Category: Julius Caesar

This play teaches us about deception and manipulation to create an environment where it seems no one can be trusted. This play is still relevant and can teach us a lot about modern-day society and the fundamental parts of politics. Looking over the past, nothing much has changed. Interpreting the play from different perspectives grants us not just knowledge, but a way of thinking.

Elections seem to have changed little when we look at our current campaigns. Cassius’ argument appeals to Brutus’ concept of an idealized Rome, one supposedly never having political despots. Brutus is persuaded by Cassius’ rhetoric to join the conspirators plotting Caesar’s assassination. Caesar, on the other hand, had already been made dictator but refused a king’s crown. Power is more than just being above people, it’s controlling them.

When Casca, a senator, notes the Senate intends to grant Caesar the crown the next day, Brutus argues that Caesar, contrary to what is stated, will accept the kingship, and sees the murder as the virtue of our enterprise, keeping Rome free. Throughout the drama, the role of political rhetoric takes center stage, first in persuading the conspirators to act and later by gaining the support of the Roman crowds, for who controls the mob controls Rome. After Caesar’s assassination, Brutus tries to sway the mob with his political rhetoric, but Mark Antony in the famous funeral oration sways the funeral crowd to rise up against the assassins. Octavius, Caesar’s adopted son and appointed successor, with his legions, has arrived in Rome as Antony lets mischief loose.

The play pushes on ambition and democratic ideologies pushing and pulling between different forces of “good and evil” leaving Caesar trapped in a corner thus letting us gain insight into the situation and how the assassination wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Caesar’s power was growing more dominant. The death of Caesar plays an important role in Rome’s history as death brings new life.

Now there was not just a Roman king, but instead, an emperor, one person, Caesar’s adopted son, ruling absolutely not only Rome but also the world. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time, But men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. Indeed, these are strangely altered times, for people may interpret things as they want to, Opposite the meaning or truth of the things themselves.

Actions have always proved to speak louder than words and thoughts. You can think whatever you want about yourself, and you can perceive yourself in any way but none of that matters when you put that against what you are physically doing to other people. The actions of oneself are what get called into question here. In Shakespeare’s ​Julius Caesar, Brutus carries his love of Rome so heavily on his shoulders that this very love blinds him and his morals thus inducing Brutus to commit irreversible damage and violence, stemming from his false sense of his idealism and honor.

The dominancy Brutus plays in the role of eliminating Caesar has brought on complete and utter futile violence which wouldn’t have begun in the first place if it wasn’t for Brutus’s distorted, flawed perception of honor. This is all derived from the wrong form of emotion. Brutus wanted what Caesar had and it went from simple desires to a deadly rivalry. Caesar seemed to have it all, the adoring civilians and Rome effortlessly thrown over his shoulders. Simple as this, people want what they cannot have and Brutus is just another example of this never-ending philosophy. However, Brutus believed it was up to him to save Rome from any destruction Caesar could do to it. There’s something that has to be said about this intense pride but this very thing, was the downfall of Rome and Brutus here.

Brutus had clouded judgment and this can be displayed in many parts of the play, however, the following example stuck out like no other. In the following quote, Brutus apparently can see the future and he just ​knows​ that Caesar will be an evil tyrant, “​Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel will bear no color for the thing he is / Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented / Would run to these and these extremities / And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg / Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous / And kill him in the shell”. (II.I.30-36) Here he’s comparing Caesar to a poisonous egg that has not hatched yet; basically stating that Caesar may not be evil now but he eventually will be, so he must kill him now. This is all pure assumption on Brutus’s part. Assumptions are not a justification for assassination.

The ambivalence Brutus holds toward Caesar is something causeless and if he didn’t have that feeling, the death might as well have never occurred. Brutus loves him, fears him, and he wants to eliminate him; the contradiction is uncanny. In the following quote, Brutus unravels this very self-contradiction, “Brutus: ​What means this shouting? I do fear, the people / Choose Caesar for their king. / Cassius: Ay, do you fear it? / Then must I think you would not have it so. / Brutus: I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well”. (I.II.85-89) Brutus states that he fears what will happen if the people choose Caesar as king, then he goes on to say that he loves him deeply. He doesn’t know how he feels towards Caesar and that right there, is the definition of ambivalence.

