Juliu Caesar
Themes
Idealism exacts a high price. Brutus has respect, a comfortable home, a loving wife, friends. Yet he willingly risks everything—and ultimately loses everything, including his life—to live up to his ideals. This motif is a major one in history and literature. Socrates took poison rather than recant his beliefs; Christ was crucified after spreading His message of love and peace. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, and Thomas More beheaded. In Shakespeare's King Lear, the noblest character, Cordelia, is ordered hanged by the villainous Edgar. In Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, Sidney Carton goes to the guillotine to save the life of the husband of the woman Carton loves.
Pride is the harbinger of destruction. Julius Caesar well knows that Cassius poses a threat to him. In Act I, Caesar, upon noticing Cassius in a crowd, tells Antony: “Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. / He thinks too much: such men are dangerous” (1. 2. 204-205) In other words, Cassius is hungry for revolution, reprisal, against the man he envies; he would bring him to ruin. Nevertheless, Caesar says he does not fear Cassius, “for always I am Caesar” (1. 2. 222), meaning he is the greatest of men and therefore invincible. And so, in the plumage of his pride, Caesar makes himself an easy target for Cassius and his other enemies. A Bible verse encapsulates Caesar’s haughtiness: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Prov. 16. 18.)
Great political ambition breeds great political enmity. The conspiracy against the politically ambitious Caesar begins to form after other government leaders—in particular, Cassius—perceive him as power-hungry.
Deceit wears the garb of innocence. While conniving behind Caesar’s back, his enemies pretend to be his friends.
Recognize and heed warnings. “Beware the ides of March,” a soothsayer tells Caesar (1. 2. 23). But Caesar ignores the warning. He also brushes off the threat he perceives from Cassius Later, he ignores the warnings of his wife, who tells him of many omens that bode ill for him if he leaves home on March 15 (the Ides of March) to go to the senate. Apparently, in his arrogance, Caesar believes he is invulnerable to the machinations of the conspirators; he is an Achilles without a weak spot.
Words are powerful weapons. Daggers kill Caesar, but it is the suasion of Cassius and others that seal his fate. And it is the rhetoric of Mark Antony—in particular, in his funeral oration—that turns the people against the conspirators.
One man’s hero is another man’s villain. Caesar and Brutus are each a villain and each a hero, depending upon the philosophical and moral vantage points of the observers. As Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine observe: "Many people in the Renaissance were passionately interested in the story of Caesar's death at the hands of his friends and fellow politicians. There was much debate about who were the villains and who were the heroes. According to the fourteenth-century Italian poet Dante, Brutus and Cassius, the foremost of the conspirators who killed Caesar, were traitors who deserved an eternity in hell. But, in the view of Shakespeare's contemporary Sir Philip Sydney, Caesar was a rebel threatening Rome, and Brutus was the wisest of senators. Shakespeare's dramatization of Caesar's assassination and its aftermath has kept this debate alive among generations of readers and playgoers."—Mowat, Barbara, and Paul Werstine, Eds. The New Folger Shakespeare Library: Julius Caesar. New York: Washington Square Press, Published by Pocket Books, 1972 (Page ix). Climax
.......The climax of a play or another literary work, such as a short story or a novel, can be defined as (1) the turning point at which the conflict begins to resolve itself for better or worse, or as (2) the final and most exciting event in a series of events. There are three key events in Julius Caesar that each appear to qualify as the climax: first, the meeting of the conspirators at which they approve the plan to kill Caesar; second, the assassination of Caesar; and, third, the deaths of Cassius and Brutus, ending all hope of retaining republican government. However, only one of these events appears to meet the requirements of both parts of the definition of climax—the assassination of Caesar. Nevertheless, it is not unreasonable to argue that either of the other two events is the climax, as many Shakespeare scholars have done.
Figures of Speech
.......Julius Caesar ranks among Shakespeare's finest plays, in part because of its highly effective imagery. Among the many and varied figures of speech in the play are the following:
Anaphora With Metaphor, Alliteration, and Hyperbole
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! (1. 1. 27)
In a metaphor, Marullus compares commoners to inanimate objects. The line also contains alliteration (stones, senseless) and hyperbole and paradox (the spectators have less sense than senseless things).
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Anaphora: repetition of you
Metaphor: comparison of spectators to inanimate objects
Alliteration: stones, senseless
Hyperbole: exaggeration saying that the spectators have less sense than senseless things
Simile With Hyperbole and Alliteration
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves. (1. 2. 143-146)
In a simile, Cassius likens Caesar to a colossus (giant); in a hyperbole, he exaggerates Caesar’s size. The line also contains alliteration (we and walk; his and huge).
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Simile: Likening Caesar to a colossus (giant)
Hyperbole: exaggeration of Caesar's size
Alliteration: we, walk; his, huge
Metaphors
I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. (1. 3. 111-113)
Casca, addressing Cassius and Brutus, compares Caesar to a wolf and a lion and the Roman citizens to sheep and hinds.
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Metaphor
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept. (2. 1. 66-67)
Brutus compares himself to a knife that Cassius has sharpened (did whet).
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Apostrophe, Personification, Alliteration, Hyperbole O conspiracy,
Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy;
Hide it in smiles and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention. (2. 1. 86-94)
Brutus uses apostrophe and personification, addressing conspiracy as if it were a person, as well as alliteration (thou and thy; where and wilt; mask and monstrous). In an allusion, he refers to Erebus, the Greek god who personified darkness. In a hyperbole, he says that not even the darkness would be dim enough to hide the conspiracy unless appropriate measures are taken to conceal it
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Apostrophe and Personification: Addressing conspiracy as if it were a person
Alliteration: thou, thy; where, wilt; mask, monstrous
Allusion: Erebus, a reference to the Greek god who personified darkness; also, the dark passage through which the souls of the dead pass from earth to Hades
Hyperbole: exaggeration saying that not even the darkest of places, Erebus, would not be dim enough to hide the conspiracy unless appropriate measures are taken to conceal it
Irony in the Funeral Oration
.......Mark Antony's funeral oration in Act III, Scene II—beginning with "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears"—is ironic throughout. Though Antony says that he comes to bury Caesar, not to praise him, he praises Caesar for swelling the treasuries of Rome, sympathizing with the poor, and three times refusing the crown Antony offered him. At the same time, Antony praises Brutus—one of Caesar's assassins—as an honourable man even though the tenor of his speech implies otherwise. Near the end of the speech, Antony says, "O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, / And men have lost their reason." The word brutish occurs after Antony has mentioned Brutus by name nine times. It seems brutish is a not-so-oblique reference to Brutus. |
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Ominous Number Three
.......The number three appears to symbolize baleful occurrences. Consider the following events involving the number three:
Mark Antony offers Caesar the crown three times.
The conspirators break up their meeting at three o'clock.
Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, cries out three times in her sleep Help, ho! they murder Caesar!
Cassius tells Casca that Brutus is almost won to the conspiracy, saying, "Three parts of him is ours already."
Antony, belittling Lepidus, says, "Is it fit, the three-fold world divided, he should stand one of the three to share it?
In ancient times, the number three was sometimes associated with Pluto (Greek: Hades), the god of death.
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Speech Patterns
.......Literary critic Mark Van Doren wrote the following about the speech patterns in Julius Caesar:
Julius Caesar is least notable among Shakespeare's better plays for the distinctions of its speech. All of its persons tend to talk alike; their training has been forensic and therefore uniform, so that they can say anything with both efficiency and ease. With Marullus's first speech in the opening scene the play swings into its style: a style which will make it appear that nobody experiences the least difficulty in saying what he thinks. The phrasing is invariably flawless from the oral point of view; the breathing is right; no thought is too long for order or too short for roundness. Everything is brilliantly and surely said; the effects are underlined, the i's are firmly dotted. Speeches have tangible outlines, like plastic objects, and the drift of one of them to another has never to be guessed, for it is clearly stated."—Van Doren, Mark. Quoted in Twentieth Century Interpretations of Julius Caesar. Leonard F. Dean, Ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1968.
