What are some character traits of Mark Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

In s
, Mark Antony is a confident and loyal friend of Caesars, who upon Caesars
death forms an alliance with Octavius and Lepidus against Cassius and Brutus. Antony is
extremely obedient to Caesar and his closest companion. When Cassius and Brutus are discussing
the murder of Caesar, Cassius advocates to also murder Antony, stating, Yet I fear him.  / For
in the engrafted love he bears to Caesar (II. i. 190-91). Here, Cassius is afraid of what Antony
might do because Antony has a deep-rooted love for Caesar. Further, when Antony learns of
Caesars death, he goes to the body and talks cordially with Brutus and Cassius about the reasons
Caesar had to die. On the surface he agrees with the two men and pledges allegiance to them;
however, upon their exit, Antony engages in athat reveals he is still loyal to the late
Caesar:

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of
earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!

Thou
art the ruins of the noblest man

That ever liv¨d in the tide of
times.

Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!

Over
thy wounds now do I prophesy

Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby
lips

To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue

A curse
shall light upon the limbs of men. (III. i. 269-277)

Here, Antony contradicts the allegiances he has pledged to Brutus and Cassius, and
instead vows vengeance on the hand that shed this costly blood! This demonstrates his profound
loyalty as a character.

Another trait of Mark Antony is that he is a
pleasure-seeker. In Act 1, Scene 2, when Caesar and Antony are discussing the motives and
demeanor of Cassius, Caesar states in an aside to Antony, He loves no plays,  / As thou dost,
Antony.  \ He hears no music. (I. ii. 204-05). The juxtaposition reveals that Antony enjoys
music and plays. Further, when Cassius expresses concern over Antonys loyalty and love for
Caesar in Act II, Brutus responds with he is given / to sports, to wilderness and much company
(II. i. 195-96). This description reveals that Antony enjoys recreational activities and the
company of women, suggesting he is a known pleasure-seeker.

Finally, Mark
Antony is extremely cunning and astute with excellent rhetorical skills. In Act 3, Scene 1, he
manipulates Brutus into letting him speak at Caesars funeral, and then uses the funeral platform
to undermine Brutus monopoly on the situation. He questions Brutus claims and plays on the
crowds fears and curiosities:

Did this in Caesar seem
ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was
ambitious,

And Brutus is an honorable man.

You all did see
that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he
was ambitious,

And, sure, he is an honorable man.

I speak
not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.
(III. ii. 89-100)

The above is an excerpt from Antonys
speech and it illuminates how Antony uses excellent rhetorical skills to undermine the authority
of Brutus. In this speech, Antony provides examples of Caesars behavior, such as his refusal of
the kingly crown three times, insinuating he was not ambitious as Brutus has said. Yet Antony
repeatedly and sarcastically says And Brutus is an honorable man to actually challenge Brutus
as a leader.

Therefore, the traits of Mark Antony include loyalty and
obedience, pleasure-seeking and sensuality, and shrewd wit and rhetorical
skills.