Before Caesar’s death, Brutus didn’t quite know how he felt about Caesar, but after his death, it becomes clear; Brutus is overwhelmed with guilt. Why would he feel guilty if killing this man was the “best thing” for his country? Brutus acted as a friend to Caesar and then goes on to backstab him, quite literally. No matter what Caesar did, that is clear betrayal and treachery. He never hated him, he hated the idea of who he could become. That’s clear to see now; hindsight is always 20/20. In the following quote, Brutus proves he has a guilty mind and consciousness, “How ill this taper burns! Ha! Who comes here? / I think it is the weakness of mine eyes / That shapes this monstrous apparition. / It comes upon me. Art thou anything? / Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, / That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare? / Speak to me what thou art”. (IV.III.318-324) He has a dream where a ghost of Caesar comes in. This scene foreshadows that shortly after Brutus killed Caesar, Brutus will join Caesar in death. The guilt in his conscious created this dream. He knows deep down that what he did was wrong and this dream proves that.

Eliminating the threat Caesar supposedly could hold on Rome meant violence in Brutus’s eye. Caesar’s assassination took such a toll on the Republic and the people, it just goes to show that even though this act of violence was intended to be beneficial, it shows that violence never brings good outcomes. Brutus throughout the novel shows many signs of ​unconscious​ self-destructive behavior. He doesn’t realize anything he’s doing, even up until his own suicide. He literally dies in the name of honor. Brutus kills himself because he thought that suicide would be an honorable action to take rather than face his enemy and be humiliated. He would literally rather ​die​ than confront his own rival and frankly, that’s more cowardly than honorable in every which way. So he died with the false sense of honor instilled in him. It wasn’t necessarily his fault and he didn’t necessarily even realize it but that doesn’t matter in the big picture of Ancient Rome. His ideals are out of line and this one flawed side of Brutus was his own downfall. Violence tends to have a snowball effect and Julius Caesar only further proves it. It went from the assassination of Caesar to the death of Brutus, Cassius, Tinnitus, Cato, Portia, Cicero, and many soldiers. Take into the fact that this happened only after Caesar was assassinated because violence builds. Once you start this chain of violence, it typically does not stop for a long time.

The Roman senators did wrong things for what they thought were the right reasons. In the end, it was all for nothing. Brutus said he loved Rome too much to watch it fall in shambles, yet he becomes the very man he ​thought​ was going to put Rome in that state, he’s the one who really made it fall into chaos. The love of Rome became its own downfall because of violence.

If the assassination of Caesar never even happened in the first place, nothing would’ve escalated to the level of insanity Rome was in at the time. Of course, no one ​really​ knows that and never will but Caesar was bringing wealth and restoration to Rome. Who’s to say that Brutus can have the overwhelming amount of power of killing the man in charge of Rome?

Backstabbing and betraying someone and then taking the life of a man is despicable. Caesar was blind-sighted, he was bombarded and had no idea what was coming his way. The counterargument to that is that Caesar missed all the warning signs and it’s his fault for not realizing this could happen, but can we really blame this man for not noticing every little detail of his supposed friend when Brutus literally killed the man? Brutus is a guy who wanted his ego gratified and the way he justified it, was because of killing Caesar. He claimed that this is honorable and will lead Rome in the right direction. It cannot be said whether he was lying to himself or to the world.

Violence in history has been shown to be effective at times but it’s also been shown to spiral out of control at an alarming rate. At what cost does violence come to, is it really worth it in the end? Brutus, a man with a hefty ego along with his false perception of honor ingrained in him, made him spiral into the man he claimed to be the opposite of. Just the fact that he betrayed Caesar and went behind his back is bad enough, add to that the fact that Brutus is the one who performed the kill shot on Caesar, which is the very reason he’s simply, a bad man; a betraying, untrustworthy, disloyal, unfaithful man who is nowhere near fit enough to have power over a whole republic.

Although Brutus ​thought​ he had good intentions for Rome, it doesn’t matter. The act of violence, he committed, of course, ended badly because all things fueled by the wrong emotion/perception and hate will subsequently end just like that, violent and hateful.

