Julius Caesar Fate vs
Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, centers around a group of traitors plotting to assassinate Emperor Julius Caesar, the main protagonists of the plot being Brutus, an easily-swayed close friend of Caesar and Cassius, a military general who dislikes the godly image of Caesar. In the play, Shakespeare demonstrates a delicate balance between the two forces of fate and free will as Brutus, Cassius, and Caesar attempt to overcome their omens and prophecies of fate but ultimately fail.
Caesar continues to ignore his fate throughout the play until his death, shown to him through soothsayers and the dreams of Calphurnia, Caesar’s wife. In the days before Caesar journeys to Rome, a soothsayer says the famous lines “Beware the ides of March” (I. i. 23). The soothsayer senses that Caesar will be in danger in Rome and warns him not to go, but Caesar ignores the warning. When the “ides of March” do come, the soothsayer relays the same message that “the ides of March have come” (III. i. 1). Caesar was not one for skepticism and bad omens and ignored these warnings. However, Caesar’s mind almost changes when Calphurnia tells him of a bad dream she had, but Decius convinces Caesar that the prediction of Caesar’s fate was nonsense. Free willingly deciding to go to Rome, Caesar passes Artemidorius who tells Caesar the exact plan of his assassination! Even so, Caesar has to much pride to listen to a petty man’s words and continues his journey, ultimately leading to his murder.
Caesar continues to ignore his fate throughout the play until his death, shown to him through soothsayers and the dreams of Calphurnia, Caesar’s wife. In the days before Caesar journeys to Rome, a soothsayer says the famous lines “Beware the ides of March” (I. i. 23). The soothsayer senses that Caesar will be in danger in Rome and warns him not to go, but Caesar ignores the warning. When the “ides of March” do come, the soothsayer relays the same message that “the ides of March have come” (III. i. 1). Caesar was not one for skepticism and bad omens and ignored these warnings. However, Caesar’s mind almost changes when Calphurnia tells him of a bad dream she had, but Decius convinces Caesar that the prediction of Caesar’s fate was nonsense. Free willingly deciding to go to Rome, Caesar passes Artemidorius who tells Caesar the exact plan of his assassination! Even so, Caesar has to much pride to listen to a petty man’s words and continues his journey, ultimately leading to his murder.