Mark Antony's Persuasive Strategy in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

 

Interviewers, who are most powerful when they can control interviewees' nervous systems, have to utilize their vocal (involving words), verbal (involving sounds or silence), and nonverbal behavior to elicit appropriate behavioral responses. With my apologies to "The Bard," let's examine Mark Antony's speech to find the elements that turned hearts to support Caesar and not the assassins. 

 

 

The boldfaced "not" is an example of a retractor. Retractors act as "erasers" and divide what has been articulated into levels of expressed importance. The speaker presents the initial assertion, the retractor erases it, and the remains are the points the speaker really wants to make. The retractor "not" erases "I come to bury Caesar." Antony really wants "to praise him." The second portion of the sentence takes precedence over the first. 

 

Here are other examples within an interview: 

 

"I know that the situation looks bad; however, we know that there are always reasons as to why things happen."

"I will certainly write up the report to include what you have told me; nevertheless, when management reads my report, they will quickly see that your assertions do not line up with the audit-related documentation." 

 

Other retractors are "but" and "yet." Look for other examples of retractors in the remaining speech and determine what Antony is really saying. We continue: 

 

 

He points out that if we aren't careful, we'll forget the good in others and focus only on their imperfections (evil). 

 

 

Note the use of "fault." Caesar had a fault. Antony's use of the word minimizes the negative characteristic that Caesar might have exhibited. Even if Brutus was right in his assertion that Caesar was ambitious, it was simply a fault. Everyone has faults, but not everyone is killed because they have them. 

 

 

Antony says that it was "The noble Brutus" who told those listening that Caesar was "ambitious." Up to that point, had they thought that Caesar was ambitious? With the phrase "If it were so" Antony opens the door in their hearts to the possibility that Caesar wasn't ambitious. It's not possible from the excerpt to say specifically how Antony placed his emphasis when he spoke the word "honourable." We can see in the last line of that he links the others involved with the assassination with Brutus. 

 

Note in the remaining speech Antony's use of the word "honourable." 

 

 

Now the gathering remembers that Caesar is in fact, dead. The words, "friend, faithful and just," stir within the hearts of those listening the appropriate emotive responses. 

 

 

Again, it was Brutus who said that Caesar was ambitious. The crowd begins to think, "I never really thought about Caesar as ambitious." 

 

 

Now Antony begins to cause the gathering to think of all the good deeds that Caesar had performed for them. 

 

 

With this question, Antony activates the cognition in the minds of those gathered. They begin thinking, "Hey, wait a minute. Those acts do not fit my mind-set as to what denotes 'ambitious.'" 

 

 

Now that Antony has focused their attention, he opens the floodgate of their memories and emotions: Caesar was someone who cried with the poor. He refused the kingly crown three times. Remember, you did love Caesar and you had good reason to. Then another question: "What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" Now they do begin to mourn. They're sad. They have, individually and collectively, suffered a grievous loss. Their sadness transitions into anger. They've suffered a loss. And who's responsible for their loss? Brutus and the other "honourable" men. Antony's use of the words "O judgement! Thou art fled to brutish beasts" serves to link Brutus to "brutish" and thus to beasts. Killing Caesar was the work of "brutish beasts," not honourable men. 

 

How does this speech and its analysis relate to the compliance-gaining component of the interview process? First, no matter what, the interviewee is going to have his compliance - cognition "dial" on one of three settings: cooperate, undecided, or non-cooperation. Second, unless the dial is set on "cooperate" then it's time for the interviewer to go to work. Third, the working tools for the interviewer who must "move the setting" comprise his vocal, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills. The interviewee must become convinced that cooperation is in his best interest as he defines it. Think of the crowd in front of Antony collectively as the interviewee. Antony's goal is to cause a change of heart (the dial) from no action against Brutus and the others to action taken. A direct accusation approach would most likely have failed to achieve his desired outcome. However, through the use of a few subtle, albeit effective, linguistic devices Antony has appeared to say one thing but, actually, has presented quite another. 

 

These same techniques can be beneficial for an interviewer determined to gain compliance. As I plan for an interview, I determine the kind of outcome I want. I decide what I want to present and how retractors can serve my purpose. I remember that the interviewee, like all of us, has "faults." I acknowledge to the interviewee, the "good" that is within him and that I recognize that goodness. He's a good person that because of his imperfections has made a mistake. I ask him questions that will make him think toward the cooperative setting. If necessary, I will shift the blame or responsibility for what happened elsewhere - another person, the organization, uncontrollable circumstances. Lastly, I want him to know that my heart is with him - another dynamic of rapport - and together we're now simply trying to do what is right. 

 

START THE INTERVIEW RIGHT 

One of the most critical (and often overlooked) dynamics within the interview process is the introduction. An interview is a social interaction. As such, the opening moments have a profound bearing on the downstream consequences of this "communication event." When you meet someone for the first time, how quickly do your impressions develop? What is it about the other person's demeanor that generates those impressions? Do the impressions last, or will they change over the course of the conversation? Is so, what can cause your impression to change either positively or negatively? 

 

During the opening moments of an interview, the interviewer forms an impression of the interviewee. But just as important - and the focus of our exploration - the interviewee is forming an impression of the interviewer. All that you present vocally, verbally, and nonverbally to the interviewee works together to develop the interviewee's impression (good or bad) of you. Consequently, your top priority has to be managing that impression. 

 

Let's examine some basics. Here's what works for me. I greet the person by name with Mr., Mrs., or Ms. I give them my name. I extend my hand and firm shake the interviewee's hand. I look the person in the eye and smile. I avoid heavy sighs. I make sure the tone of my voice goes up at the end of my sentences. Try this: say "Good to see you" with your voice going steadily up and then repeat it with your voice going steadily down. What different impression did the two options generate within you? 

 

Don't forget that, just as in any social interaction, you want to make the correct impression. It's been correctly stated that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This statement is most especially true within the interview process. 

 

This is my last column; I'll be moving on to other projects. I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with you the last few years. Please keep in touch. And remember - keep asking. 

 

Don Rabon is retired from the deputy directorship of the Western Campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy in the North Carolina Department of Justice. He continues as an ACFE faculty member and an author on interviewing topics. 
 

 

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