Work Cited

1. Shakespeare, William, et al. ​Julius Caesar. Cambridge University Press, 2017.

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman who lived between July 12th, 100 BC to March 15th, 44 BC. Caesar was a member of the First Triumvirate who led the Roman soldiers in the Gallic Wars before defeating Pompey in a civil war and becoming dictator of Rome from 49 BC until his assassination in 44 BC. He was a pivotal figure in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the formation of the Roman Empire. He adhered to Rome’s Popular ideology, which promoted the democratization of governance and greater rights for the lower classes, as opposed to the Optimate faction’s assertion of noble supremacy and traditional Roman values, which favored the upper classes. It should be noted that the Optimate and the Popular were not political parties at odds with one another, but rather political ideals that many individuals, regardless of social status, shifted toward and away from. The idea of turning to the people for support, rather than the Roman Senate or other Patricians, would serve Caesar well later in life.

When Caesar was sixteen, his father died, and he became the family’s head. He succeeded to have himself nominated as the next High Priest of Jupiter after deciding that belonging to the priesthood would be the most beneficial to the family. As a priest had to be not only of patrician ancestry but also married to a patrician, Caesar broke off his engagement to a plebian girl and married the patrician, Cornelia, daughter of a high profile and important Populares member, Lucius Cinna. When the Roman ruler Sulla declared himself dictator, he initiated a systematic purging of his rivals, especially those who believed in the Populare doctrine. Caesar was pursued and escaped Rome, but his sentence was commuted thanks to the efforts of his mother’s relatives. Nonetheless, he was deposed as a priest and his wife’s dowry was confiscated. Caesar entered the army after he was unable to support himself or his family. He established himself as a capable soldier, even receiving the civic crown for saving a life in battle, and was appointed to the staff of the military legate to Bithynia to acquire a fleet of ships. Caesar was successful at this, as he had been as a soldier, and when Sulla died, he chose to return to Rome and try his luck as an orator (a modern-day lawyer). He was a success in this as well, and he became well-recognized as an expressive speaker. In 75 BCE, a band of Cilician pirates in the Aegean Sea kidnapped Julius Caesar, who was on his way to Rhodes to learn oratory. According to Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, the capture was a small annoyance for Caesar but disastrous for the pirates. Caesar simply refused to act like a prisoner from the outset. When the pirates informed him that they had placed his ransom at 20 talents, he mocked them for not understanding who they had taken and suggested that 50 talents would be a more suitable price. He then dispatched his entourage to collect the money and prepared himself for captivity. The pirates must have been perplexed. It’s not every day that a hostage bargains for his ransom.

Caesar settled down with the pirates, bossing them around and hushing them when he needed to sleep. He forced them to listen to the speeches and poems he was writing in his unexpected downtime and called them illiterates if they weren’t adequately impressed. He would join the pirates in their games and exercises, but he always addressed them as if he were the leader and they were his subordinates. He would threaten to have them all crucified from time to time. They mistook it for a joke from their overconfident, slightly insane prisoner. It wasn’t a joke. The ransom was delivered after 38 days, and Caesar was set free. Despite holding no governmental or military authority, Caesar managed to organize a naval force in Miletus and headed out in search of the pirates. He discovered them still camped on the island where he had been imprisoned and took them as his hostages. When the governor of Asia appeared to be undecided about executing them, Caesar went to the prison and had them all crucified. Back in Rome, Caesar was elected military tribune and married Pompeia, a wealthy Optimate granddaughter of Emperor Sulla, when his wife Cornelia died. Caesar had gained enough respect in Rome to convincingly endorse Gnaeus Pompeius (later known as Pompey the Great) for a generalship. During this period, he also became friends with Marcus Licinius Crassus, Rome’s wealthiest man. Crassus is said to have contributed to Caesar’s election to the position of Chief Priest (Pontifex Maximus) in 63 BCE. He was elected Praetor in 62, divorced Pompeia following a scandal in which she was involved with another man, and departed for Spain in 61 as Propraetor (governor) of Hispania. The First Triumvirate of Ancient Rome was an uneasy alliance of the three titans Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus that controlled Roman Republic politics from 60 BCE until 53 BCE. Alliances have always existed in history. Whether it is the union of Sparta and Athens against the Persians in the 5th century BCE or the united troops of