Historical Irony
.......It is believed that a surgical incision had to be made through the abdominal wall and uterus of the mother of Julius Caesar in order to extract him at birth. This belief gave rise to the term "Cesarean birth" (or "Caesarean birth"). Thus, a knife was used to give Caesar life, and many knives were used to end his life.
The Theme of Friendship in Julius Caeser
Throughout, William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, the theme of friendship would prove to be a very delicate and manipulative element. This element would be the very entity that would seal Julius Caesar's fate. Brutus, Decius, and all the other conspirators would use this to their power, and to Julius's weakness. Friendship was used as a cover to blind Julius from the truth, from the plots against him. Flattery along with manipulation was used as a way of persuasion to soothe any feelings of doubt or weariness. These essentials would gain trust, the key to all friendships. This trust would be lost and transform into betrayal. Even though Caesar was plotted against and murdered by the likes of Brutus and Cassius, friendship still proved a strong theme because it would cloke the conspirators intentions. Julius was vulnerable to the power of friendship and was blinded by the shrewd ways of Decius, Brutus, and all the other conspirators.
Decius uses flattery and persuasion to form a strong union with Caesar. Decius is an active member of the Conspirators, so he is very motivated into getting Caesar to go to the Senate House. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar." Decius would also refer to Caesar as "most mighty". This would only make Caesar grow comfortable with Decius. Julius had lost all feelings of doubt and did not presume any caste of dire plot against him. Decius would deceive Julius into thinking that they had a resilient friendship by using his devious words. Caesar was not able to foresee his true faithful friends, such as Antony. He would grieve the killing of Julius and try to justify his murder by killing Brutus and Cassius. Antony was one of Julius's true and trustworthy friends. The conspirators had planned the death of Julius. Brutus and Cassius, along with Decius, knew they had draw in to Caesar close. Proving Caesar that they had a firm friendship, that would solidify their situation and leave Julius completely sightless to his doomed fate. Caesar's wife Calphurnia would have a dream. She would see Caesar's statue run with blood and men with swords surrounding him. This event would alarm Julius making him weary. Decius would asses Calphurnia's dream. Using his quick wit, he would distort Calphurnia's foreshadowing dream by stating that it was simply miss-interpreted. He explains that the dream "Signifies that from (Caesar) Rome shall suck Reviving blood, and that great men shall press for tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance" Caesar seems to be amazed by this version of the interpretation. This would be a key point in the play because this vision made by Decius would capture Caesar's gullible mind, and the conspirators would gain Julius's trust; therefore gain his friendship as well.
Antony would prove to be crafty with his actions and words towards Brutus and the conspirators. He would deceive Brutus and the other conspirators with his keen wit and his sweet talk to gain their reliance and friendship. Antony was angered by the death of Caesar because he was a true friend to Julius. He would mourn Caesar's death. After a brief minute of expressing sorrow, Antony would state "Friend am I with you all, and love you all" Antony is using these cunning words to manipulate Brutus, he would say this so he could persuade Brutus and put his doubts at ease. Antony asks to give the tribute at Caesar's funeral, and Brutus agrees without any hesitation. Antony then gets up to the stage and uses his witty charm and wise words. He starts off with "You gentle Romans, Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." Antony would manipulate and persuade the whole crowd of plebeians to despise Brutus. This betrayal was all led from the murder of Julius. Antony and Brutus would only go to war.
Friendship would unfold throughout the whole play. There would be many persuasive and manipulating moments. Caesar's weakness of flattery and manipulation would let him be blinded by friendship, it would be his character flaw and downfall. Trust was very fragile and the key to friendship, and in some cases it was easily gained. Brutus and Cassius were very persuasive and clever in their ways of plotting against Caesar. Antony, who was Caesar's true friend in all of the conspiracy, would gain Brutus's trust only to betray him and justify Julius's murder. All of these men would be fooled or betrayed by the manipulation of trust and friendship.
Greed in Julius Caesar
Greed can disrupt a family, town, or even a country. The play "Julius Caesar" was a great example of the power of greed. In the play "Julius Caesar" the driving forces were Cassius, Brutus, Marc Antony, and Octavius Caesar. Cassius was the brother in-law of Brutus and was also the creator of the group of conspirators. Cassius was also a senator of Rome. Cassius's greed for power, good reputation, and his jealousy lead to Caesars death. Cassius had the most honorable man in Rome to help in his plot to kill Caesar. Brutus was the honorable roman which Cassius took control of. Brutus loved Rome and all of the Roman people. Brutus was actually the true leader of the conspirators because he made the important decisions. Brutus had a different motivation for killing Caesar. The conspirators killed Julius Caesar because they were worried that if Caesar had succeeded in becoming king all the conspirators would lose their power. Brutus's motive for killing Julius Caesar was his fear of Caesar destroying the city of Rome. Mark Antony was a regular Roman citizen, who was good friends with Julius Caesar. After Julius Caesar's death, Marc Antony recited a speech at Julius Caesar's funeral to all the people of Rome. The speech caused the plebeians to destroy everything in sight. It was by his speech that Marc Antony got his revenge towards Brutus and Cassius. Octavius Caesar was the nephew of Julius Caesar. When he got to Rome he and Marc Antony teamed up to fight against the forces of Brutus and Cassius. It was at Brutus and Cassius's last battle where Octavius and Marc Antony succeeded in their plan Cassius had many motives for the killing of Julius Caesar. One of Cassius's motives was his greed for power. Cassius believed that he should have as much power as Julius Caesar. Cassius was also worried that if Julius Caesar had been king he would lose all of his power and become another regular citizen of Rome. Cassius showed his greed for power when he would always talk about how Caesar would get so much power and he was treated like he was nothing. Cassius was also motivated to kill Julius Caesar because of his reputation. Cassius believed that Julius Caesar had a better reputation than he does. Julius was thought of by many Roman citizens to be god-like and Cassius was just another man. "Alas, it cried, 'Give me some drink, Titinius,' as a sick girl. Ye gods! It doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone" (I, ii, 127-130) was a great example of a quote that showed how Cassius felt about Julius Caesar. That quote showed that Cassius was mad that even when Julius Caesar he still has a better reputation than he did. Another motivation of Cassius's was that he often got jealous of Caesar because Caesar had been getting more respect than him and Caesar has more power than he did. "Did I the tired Caesar- and this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature, and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him" (I, ii, 115-118) is a great example of how Cassius felt about Julius Caesar. Cassius jealous of Julius Caesar drove him to ask many people to join the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar.
Brutus had many motives for killing Julius Caesar. One motive of Brutus's for killing Julius Caesar was that he knew the people loved him and trusted him. The love of the people is seen when the Roman citizen wrote him letters asking Brutus for advice and other problems in their life. Another motivation of Brutus was that he loved Rome. Brutus thought that if he killed Julius Caesar he would do a big favor for the Roman people because Julius Caesar becoming king could only mean bad things to come for Rome. Brutus had told the Roman citizens in Julius Caesar's funeral, "If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer-not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more" (III, ii, 17-19) to explain his reasons for killing Caesar. By telling the Roman citizens that he killed Caesar for them, he had eased some tensions between the citizens. Another motivation of Brutus was that he wanted to keep his reputation. Brutus's great ancestor Lucius Julius Brutus expelled the last king from Rome and established the Republic in the sixth century B.C. Brutus did not want to ruin his family's reputation. It can be seen that Brutus's reputation is good when Cassius said "Oh, you and I have heard our fathers say there was a Brutus once that would have brooked the eternal devil to keep his state in Rome as easily as a king" (I, ii 158-161). Brutus killed Julius Caesar because he did not want his reputation to go bad and he did not want Rome to fall apart.
