- Formal and elevated language: Shakespeare uses a formal and elevated style of language throughout the play, with many characters speaking in highly poetic and rhetorical language. This elevated diction is appropriate for the play's setting in ancient Rome and its focus on powerful political figures and events.
- Rhetorical devices: Shakespeare makes extensive use of rhetorical devices in Julius Caesar, including similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, and antithesis. These devices allow him to create vivid imagery, emphasize important themes, and heighten the emotional impact of the play.
- Contrasting styles: Shakespeare uses different styles of diction to differentiate between different characters and social classes. For example, the common people and lower-ranking characters often speak in simpler and more direct language, while the nobles and senators use more complex and elaborate language.
- Symbolism: Shakespeare uses symbolic language and imagery throughout the play to add depth and meaning to the action. For example, the appearance of the soothsayer and his warnings, as well as the symbolism of blood and water, both play significant roles in the play's themes and foreshadowing.
- Variety of registers: Shakespeare employs a wide range of registers in Julius Caesar, from lofty and poetic language to earthy and colloquial speech. This variety of registers reflects the diversity of characters and situations in the play, and it helps to create a realistic and compelling dramatic world.
Overall, Shakespeare's diction in Julius Caesar is marked by its formality, rhetorical sophistication, contrasts between different characters and social classes, use of symbolism, and wide-ranging vocabulary.