In the Triple Entente in World War I, nations and individuals – even erstwhile foes – have sought aid to conquer a shared foe for one reason or another. It was no different in ancient Rome. An unsteady Republic and a near civil war compelled three men to put aside their disagreements and even scorn for one another in order to join forces and dominate Rome’s governance, even regulating elections, for nearly a decade. One of the three would finally triumph and become a dictator. Gaius Julius Caesar was his name. However, that was several years in the future. For the time being, he was a member of what modern historians refer to as the First Triumvirate. Recognizing the wealth to be obtained by conquest, Caesar dispatched his soldiers to Gaul. Julius Caesar, the governor of Transalpine Gaul and a Roman Consul from 58 to 51 B.C., wrote The Conquest of Gaul in eight volumes. Caesar narrates the eight years he led the Roman troops in an endeavor to quell the emergence of hostile Gallic tribes in what is now Belgium and France. Caesar went on to do many things, and despite the fact that he did not govern for long, he gave Rome new hope and a succession of emperors. Julius Caesar was born into an aristocratic family in 100 BC and grew up in hazardous times. His death and the fallout, On March 15, 44 BCE, Caesar was slain by senators in the portico of Pompey the Great’s basilica. Marcus Junius Brutus, Caesar’s second choice for an heir, and Gaius Cassius Longinus, among many others, were among the assassins (some ancient sources cite as many as sixty assassins). Caesar was stabbed 23 times and died at the foot of Pompey’s statue. The assassins, on the other hand, made the mistake of failing to anticipate what they would do after Caesar’s death, allowing Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony), Caesar’s cousin and right-hand man, to live. His death and the fallout, Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in Rome, Italy, on March 15, 44 B.C.E. Caesar was the Roman Republic’s dictator, and his assassins were Roman senators, fellow

Politicians who shaped Roman policy and government. Julius Caesar was a huge hit with the people of Rome. He was a brilliant military leader who extended the republic into what is now Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium. Caesar was also a well-known author who published works about his travels, philosophies, and political beliefs. Many Senate members, a body of appointed (rather than elected) political leaders, despised Caesar’s popularity and arrogance. After Caesar was appointed dictator for life in 44 B.C.E., these authorities determined to deal Caesar the final blow. At the meeting of the Senate on March 15, the ides of March, a group of up to 60 conspirators agreed to assassinate Caesar. The group reportedly stabbed Caesar 23 times, murdering the Roman leader. Julius Caesar’s assassination had the opposite effect that his assassins had intended. Many Romans blamed the senators for the assassination, resulting in a series of civil conflicts. Octavian, Caesar’s grandnephew and adoptive son, eventually became Rome’s ruler. He changed his name to Augustus Caesar. Augustus’ reign signaled the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire.

Brutus goes through a chat with Cassius. This happens to appear in Act 4 scene 3. The conversation was held in their camps in Brutus ten, where Brutus was conveying his sentiments about the homicide of Caesar.

Brutus and Cassius are having a sustained quarrel. Where Brutus is blaming Cassius for becoming more of an untrustworthy person and reminds him of the reason for Caesar’s assassination. Brutus warns Cassius about being an unscrupulous person and tells him that the homicide of Caeser was not a road that was leading them to become more like him but was only done to stop Caeser from becoming more corrupted. In the scene, they later restored harmony after they had a heated argument which leads to Cassius suggesting that Brutus might as well put an end to his life.

The main distinction of the deliberation will be the honor that is being portrayed in Julius Caesar and the focus will be on the following characters Brutus, Caesar, and Cassius.

Cassius thought the elimination of Julius Caeser will make him gain power and also be honored more or less the same as Caeser and he was also worried and at the same time angry at Caeser because he saw that Caeser was starting to turn his back on him which made him realize that he will eventually forget about his existence. Cassius was considered to be one of the most dynamic members in the stratagem of eliminating Caesar but he also conspired with Brutus even though they had rationales about the whole idea of Caesar’s assassination. ‘The fault. . . Is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings’ (1.2.139-40). When Cassius saw that Brutus was somehow beginning to doubt their plan influenced Brutus and state his reasons why they should go on with the homicide of Julius Caesar. Cassius stated that Caeser was treating him in a subordinate manner. The rise of the theme of Betrayal is where Cassius associates himself with activities that are related to corruption and this Does not go well with Brutus he is a man whose honest and does not associate himself with unworthy actions. However, this suggests that Cassius did not kill Caeser for the fact that he was involved in unworthy things but because he wanted to take always his power and gain it all to himself.