Marc Antony had many motives for rebelling against the conspirators and teaming up with Octavius to battle Brutus and Cassius. One motive of Marc Antony for revolted against the conspirators was that he wanted revenge. He wanted revenge towards the conspirators because Julius Caesar was his good friend. Marc Antony got his revenged by saying a great speech and motivating the roman people to seek out the conspiracy and kill them. When Antony said, "Look, in this place ran Cassisus' dagger through. See what a rent the envious Casca made" he had motivated the crowd to be full of anger towards the conspirators so they would seek out and kill. It is seen when Cinna the poet was thought to be Cinna, a conspirator, and the roman ripped him up because he had the same name as one of the conspirator. After motivating the crowd he had ran the conspirators out and later on in a war he had defeated Brutus and Cassius and ended up in their deaths. Another motivation of Marc Antony was his loyalty of Julius Caesar. Marc Antony showed his true loyalty for Julius Caesar when he had went against Brutus and Cassius and used his speech to motivate the Roman people to attack the conspirators. Marc Antony showed that he was loyal to Julius Caesar when he said, "Thou are the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of the times"(III, i, 256-257). Marc Antony is one the Julius Caesar's true friend and his most loyal one also because he had sought revenge after his death. Another motivation of Marc Antony was that he also wanted a good reputation and power. Marc Antony was seen to have over used his power after he and Octavius was in rule of Rome when he had marked off people who would die. We can see that the power went to his head when he said, "He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him" (IV, i, 6). The conspirators had killed Julius Caesar because they thought if he had become king he would start doing unreasonable actions regarding the people of Rome. After Caesar's death Marc Antony and Octavius had done what the conspirators killed Julius Caesar for.
Octavius Caesar had many motivations for going to war with Brutus and Cassius. One motivation of Octavius was that he wanted revenge. Octavius wanted revenge because Brutus and Cassius have killed his uncle. "Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth. If you dare fight today, come to the field; if not, when you have stomachs" (V, i, 64-66) showed that all Octavius want to do is fight and get and revenge. Another motivation of Octavius Caesar was that he wanted power. Octavius wanted power because by fighting against Brutus and Cassius he took out all powers of Rome. When Octavius said, "All that served Brutus, I will entertain them. Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me" (V, v, 60-61) he proved himself to be a great leader because after his victory he asked the enemy army to join him.
Death of powerful man in an empire such as the Roman can cause its downfall. The play "Julius Caesar" showed a prime example of that. The driving forces in the play were Cassius, Brutus, Marc Antony, and Octavius Caesar. The Play "Julius Caesar" is a true tragedy because one man's greed for power had ruined his life as well as the other men he was associated with. Brutus for instance was a tragedy because all he wanted was to help the Roman citizens by killing a possible threat to their everyday peace in life. Marc Antony showed the true power of words, which he used, to his advantage and motivating the crowd to kill all the conspirators. The play "Julius Caesar" started with Julius Caesar as the main man but at the end Octavius Caesar ruled superior.
Appearance vs. Reality in Julius Caesar
In life, people and things are not always as they appear. William Shakespeare displays this idea throughout his play, Julius Caesar. The play portrays the historical murder of one of ancient Rome's most precious leaders, Julius Caesar. The play takes its readers through the minds of the conspirators as they plot this massive murder and deal with the responsibilities of its consequences. During the aftermath of Caesar's death, Octavius talks to Antony about how they should bring peace back to Rome. He states, "And some that smile...have in their hearts...millions of mischiefs" (4.1.50-51). Here, Octavius is referring to the false appearance of the conspirators. He says that they might appear harmless, but behind their false smiles is a heart full of dirty tricks. He is also saying that someone's outward appearance doesn't always symbolize how he or she feels inside. This theme of appearance versus reality can be seen various times throughout Julius Caesar. It is developed through the personalities and actions of Antony, Brutus, and Cassius. These characters deceive their friends and add to the intriguing plot of the play.
First of all, there is Antony, a raging triumvir after the death of Caesar. Anotony is a dear friend of Caesar and is truly devastated after his beloved friend's death. Antony feels that justice must take its course, for over Caesar's dead body he states, "O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth/ That I am meek and gentle with these butchers" (3.1. ). Antony then decides that he must get back at the conspirators and convince the public that the motives behind killing Caesar were unjust. In funeral speech Antony even makes it a point to refute what Brutus said in speech moments ago. However, the nether neither the public nor the conspirators comprehend his motive at first. Antony appears like he is just presenting another side to the story, but in reality he is refuting Brutus' speech and swaying the public towards his side. During his speech he even states, "I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke" (3.2. ). To the conspirators Antony appears like "one of Caesar's many limbs"( ). In reality he is plotting revenge. He even attempts to cut of names in Caesar's will. He says, "and we shall determine...How to cut off some charges in legacies" (4.1.8-9). Evidently Antony isn't the person everyone thinks he is.
Another person whose true appearance lies hidden is Cassius. Cassius is one of the sly conspirators out for Caesar. He feels that Caesar will grow too ambitious, so he must be stopped before he's out of control. Therefore, he plans to murder Caesar. In order to make his murder look like a sacrifice for Rome and not a bloody plot, he must get Brutus in on his plan. With Brutus' good reputation the murder would be looked upon as a good deed. In order to appeal to Brutus, Cassius disguises his personality. In guise of a devoted friend, Cassius flatters Brutus to his fullest extent. He says, ."..Thoughts of great value worthy of cogitations/Tell me, good Brutus, Can you see your face?" (1.2. ). By pretending to flatter Brutus, Cassius hopes Brutus will join the conspiracy. Cassius plans ends up working and Brutus fears that Caesar will eventually become power hungry. Cassius is pleased that his false words have had an effect on Brutus, and he states to himself, "I am glad that my weak words/Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus" (1.2. ). Cassius' appeared to be considerate of Brutus' feelings, but in reality Cassius was really stabbing him in the back and "forcing" him to join the conspirators.
One more person that exhibits a false appearance is Caesar's noblest follower and dear friend, Brutus. Brutus is tricked into the conspiracy by Cassius. Brutus never had any true motives behind killing Caesar. He just did it for fear he "would" become ambitious. After his death Antony even states, "This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators, save only he, /Did that they did in envy of great Caesar..." (5.5.68-70). On the other hand, Brutus hid his true feelings behind a mask. In his heart, Brutus knew that everyone was not out for the same purpose as him. In reality, Brutus didn't want to hurt Caesar, but he felt it was only necessary. He even says, " Let not our looks put on our purposes, But bear it as our Roman actors do" (2.1.224-225). Even in his speech at Caesar's funeral, Brutus continued to appear as if he thought the murder was more of a sacrifice for Rome. When asked whether or not the conspiracy should take an oath of loyalty Brutus says there is no need and remarks with, " O, then by day where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough/ To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none conspiracy;/ Hide it in smiles and affability" (2.1.79-81). He appears to everyone has confident on his decision, but in reality, he longs for a place to hide his true guilt.
In conclusion, Antony, Cassius, and Brutus exhibit the theme of appearance versus reality throughout the play Julius Caesar. This idea of deceiving people with one's outward appearance can be directly related to our own lives. For example, nowadays, people are being warned about whom to let in their house because people, who appear to be a technician, plumber, carpenter, etc. might in reality be a criminal planning to rob one's home. People can never base opinions off of one's appearance because too many people hide their true identities. Never the less, no one can trust someone right away. We must get to know someone in order to decipher between one's public and private face.
The Ambitious Marc Antony in Julius Caesar
The tragic and untimely death of Julius Caesar, a condemned Roman tyrant, triggered William Shakespeare's creativity. In his play Julius Caesar Shakespeare writes of the treacherous conspirators, Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius, and their plans to assassinate their Roman leader, Julius Caesar. The story continues to explain how Caesar's loyal friend, Marc Antony, helps avenge the brutal murder. After Antony receives soldiers to fight his battle, his character begins to change. The fair and faithful Marc Antony transforms to a darker and more deceitful character. Marc Antony is not suitable to rule Rome because he holds a grand desire of great power, his conceit restrains him from seeing other's opinions and he possesses the dangerous power of crowd swaying.
