Portia: Is Brutus sick? Structured Paragraph

Qi Pan
Ms Lindsay
January 13th 2009
Julius Caesar - Structured Paragraph

Portia: Is Brutus sick?
This important paragraph of the play Julius Caesar is narrated by Portia, Brutus’ husband. Portia thinks that she should know what Brutus is up to, so she uses rhetorical questions, ethos, and counterarguments to try to make Brutus tell the truth. One of the ways Portia uses to convince Brutus is by using rhetorical questions, for example: “Is it physical / To walk unbraced and suck up the humors / Of the dank morning?” (Caesar 2.1.261-263). This is a rhetorical question because Portia answers the question four lines later. Portia uses this rhetoric to make Brutus think about what he’s doing. Another technique Portia uses is ethos; for instance: “Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, […] Am I yourself, […] To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, / And talk to you sometimes?” (Caesar 2.1.280, 282, 284-285). Portia uses this rhetorical device to make Brutus think if what he is doing is really the right decision, because Brutus knows that after marriage, husband and wife should confide in each other. By explaining to Brutus how she is loyal to him, she can make Brutus feel guilty, because it is right, as her husband, for Brutus to be faithful to her too. Portia also uses counter-argument very tactfully: “I grant I am a woman, but withal / A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife, […] A woman well reputed, Cato’s daughter.” (Caesar 2.1.293-295). Here, Portia anticipates what Brutus is thinking – that Portia is only a woman – and says why he is wrong. Portia uses this to show Brutus how high she is in society, and that she is not only a woman. This shows that Portia believes that as her wife, Brutus should be honest to her. Consequently, Portia, through using strong persuasive skills, tries to sway Brutus’ state of mind to tell her what is wrong. The reader can infer from this passage that Portia is a caring, determined and good-willed wife.