Brutus is portrayed as a character who is a very compounded dramatist personae. He is proud of the way his living his life although he is not always realistic he remains proud of his honor and reputation of the nobility. He was respected for how he lived his life in an honest way, although he was also involved in the killing of Caesar he did not picture it as something which was wrong but he saw it as something that will benefit the people of Rome. Brutus has been thinking about the problem that represents liberty. He asks for time to think the matter over, and a month later, speaking alone in his orchard, reveals that his mind has since thought of little else and has trouble arriving at the decision whether to participate in the assassination ‘Caesar, now be still: I killed not thee with half so good a will,’ these words were spoken by Brutus to Cassius. Cassius was the one who made Brutus see this as a way of getting rid of someone who was not good enough to rule the people of Rome because of his unworthiness not only to Cassius but to the people of Rome as a whole. Brutus does everything in his life through honor and he is led by it in order for him to be able to view what happens around him in a different manner. Brutus’ character also compromises even more multiplex by his insensible sanctimony. He acts Cassius as being dishonest in how he makes money but still wants a share of the pilot’s personal honor.

Different characters show different ways in which they express and gain honor. The play mostly speaks about the importance of power in gaining honor and being able to gain recognition in different environments, it also suggests that can gain honor by the way you behave and do things.

Rationale

This piece of writing was written in relation to language and literature critical study. After reading the drama Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. In the play, the noble character Brutus writes an apology letter for whatever he committed with conspirators against his friend Julius Caesar. Now Brutus realizes desperately the depth of friendship nobility and loyalty to himself. I discovered that Brutus was manipulated by the crocked ideas from Cassius to bring him against existed norms of Roman royals. The purpose of my piece of writing is to create an affectionate treatment towards Brutus from the readers as he was rebellious.

This letter was written in the style of an imaginative and persuasive style the character Brutus offers perspective incite to the society in which he lived before the death of Julius Caesar, Brutus wishes to confess in front of Julius Caesar

In order to effectively expose the sable style of the letter, I incorporated different imaginative techniques such as soliloquies and foreshadows by using expressive language. I have also made use of a style of first-person addressing. Through imaginative writing I wanted the readers to support and love the Character Brutus rather than humiliate and degrade him as the conspirator and villain of the play.

Written Task

Brutus

St:67 Rome

Julius Caesar

Capitol 22 Rome

12th Dec 1821

Dear Caesar,

As a person of your friends circled around you, different aspects have affected me for converting my psych which always stood close to you. Cassius won’s unknowingly met with me in the street of Rome where he secretly handed over a piece of writing which carries a message that changed all the differences so I realize disparately the mistakes which happened to me against you my friend so I stood on my knees before you pleading to get me your valuable regrets.

Oh my, Caesar the phases which shed fears the light of happiness others keep always black sharp and venomous cruelty behind it. unknowingly I fell into the mesmerizing chants of Cassius and the many surrounding him. He manipulated my nobility idols and my character with all his magical words which anybody can be affected soon. He wants to extend his finger towards you claiming that was the phrase he admired the most in the world, and he added the crown Is set upon a man undeserved. I wondered why did Cassius comment about the crown which was set in the hands of the wrong person. It was you my dear Caesar he meant. literally, I paid no attention to what he commented upon the night, which I hatted to recall, I accidentally heard a knocking sound on my door. It was 12 o’clock by night the moon was shedding lights upon me, a ghostly shades were moving around my house that I could perceive through my secret window. I stood on my toes with a fearful appearance moving and making no sound to unfold the door. The phases in front of the door cooled my frightened physic, it was Cassius with his train I welcomed them into my house but they said that Brutus’ people need him as an emperor of Rome you are the noble person whom Romans admire and respected rather than the king Caesar.

The world that Romans admire Brutus rather than Caesar soothed me more than anything else in the world betrayed me to join with conspirators and to be one of them. I confess bitterly with full of my heart. How weak is a human’s mind, how passionate is a human who ignores the sweetness of life with an intimate and brother-like friend like you my Caesar? The sweet words of a bitter tongue hardly could perceive the aftermath of it. Oh my, Caesar, I could see people who keep smiling, comforting with words, and jesters are less believable in the world. It is too late to confess to you my load.