Marc Antony hungers for domination, which is dangerous for Rome because he will go to any length to achieve his objective. These lengths include Marc Antony betraying his fellow country officials along with the citizens by deceiving them. The first time this treachery occurs is after Caesar's death while Marc Antony is discussing the act with the conspirators. Antony tells the conspirators that although he is mournful of his dear friend's death, if they believe the action they took was necessary then he will have to agree. However, once the conspirators leave, Antony reveals to Caesar's body that he will indeed seek his revenge. Antony accomplishes his plan of retribution by speaking at Caesar's funeral, convincing the crowd of Roman citizens that this act was truly a murder by power-hungry leaders. The fact that Marc Antony carried out his plan states that he will deceive his associates to appeal to the people, an obvious attribute of a power-driven individual (III, 2, 147-275). The second time this deception is present is when Marc Antony decides to find loopholes in Caesar's will, which enables Antony and his friends to retain more money for themselves. Here Antony has recently told the people of Rome that they each receive 75 drachmas, then tries to cut down that number so he will have more money for the war he started by deceiving his associates. Antony does not consider the citizen's need for money and gets their hopes up by telling them they will receive this great amount, then taking that away so his war effort can be paid for (III, 2, 227-230 and IV, 1, 8-9). Marc Antony not only deceives his coworkers and the citizens who trust him, but he also uses this to gain personally. A political leader who uses power to hurt their people through fraud and greed will only suffer in the end.
Marc Antony shuns advice from his colleagues because he believes that his ideas and plans are always correct. After Caesar's assassination the conspirators try to explain to Antony why they committed this crime. Antony does not listen, though, because he is already carrying out his trickery and therefore will not even consider the points of the other side. This characteristic may hurt Marc Antony because a leader needs to consider every point before coming to a decision and be able to show his followers how he came to that resolution (III, 2, 148-225). In Act Four, Antony commands Lepidus and Octavius without listening to them. In this scene these men are discussing who should be killed and determining severfates by associating certain citizens to the conspiracy. When Antony sends Lepidus on an errand he begins to discuss Lepidus' faults with Octavius as soon as Lepidus leaves to carry out Antony's bidding. This angers Octavius as he tries to show Marc Antony why Lepidus is a dependable and valiant soldier. However, Antony continues to argue against Octavius, forcing his companion to give up (IV, 1, 1-51). This stubbornness is dangerous because a dishonest or depraved decision is risked being made.
The ability to alter a crowd's opinion through manipulating their emotions is a dangerous, especially in the hands of Marc Antony, who uses this capability to augment his power. In Act Three Marcus Brutus changes the people's opinion of the death of Caesar instantly. He convinces them that the assassination should not be considered evil, but seen as to the only way to survive while remaining free. The citizens of Rome trust and respect Brutus and believe him. Then Marc Antony convinces the people to come to a different conclusion than that portrayed by Brutus and his "honorable men". The crowd believes Antony that the conspirators committed this crime through jealousy, greed and the desire to limit Julius Caesar's growing authority. At first Marc Antony only plants a minor idea in the public's mind, allowing them to think about and discuss the new information presented to them. This method initiates the contemplation of serious issues for the crowd of citizens who need no more than this to come to their own opinion concerning what took place (III, 2, 62-106). Marc Antony then stirs his audience with emotions every person in Rome can relate to, focusing on guilt and anger. These passions intertwine, for when the crowd begins to feel guilty, they also start to become enraged. Marc Antony creates a dangerous situation with his riled audience and the possession of information that sets them over the edge into being an unforgiving mob (III, 2, 107-259). Having a serious effect on an audience is important when trying to be understood fully, however revenge is a dangerous topic especially when being encouraged by a talented public speaker.
Marc Antony is truly a deceitful person. This attribute is apparent in Antony's actions including how he handles his excessive greed, presumption in himself and his opinions and his perilous power of public speaking. Antony is not worthy of the presidency because he would be entrusted with too much power. Jurisdiction is an important privilege given to only those who can prove themselves as worthy and capable. Marc Antony has demonstrated that he cannot adequately rule Rome and therefore should not be allowed the opportunity.
The Tragedy of Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Throughout many of Shakespeare's plays, a tragic hero is acknowledged: a courageous figure that possesses a tragic flaw, which eventually leads to his downfall. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, there have been arguments over who is in fact the tragic hero. Numerous people concur that Brutus is the tragic hero. However, others argue and name Julius Caesar as the tragic hero. After learning more about these two characters, a conclusion can be effortlessly drawn. Brutus is indeed the tragic hero of this play because when a person who possesses such heroic qualities dies, it is a true tragedy. In order to be the tragic hero the person must contain at least one tragic flaw, and Brutus contains many, but three of them stick out distinctively. His overconfidence along with his impatience and his nobility brought about Brutus's downfall. However, I believe that the main cause of his downfall was his naivety or the fact that he was an idealistic man. At the beginning of the play, I believe that Brutus was a much different man than he turned out to be. He did not want to take part in the conspiracy, but Cassius was very persuasive and convinced him that it was what needed to be done. After Brutus had decided to go along with the idea I think that he expected it all to happen too easily. He was too confident that their plan would work exactly like they had planned and that nothing could go wrong. Along with being overconfident, he was also a very impatient man. They had only generated their plan a couple days before and did take not enough time to realize the consequences of their actions. If they had taken more time to think things through and had planned for the worst to happen, I believe they would have been ready for what would happen next. After the killing of Caesar and rioting of the plebeians after the funeral the two armies were ready to fight, which again showed signs of impatience. When going into the battle Brutus advanced too quickly which led to the killing of many of his men and his own suicidal efforts.
Many references were made as to why Brutus was an honorable man. He was very noble and everyone around him saw that. However, I believe they saw it as a good quality when in turn it led to his death. In trying to do the right thing for the good of Rome he was making bad decisions. His only reason for killing Caesar was for the good of Rome and he truly believed that it was the best thing for his city. He also shows his nobility when he speaks at Caesar's funeral in saying that "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him...." He shows signs of compassion and sorrow, but at the same time he convinces the plebeians that it was the right thing to do and gives them just cause. Another way that he shows signs of nobility is that he does not betray anybody at any point in the play. Although he did murder Caesar, it was to better Rome, not to mislead him. Everything that he did was for the advantage of someone else. Even though he killed Antony's best friend, Antony still recognized Brutus as "the noblest Roman of them all." He cared more about others than he did himself. For example, in the course of killing Caesar, he could have without difficulty changed his mind and not killed him because he knew he might have been reprimanded, but he knew in the long run that it would help the plebeians most. At the conclusion when he grasps hold of what he did and how he was fooled, he kills himself with the knife that killed Caesar. This shows how righteous he is because he is man enough to realize what happened and he took accountability. I also do not believe he could have lived with that guilt of failing and killing one of his best friends. I think Antony sums it up the best when he says, "This was the noblest Roman of them all. / All the conspirators save only he/ Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;/ He, only in general honest thought/ And common good to all, made one of them./ His life was gentle, and the elements/So mixed in him that Nature might stand up/And say to all the world, `This was a man!'"
The most evident reason as to why Brutus was not triumphant in his plans was because of his naiveté. He thought that all was good in the world, and that all men were respectable. He believed all that people told him and felt no one would lie or deceive him. Just because he did not betray anyone, he assumed the city of Rome would return this act. This mannerism led him to his death. All that he trusted swindled him at one time or another throughout the play. He allows others, like Cassius and Antony to betray him. He is too trustful and does not realize what people are capable of doing to him after making them his ally. Due to this tragic flaw, a demise of the character took place shortly after. His first error was when the forged letters are sent to him from the conspirators. This was all a lie to get Brutus to join in on the conspirator for Cassius knew he could not do it without Brutus' support. Brutus believes these letters are from the people of Rome and agrees to the slaughter of Caesar. Another example of this naiveness is when Brutus decides to allow Antony to speak to show honor to Caesar. What is even worse is that he trusts Antony so much that he allows him to take Caesar's dead body and also lets him address the crowd last and alone at the memorial service. In the end, this result ruins him. Antony enrages the crowd into believing that the connivers are all malevolent and they must get vengeance. They end up in a combat where Brutus ends his life.
In the end, Brutus is conquered because of his catastrophic flaws. Brutus was youthful and did not realize the true behavior of the people he trusted. Even though the play is called The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, he is not the really tragic hero. Julius Caesar dies early on in the play and is not heard of again. Brutus on the other hand remains to battle for what he believes is right. Although he has imperfections such as impudence, eagerness, and decency he was very admirable and ought to hold the name of the tragic hero in the Shakespearian play.
