of metonymy appears in the play when Marc Antony asks the crowd to lend him their ears. The crowd understands that Antony wants them to listen to what he has to say.

An anachronism is a literary term that refers to something that is out of place chronologically. It is generally used in order to give the audience something to relate to within the story. In act two of "Julius Caesar," Brutus tells Cassius to count the chimes of the clock. However, mechanical clocks did not exist during the time that the play takes place. Likewise, an article of clothing called a doublet is referenced in act one. Romans did not wear doublets. However, the audience of Shakespeare's time did. The imagery provided by the use of the word would have given the audience something familiar to refer to, which in turn would have made them more involved with the happenings of the play.

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