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Idealism exacts a high price. Brutus has respect, a comfortable home, a loving wife, friends. Yet he willingly risks everything—and ultimately loses everything, including his life—to live up to his ideals. This motif is a major one in history and literature. Socrates took poison rather than recant his beliefs; Christ was crucified after spreading His message of love and peace. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, and Thomas More beheaded. In Shakespeare's King Lear, the noblest character, Cordelia, is ordered hanged by the villainous Edgar. In Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, Sidney Carton goes to the guillotine to save the life of the husband of the woman Carton loves.
Pride is the harbinger of destruction. Julius Caesar well knows that Cassius poses a threat to him. In Act I, Caesar, upon noticing Cassius in a crowd, tells Antony: “Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. / He thinks too much: such men are dangerous” (1. 2. 204-205) In other words, Cassius is hungry for revolution, reprisal, against the man he envies; he would bring him to ruin. Nevertheless, Caesar says he does not fear Cassius, “for always I am Caesar” (1. 2. 222), meaning he is the greatest of men and therefore invincible. And so, in the plumage of his pride, Caesar makes himself an easy target for Cassius and his other enemies. A Bible verse encapsulates Caesar’s haughtiness: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Prov. 16. 18.)
Great political ambition breeds great political enmity. The conspiracy against the politically ambitious Caesar begins to form after other government leaders—in particular, Cassius—perceive him as power-hungry.
Deceit wears the garb of innocence. While conniving behind Caesar’s back, his enemies pretend to be his friends.
Recognize and heed warnings. “Beware the ides of March,” a soothsayer tells Caesar (1. 2. 23). But Caesar ignores the warning. He also brushes off the threat he perceives from Cassius Later, he ignores the warnings of his wife, who tells him of many omens that bode ill for him if he leaves home on March 15 (the Ides of March) to go to the senate. Apparently, in his arrogance, Caesar believes he is invulnerable to the machinations of the conspirators; he is an Achilles without a weak spot.
Words are powerful weapons. Daggers kill Caesar, but it is the suasion of Cassius and others that seal his fate. And it is the rhetoric of Mark Antony—in particular, in his funeral oration—that turns the people against the conspirators.
One man’s hero is another man’s villain. Caesar and Brutus are each a villain and each a hero, depending upon the philosophical and moral vantage points of the observers. As Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine observe: "Many people in the Renaissance were passionately interested in the story of Caesar's death at the hands of his friends and fellow politicians. There was much debate about who were the villains and who were the heroes. According to the fourteenth-century Italian poet Dante, Brutus and Cassius, the foremost of the conspirators who killed Caesar, were traitors who deserved an eternity in hell. But, in the view of Shakespeare's contemporary Sir Philip Sydney, Caesar was a rebel threatening Rome, and Brutus was the wisest of senators. Shakespeare's dramatization of Caesar's assassination and its aftermath has kept this debate alive among generations of readers and playgoers."—Mowat, Barbara, and Paul Werstine, Eds. The New Folger Shakespeare Library: Julius Caesar. New York: Washington Square Press, Published by Pocket Books, 1972 (Page ix). Climax
.......The climax of a play or another literary work, such as a short story or a novel, can be defined as (1) the turning point at which the conflict begins to resolve itself for better or worse, or as (2) the final and most exciting event in a series of events. There are three key events in Julius Caesar that each appear to qualify as the climax: first, the meeting of the conspirators at which they approve the plan to kill Caesar; second, the assassination of Caesar; and, third, the deaths of Cassius and Brutus, ending all hope of retaining republican government. However, only one of these events appears to meet the requirements of both parts of the definition of climax—the assassination of Caesar. Nevertheless, it is not unreasonable to argue that either of the other two events is the climax, as many Shakespeare scholars have done.
Figures of Speech
.......Julius Caesar ranks among Shakespeare's finest plays, in part because of its highly effective imagery. Among the many and varied figures of speech in the play are the following:
Anaphora With Metaphor, Alliteration, and Hyperbole
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! (1. 1. 27)
In a metaphor, Marullus compares commoners to inanimate objects. The line also contains alliteration (stones, senseless) and hyperbole and paradox (the spectators have less sense than senseless things).
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Anaphora: repetition of you
Metaphor: comparison of spectators to inanimate objects
Alliteration: stones, senseless
Hyperbole: exaggeration saying that the spectators have less sense than senseless things
Simile With Hyperbole and Alliteration
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves. (1. 2. 143-146)
In a simile, Cassius likens Caesar to a colossus (giant); in a hyperbole, he exaggerates Caesar’s size. The line also contains alliteration (we and walk; his and huge).
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Simile: Likening Caesar to a colossus (giant)
Hyperbole: exaggeration of Caesar's size
Alliteration: we, walk; his, huge
Metaphors
I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. (1. 3. 111-113)
Casca, addressing Cassius and Brutus, compares Caesar to a wolf and a lion and the Roman citizens to sheep and hinds.
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Metaphor
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept. (2. 1. 66-67)
Brutus compares himself to a knife that Cassius has sharpened (did whet).
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Apostrophe, Personification, Alliteration, Hyperbole O conspiracy,
Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy;
Hide it in smiles and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention. (2. 1. 86-94)
Brutus uses apostrophe and personification, addressing conspiracy as if it were a person, as well as alliteration (thou and thy; where and wilt; mask and monstrous). In an allusion, he refers to Erebus, the Greek god who personified darkness. In a hyperbole, he says that not even the darkness would be dim enough to hide the conspiracy unless appropriate measures are taken to conceal it
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Apostrophe and Personification: Addressing conspiracy as if it were a person
Alliteration: thou, thy; where, wilt; mask, monstrous
Allusion: Erebus, a reference to the Greek god who personified darkness; also, the dark passage through which the souls of the dead pass from earth to Hades
Hyperbole: exaggeration saying that not even the darkest of places, Erebus, would not be dim enough to hide the conspiracy unless appropriate measures are taken to conceal it
Irony in the Funeral Oration
.......Mark Antony's funeral oration in Act III, Scene II—beginning with "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears"—is ironic throughout. Though Antony says that he comes to bury Caesar, not to praise him, he praises Caesar for swelling the treasuries of Rome, sympathizing with the poor, and three times refusing the crown Antony offered him. At the same time, Antony praises Brutus—one of Caesar's assassins—as an honourable man even though the tenor of his speech implies otherwise. Near the end of the speech, Antony says, "O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, / And men have lost their reason." The word brutish occurs after Antony has mentioned Brutus by name nine times. It seems brutish is a not-so-oblique reference to Brutus. |
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Ominous Number Three
.......The number three appears to symbolize baleful occurrences. Consider the following events involving the number three:
Mark Antony offers Caesar the crown three times.
The conspirators break up their meeting at three o'clock.
Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, cries out three times in her sleep Help, ho! they murder Caesar!
Cassius tells Casca that Brutus is almost won to the conspiracy, saying, "Three parts of him is ours already."
Antony, belittling Lepidus, says, "Is it fit, the three-fold world divided, he should stand one of the three to share it?
In ancient times, the number three was sometimes associated with Pluto (Greek: Hades), the god of death.
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Speech Patterns
.......Literary critic Mark Van Doren wrote the following about the speech patterns in Julius Caesar:
Julius Caesar is least notable among Shakespeare's better plays for the distinctions of its speech. All of its persons tend to talk alike; their training has been forensic and therefore uniform, so that they can say anything with both efficiency and ease. With Marullus's first speech in the opening scene the play swings into its style: a style which will make it appear that nobody experiences the least difficulty in saying what he thinks. The phrasing is invariably flawless from the oral point of view; the breathing is right; no thought is too long for order or too short for roundness. Everything is brilliantly and surely said; the effects are underlined, the i's are firmly dotted. Speeches have tangible outlines, like plastic objects, and the drift of one of them to another has never to be guessed, for it is clearly stated."—Van Doren, Mark. Quoted in Twentieth Century Interpretations of Julius Caesar. Leonard F. Dean, Ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1968.
Historical Irony
.......It is believed that a surgical incision had to be made through the abdominal wall and uterus of the mother of Julius Caesar in order to extract him at birth. This belief gave rise to the term "Cesarean birth" (or "Caesarean birth"). Thus, a knife was used to give Caesar life, and many knives were used to end his life.
The Theme of Friendship in Julius Caeser
Throughout, William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, the theme of friendship would prove to be a very delicate and manipulative element. This element would be the very entity that would seal Julius Caesar's fate. Brutus, Decius, and all the other conspirators would use this to their power, and to Julius's weakness. Friendship was used as a cover to blind Julius from the truth, from the plots against him. Flattery along with manipulation was used as a way of persuasion to soothe any feelings of doubt or weariness. These essentials would gain trust, the key to all friendships. This trust would be lost and transform into betrayal. Even though Caesar was plotted against and murdered by the likes of Brutus and Cassius, friendship still proved a strong theme because it would cloke the conspirators intentions. Julius was vulnerable to the power of friendship and was blinded by the shrewd ways of Decius, Brutus, and all the other conspirators.
Decius uses flattery and persuasion to form a strong union with Caesar. Decius is an active member of the Conspirators, so he is very motivated into getting Caesar to go to the Senate House. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar." Decius would also refer to Caesar as "most mighty". This would only make Caesar grow comfortable with Decius. Julius had lost all feelings of doubt and did not presume any caste of dire plot against him. Decius would deceive Julius into thinking that they had a resilient friendship by using his devious words. Caesar was not able to foresee his true faithful friends, such as Antony. He would grieve the killing of Julius and try to justify his murder by killing Brutus and Cassius. Antony was one of Julius's true and trustworthy friends. The conspirators had planned the death of Julius. Brutus and Cassius, along with Decius, knew they had draw in to Caesar close. Proving Caesar that they had a firm friendship, that would solidify their situation and leave Julius completely sightless to his doomed fate. Caesar's wife Calphurnia would have a dream. She would see Caesar's statue run with blood and men with swords surrounding him. This event would alarm Julius making him weary. Decius would asses Calphurnia's dream. Using his quick wit, he would distort Calphurnia's foreshadowing dream by stating that it was simply miss-interpreted. He explains that the dream "Signifies that from (Caesar) Rome shall suck Reviving blood, and that great men shall press for tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance" Caesar seems to be amazed by this version of the interpretation. This would be a key point in the play because this vision made by Decius would capture Caesar's gullible mind, and the conspirators would gain Julius's trust; therefore gain his friendship as well.
Antony would prove to be crafty with his actions and words towards Brutus and the conspirators. He would deceive Brutus and the other conspirators with his keen wit and his sweet talk to gain their reliance and friendship. Antony was angered by the death of Caesar because he was a true friend to Julius. He would mourn Caesar's death. After a brief minute of expressing sorrow, Antony would state "Friend am I with you all, and love you all" Antony is using these cunning words to manipulate Brutus, he would say this so he could persuade Brutus and put his doubts at ease. Antony asks to give the tribute at Caesar's funeral, and Brutus agrees without any hesitation. Antony then gets up to the stage and uses his witty charm and wise words. He starts off with "You gentle Romans, Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." Antony would manipulate and persuade the whole crowd of plebeians to despise Brutus. This betrayal was all led from the murder of Julius. Antony and Brutus would only go to war.
Friendship would unfold throughout the whole play. There would be many persuasive and manipulating moments. Caesar's weakness of flattery and manipulation would let him be blinded by friendship, it would be his character flaw and downfall. Trust was very fragile and the key to friendship, and in some cases it was easily gained. Brutus and Cassius were very persuasive and clever in their ways of plotting against Caesar. Antony, who was Caesar's true friend in all of the conspiracy, would gain Brutus's trust only to betray him and justify Julius's murder. All of these men would be fooled or betrayed by the manipulation of trust and friendship.
Greed in Julius Caesar
Greed can disrupt a family, town, or even a country. The play "Julius Caesar" was a great example of the power of greed. In the play "Julius Caesar" the driving forces were Cassius, Brutus, Marc Antony, and Octavius Caesar. Cassius was the brother in-law of Brutus and was also the creator of the group of conspirators. Cassius was also a senator of Rome. Cassius's greed for power, good reputation, and his jealousy lead to Caesars death. Cassius had the most honorable man in Rome to help in his plot to kill Caesar. Brutus was the honorable roman which Cassius took control of. Brutus loved Rome and all of the Roman people. Brutus was actually the true leader of the conspirators because he made the important decisions. Brutus had a different motivation for killing Caesar. The conspirators killed Julius Caesar because they were worried that if Caesar had succeeded in becoming king all the conspirators would lose their power. Brutus's motive for killing Julius Caesar was his fear of Caesar destroying the city of Rome. Mark Antony was a regular Roman citizen, who was good friends with Julius Caesar. After Julius Caesar's death, Marc Antony recited a speech at Julius Caesar's funeral to all the people of Rome. The speech caused the plebeians to destroy everything in sight. It was by his speech that Marc Antony got his revenge towards Brutus and Cassius. Octavius Caesar was the nephew of Julius Caesar. When he got to Rome he and Marc Antony teamed up to fight against the forces of Brutus and Cassius. It was at Brutus and Cassius's last battle where Octavius and Marc Antony succeeded in their plan Cassius had many motives for the killing of Julius Caesar. One of Cassius's motives was his greed for power. Cassius believed that he should have as much power as Julius Caesar. Cassius was also worried that if Julius Caesar had been king he would lose all of his power and become another regular citizen of Rome. Cassius showed his greed for power when he would always talk about how Caesar would get so much power and he was treated like he was nothing. Cassius was also motivated to kill Julius Caesar because of his reputation. Cassius believed that Julius Caesar had a better reputation than he does. Julius was thought of by many Roman citizens to be god-like and Cassius was just another man. "Alas, it cried, 'Give me some drink, Titinius,' as a sick girl. Ye gods! It doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone" (I, ii, 127-130) was a great example of a quote that showed how Cassius felt about Julius Caesar. That quote showed that Cassius was mad that even when Julius Caesar he still has a better reputation than he did. Another motivation of Cassius's was that he often got jealous of Caesar because Caesar had been getting more respect than him and Caesar has more power than he did. "Did I the tired Caesar- and this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature, and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him" (I, ii, 115-118) is a great example of how Cassius felt about Julius Caesar. Cassius jealous of Julius Caesar drove him to ask many people to join the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar.
Brutus had many motives for killing Julius Caesar. One motive of Brutus's for killing Julius Caesar was that he knew the people loved him and trusted him. The love of the people is seen when the Roman citizen wrote him letters asking Brutus for advice and other problems in their life. Another motivation of Brutus was that he loved Rome. Brutus thought that if he killed Julius Caesar he would do a big favor for the Roman people because Julius Caesar becoming king could only mean bad things to come for Rome. Brutus had told the Roman citizens in Julius Caesar's funeral, "If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer-not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more" (III, ii, 17-19) to explain his reasons for killing Caesar. By telling the Roman citizens that he killed Caesar for them, he had eased some tensions between the citizens. Another motivation of Brutus was that he wanted to keep his reputation. Brutus's great ancestor Lucius Julius Brutus expelled the last king from Rome and established the Republic in the sixth century B.C. Brutus did not want to ruin his family's reputation. It can be seen that Brutus's reputation is good when Cassius said "Oh, you and I have heard our fathers say there was a Brutus once that would have brooked the eternal devil to keep his state in Rome as easily as a king" (I, ii 158-161). Brutus killed Julius Caesar because he did not want his reputation to go bad and he did not want Rome to fall apart.
Marc Antony had many motives for rebelling against the conspirators and teaming up with Octavius to battle Brutus and Cassius. One motive of Marc Antony for revolted against the conspirators was that he wanted revenge. He wanted revenge towards the conspirators because Julius Caesar was his good friend. Marc Antony got his revenged by saying a great speech and motivating the roman people to seek out the conspiracy and kill them. When Antony said, "Look, in this place ran Cassisus' dagger through. See what a rent the envious Casca made" he had motivated the crowd to be full of anger towards the conspirators so they would seek out and kill. It is seen when Cinna the poet was thought to be Cinna, a conspirator, and the roman ripped him up because he had the same name as one of the conspirator. After motivating the crowd he had ran the conspirators out and later on in a war he had defeated Brutus and Cassius and ended up in their deaths. Another motivation of Marc Antony was his loyalty of Julius Caesar. Marc Antony showed his true loyalty for Julius Caesar when he had went against Brutus and Cassius and used his speech to motivate the Roman people to attack the conspirators. Marc Antony showed that he was loyal to Julius Caesar when he said, "Thou are the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of the times"(III, i, 256-257). Marc Antony is one the Julius Caesar's true friend and his most loyal one also because he had sought revenge after his death. Another motivation of Marc Antony was that he also wanted a good reputation and power. Marc Antony was seen to have over used his power after he and Octavius was in rule of Rome when he had marked off people who would die. We can see that the power went to his head when he said, "He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him" (IV, i, 6). The conspirators had killed Julius Caesar because they thought if he had become king he would start doing unreasonable actions regarding the people of Rome. After Caesar's death Marc Antony and Octavius had done what the conspirators killed Julius Caesar for.
Octavius Caesar had many motivations for going to war with Brutus and Cassius. One motivation of Octavius was that he wanted revenge. Octavius wanted revenge because Brutus and Cassius have killed his uncle. "Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth. If you dare fight today, come to the field; if not, when you have stomachs" (V, i, 64-66) showed that all Octavius want to do is fight and get and revenge. Another motivation of Octavius Caesar was that he wanted power. Octavius wanted power because by fighting against Brutus and Cassius he took out all powers of Rome. When Octavius said, "All that served Brutus, I will entertain them. Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me" (V, v, 60-61) he proved himself to be a great leader because after his victory he asked the enemy army to join him.
Death of powerful man in an empire such as the Roman can cause its downfall. The play "Julius Caesar" showed a prime example of that. The driving forces in the play were Cassius, Brutus, Marc Antony, and Octavius Caesar. The Play "Julius Caesar" is a true tragedy because one man's greed for power had ruined his life as well as the other men he was associated with. Brutus for instance was a tragedy because all he wanted was to help the Roman citizens by killing a possible threat to their everyday peace in life. Marc Antony showed the true power of words, which he used, to his advantage and motivating the crowd to kill all the conspirators. The play "Julius Caesar" started with Julius Caesar as the main man but at the end Octavius Caesar ruled superior.
Appearance vs. Reality in Julius Caesar
In life, people and things are not always as they appear. William Shakespeare displays this idea throughout his play, Julius Caesar. The play portrays the historical murder of one of ancient Rome's most precious leaders, Julius Caesar. The play takes its readers through the minds of the conspirators as they plot this massive murder and deal with the responsibilities of its consequences. During the aftermath of Caesar's death, Octavius talks to Antony about how they should bring peace back to Rome. He states, "And some that smile...have in their hearts...millions of mischiefs" (4.1.50-51). Here, Octavius is referring to the false appearance of the conspirators. He says that they might appear harmless, but behind their false smiles is a heart full of dirty tricks. He is also saying that someone's outward appearance doesn't always symbolize how he or she feels inside. This theme of appearance versus reality can be seen various times throughout Julius Caesar. It is developed through the personalities and actions of Antony, Brutus, and Cassius. These characters deceive their friends and add to the intriguing plot of the play.
First of all, there is Antony, a raging triumvir after the death of Caesar. Anotony is a dear friend of Caesar and is truly devastated after his beloved friend's death. Antony feels that justice must take its course, for over Caesar's dead body he states, "O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth/ That I am meek and gentle with these butchers" (3.1. ). Antony then decides that he must get back at the conspirators and convince the public that the motives behind killing Caesar were unjust. In funeral speech Antony even makes it a point to refute what Brutus said in speech moments ago. However, the nether neither the public nor the conspirators comprehend his motive at first. Antony appears like he is just presenting another side to the story, but in reality he is refuting Brutus' speech and swaying the public towards his side. During his speech he even states, "I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke" (3.2. ). To the conspirators Antony appears like "one of Caesar's many limbs"( ). In reality he is plotting revenge. He even attempts to cut of names in Caesar's will. He says, "and we shall determine...How to cut off some charges in legacies" (4.1.8-9). Evidently Antony isn't the person everyone thinks he is.
Another person whose true appearance lies hidden is Cassius. Cassius is one of the sly conspirators out for Caesar. He feels that Caesar will grow too ambitious, so he must be stopped before he's out of control. Therefore, he plans to murder Caesar. In order to make his murder look like a sacrifice for Rome and not a bloody plot, he must get Brutus in on his plan. With Brutus' good reputation the murder would be looked upon as a good deed. In order to appeal to Brutus, Cassius disguises his personality. In guise of a devoted friend, Cassius flatters Brutus to his fullest extent. He says, ."..Thoughts of great value worthy of cogitations/Tell me, good Brutus, Can you see your face?" (1.2. ). By pretending to flatter Brutus, Cassius hopes Brutus will join the conspiracy. Cassius plans ends up working and Brutus fears that Caesar will eventually become power hungry. Cassius is pleased that his false words have had an effect on Brutus, and he states to himself, "I am glad that my weak words/Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus" (1.2. ). Cassius' appeared to be considerate of Brutus' feelings, but in reality Cassius was really stabbing him in the back and "forcing" him to join the conspirators.
One more person that exhibits a false appearance is Caesar's noblest follower and dear friend, Brutus. Brutus is tricked into the conspiracy by Cassius. Brutus never had any true motives behind killing Caesar. He just did it for fear he "would" become ambitious. After his death Antony even states, "This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators, save only he, /Did that they did in envy of great Caesar..." (5.5.68-70). On the other hand, Brutus hid his true feelings behind a mask. In his heart, Brutus knew that everyone was not out for the same purpose as him. In reality, Brutus didn't want to hurt Caesar, but he felt it was only necessary. He even says, " Let not our looks put on our purposes, But bear it as our Roman actors do" (2.1.224-225). Even in his speech at Caesar's funeral, Brutus continued to appear as if he thought the murder was more of a sacrifice for Rome. When asked whether or not the conspiracy should take an oath of loyalty Brutus says there is no need and remarks with, " O, then by day where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough/ To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none conspiracy;/ Hide it in smiles and affability" (2.1.79-81). He appears to everyone has confident on his decision, but in reality, he longs for a place to hide his true guilt.
In conclusion, Antony, Cassius, and Brutus exhibit the theme of appearance versus reality throughout the play Julius Caesar. This idea of deceiving people with one's outward appearance can be directly related to our own lives. For example, nowadays, people are being warned about whom to let in their house because people, who appear to be a technician, plumber, carpenter, etc. might in reality be a criminal planning to rob one's home. People can never base opinions off of one's appearance because too many people hide their true identities. Never the less, no one can trust someone right away. We must get to know someone in order to decipher between one's public and private face.
The Ambitious Marc Antony in Julius Caesar
The tragic and untimely death of Julius Caesar, a condemned Roman tyrant, triggered William Shakespeare's creativity. In his play Julius Caesar Shakespeare writes of the treacherous conspirators, Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius, and their plans to assassinate their Roman leader, Julius Caesar. The story continues to explain how Caesar's loyal friend, Marc Antony, helps avenge the brutal murder. After Antony receives soldiers to fight his battle, his character begins to change. The fair and faithful Marc Antony transforms to a darker and more deceitful character. Marc Antony is not suitable to rule Rome because he holds a grand desire of great power, his conceit restrains him from seeing other's opinions and he possesses the dangerous power of crowd swaying.
Marc Antony hungers for domination, which is dangerous for Rome because he will go to any length to achieve his objective. These lengths include Marc Antony betraying his fellow country officials along with the citizens by deceiving them. The first time this treachery occurs is after Caesar's death while Marc Antony is discussing the act with the conspirators. Antony tells the conspirators that although he is mournful of his dear friend's death, if they believe the action they took was necessary then he will have to agree. However, once the conspirators leave, Antony reveals to Caesar's body that he will indeed seek his revenge. Antony accomplishes his plan of retribution by speaking at Caesar's funeral, convincing the crowd of Roman citizens that this act was truly a murder by power-hungry leaders. The fact that Marc Antony carried out his plan states that he will deceive his associates to appeal to the people, an obvious attribute of a power-driven individual (III, 2, 147-275). The second time this deception is present is when Marc Antony decides to find loopholes in Caesar's will, which enables Antony and his friends to retain more money for themselves. Here Antony has recently told the people of Rome that they each receive 75 drachmas, then tries to cut down that number so he will have more money for the war he started by deceiving his associates. Antony does not consider the citizen's need for money and gets their hopes up by telling them they will receive this great amount, then taking that away so his war effort can be paid for (III, 2, 227-230 and IV, 1, 8-9). Marc Antony not only deceives his coworkers and the citizens who trust him, but he also uses this to gain personally. A political leader who uses power to hurt their people through fraud and greed will only suffer in the end.
Marc Antony shuns advice from his colleagues because he believes that his ideas and plans are always correct. After Caesar's assassination the conspirators try to explain to Antony why they committed this crime. Antony does not listen, though, because he is already carrying out his trickery and therefore will not even consider the points of the other side. This characteristic may hurt Marc Antony because a leader needs to consider every point before coming to a decision and be able to show his followers how he came to that resolution (III, 2, 148-225). In Act Four, Antony commands Lepidus and Octavius without listening to them. In this scene these men are discussing who should be killed and determining severfates by associating certain citizens to the conspiracy. When Antony sends Lepidus on an errand he begins to discuss Lepidus' faults with Octavius as soon as Lepidus leaves to carry out Antony's bidding. This angers Octavius as he tries to show Marc Antony why Lepidus is a dependable and valiant soldier. However, Antony continues to argue against Octavius, forcing his companion to give up (IV, 1, 1-51). This stubbornness is dangerous because a dishonest or depraved decision is risked being made.
The ability to alter a crowd's opinion through manipulating their emotions is a dangerous, especially in the hands of Marc Antony, who uses this capability to augment his power. In Act Three Marcus Brutus changes the people's opinion of the death of Caesar instantly. He convinces them that the assassination should not be considered evil, but seen as to the only way to survive while remaining free. The citizens of Rome trust and respect Brutus and believe him. Then Marc Antony convinces the people to come to a different conclusion than that portrayed by Brutus and his "honorable men". The crowd believes Antony that the conspirators committed this crime through jealousy, greed and the desire to limit Julius Caesar's growing authority. At first Marc Antony only plants a minor idea in the public's mind, allowing them to think about and discuss the new information presented to them. This method initiates the contemplation of serious issues for the crowd of citizens who need no more than this to come to their own opinion concerning what took place (III, 2, 62-106). Marc Antony then stirs his audience with emotions every person in Rome can relate to, focusing on guilt and anger. These passions intertwine, for when the crowd begins to feel guilty, they also start to become enraged. Marc Antony creates a dangerous situation with his riled audience and the possession of information that sets them over the edge into being an unforgiving mob (III, 2, 107-259). Having a serious effect on an audience is important when trying to be understood fully, however revenge is a dangerous topic especially when being encouraged by a talented public speaker.
Marc Antony is truly a deceitful person. This attribute is apparent in Antony's actions including how he handles his excessive greed, presumption in himself and his opinions and his perilous power of public speaking. Antony is not worthy of the presidency because he would be entrusted with too much power. Jurisdiction is an important privilege given to only those who can prove themselves as worthy and capable. Marc Antony has demonstrated that he cannot adequately rule Rome and therefore should not be allowed the opportunity.
The Tragedy of Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Throughout many of Shakespeare's plays, a tragic hero is acknowledged: a courageous figure that possesses a tragic flaw, which eventually leads to his downfall. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, there have been arguments over who is in fact the tragic hero. Numerous people concur that Brutus is the tragic hero. However, others argue and name Julius Caesar as the tragic hero. After learning more about these two characters, a conclusion can be effortlessly drawn. Brutus is indeed the tragic hero of this play because when a person who possesses such heroic qualities dies, it is a true tragedy. In order to be the tragic hero the person must contain at least one tragic flaw, and Brutus contains many, but three of them stick out distinctively. His overconfidence along with his impatience and his nobility brought about Brutus's downfall. However, I believe that the main cause of his downfall was his naivety or the fact that he was an idealistic man. At the beginning of the play, I believe that Brutus was a much different man than he turned out to be. He did not want to take part in the conspiracy, but Cassius was very persuasive and convinced him that it was what needed to be done. After Brutus had decided to go along with the idea I think that he expected it all to happen too easily. He was too confident that their plan would work exactly like they had planned and that nothing could go wrong. Along with being overconfident, he was also a very impatient man. They had only generated their plan a couple days before and did take not enough time to realize the consequences of their actions. If they had taken more time to think things through and had planned for the worst to happen, I believe they would have been ready for what would happen next. After the killing of Caesar and rioting of the plebeians after the funeral the two armies were ready to fight, which again showed signs of impatience. When going into the battle Brutus advanced too quickly which led to the killing of many of his men and his own suicidal efforts.
Many references were made as to why Brutus was an honorable man. He was very noble and everyone around him saw that. However, I believe they saw it as a good quality when in turn it led to his death. In trying to do the right thing for the good of Rome he was making bad decisions. His only reason for killing Caesar was for the good of Rome and he truly believed that it was the best thing for his city. He also shows his nobility when he speaks at Caesar's funeral in saying that "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him...." He shows signs of compassion and sorrow, but at the same time he convinces the plebeians that it was the right thing to do and gives them just cause. Another way that he shows signs of nobility is that he does not betray anybody at any point in the play. Although he did murder Caesar, it was to better Rome, not to mislead him. Everything that he did was for the advantage of someone else. Even though he killed Antony's best friend, Antony still recognized Brutus as "the noblest Roman of them all." He cared more about others than he did himself. For example, in the course of killing Caesar, he could have without difficulty changed his mind and not killed him because he knew he might have been reprimanded, but he knew in the long run that it would help the plebeians most. At the conclusion when he grasps hold of what he did and how he was fooled, he kills himself with the knife that killed Caesar. This shows how righteous he is because he is man enough to realize what happened and he took accountability. I also do not believe he could have lived with that guilt of failing and killing one of his best friends. I think Antony sums it up the best when he says, "This was the noblest Roman of them all. / All the conspirators save only he/ Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;/ He, only in general honest thought/ And common good to all, made one of them./ His life was gentle, and the elements/So mixed in him that Nature might stand up/And say to all the world, `This was a man!'"
The most evident reason as to why Brutus was not triumphant in his plans was because of his naiveté. He thought that all was good in the world, and that all men were respectable. He believed all that people told him and felt no one would lie or deceive him. Just because he did not betray anyone, he assumed the city of Rome would return this act. This mannerism led him to his death. All that he trusted swindled him at one time or another throughout the play. He allows others, like Cassius and Antony to betray him. He is too trustful and does not realize what people are capable of doing to him after making them his ally. Due to this tragic flaw, a demise of the character took place shortly after. His first error was when the forged letters are sent to him from the conspirators. This was all a lie to get Brutus to join in on the conspirator for Cassius knew he could not do it without Brutus' support. Brutus believes these letters are from the people of Rome and agrees to the slaughter of Caesar. Another example of this naiveness is when Brutus decides to allow Antony to speak to show honor to Caesar. What is even worse is that he trusts Antony so much that he allows him to take Caesar's dead body and also lets him address the crowd last and alone at the memorial service. In the end, this result ruins him. Antony enrages the crowd into believing that the connivers are all malevolent and they must get vengeance. They end up in a combat where Brutus ends his life.
In the end, Brutus is conquered because of his catastrophic flaws. Brutus was youthful and did not realize the true behavior of the people he trusted. Even though the play is called The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, he is not the really tragic hero. Julius Caesar dies early on in the play and is not heard of again. Brutus on the other hand remains to battle for what he believes is right. Although he has imperfections such as impudence, eagerness, and decency he was very admirable and ought to hold the name of the tragic hero in the Shakespearian play.
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