Unfortunately, the conspirator’s mesmerizing and thought-provoking venomous ideas were the inspiration to be one of them who decided to chop you off from the world the night Cassius and the conspirators congregated to assonate you from the world converted me as a true friend. I was so distressed that Portia noticed and insisted I unfold the secrets I kept in. I couldn’t help to untie the everlasting sleep-holding thoughts that a number of Romans needed Julius Caesar assassinated and the noble Brutus, who deserves to be crowned as a king. As she heard, her eyes and mouth opened widely with embracement, suddenly she broke into tears with a shrieking voice. After a little while my head was kept o her hand, she was convincing me of the greatness of you. How Romans admired you, how the world perceives you as a great soldier with valor to conger with steadfast courage.

I curse the moment bitterly when I shook the hand of Cassius agreeing with his terms, although I was in a dilemma state of taking the right decision. I realized later the real effect of what happened to me momentarily. Oh, my Caesar take these words granted as my confession and bless me with all great to be a soul friend of you. I will never agree with Cassius and his train to practice their decisions I will convert my elf as a shield to defend you with all greatness and valor. Oh, Caesar let us have a great plan to smack down the lean Cassius shrouded plans into the earth. A great shock could be done to the conspirators with all surprised when they advent to capitol assassinates you in the middle of the capitol.

For this, I would like strongly to suggest that you too think of a different approach when we design a major plan against them. I kindly request you to consider my letter as a confession for whatever happened to me.

Kind regards

Brutus

“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” – William Shakespeare. We are able to observe that when a wrong is committed against a character, they then feel as if they have validation to use any means necessary to correct this wrong, and how adhering to one’s sense of self-respect can allow one to find a sense of justice in a situation that began with injustice. In The Life and Death of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, the concept of being manipulated by self-respect is evident in the plot of Marcus Junius Brutus. Brutus is depicted as a character who is too idealistic and lives in a fool’s paradise in which he makes all his decisions simply by expecting that all is as honorable as himself. Honor is part of Brutus’s conception of himself and probably the one quality that has the most significance to him. For him, honor means moral integrity and an inner sense of what is right or wrong, a honorableness of mind. One might assert that Brutus abides and stays content with his honorable reputation as seen in the cases when he tries to do what is best for his country Rome, and additionally his fate by the end of the play. Moreover, Brutus’ notion of being a righteous honorable person, adds to the self-delusion of his reputation when he tries to commence his actions toward Julius Caesar’s injustice which ultimately leads to his own demise.

Furthermore, Brutus’ sense of honorability profoundly affects the decisions he makes around him. Brutus’ commitment to murder Caesar was erroneous of him, but from his perspective, it was unerring to him since he was convinced that if Caesar became king, Rome would fall. The quote, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved / Rome more.” (III, ii), explicitly showed that his intention was to do it for his beloved country to save people from Caesar’s tyranny, therefore he believes killing Caesar was necessary to save Rome. To him, his intentions were noble and purposeful, but hopelessly ultimately brought to his own destruction. Brutus has many flaws, but his honor, idealism, and poor judgment, truly brought him to his own downfall. From his poor discernment and open-mindedness, he is manipulated into believing that Caesar’s tyranny is the path to Rome’s label action. Since Brutus has a deep fondness for his country, he is easily persuaded that the assassination of Caesar is nevertheless justifiable. He misjudges the motives of Cassius and therefore falls to his manipulative methods. If Brutus had not possessed poor judgment and excessive idealism of people and situations, he would have not been so easily convinced by Cassius to be a part of Caesar’s murder and may have ultimately been driven to a different fate.

Similarly, as of how one event leads to another, after the sorrowful death of Caesar, Antony proves strong in all of the ways that Brutus proves weak. His impulsive, improvisatory nature serves him perfectly, first to persuade the conspirators that he is on their side, thus gaining their leniency, and then to persuade the Roman crowd of the conspirators’ injustice, therefore gaining the masses’ political support. Not too scrupulous to stoop to deceit and duplicity, as Brutus claims to be, Antony proves himself a consummate politician, using gestures and skilled rhetoric to his advantage. He responds to subtle cues from both his nemeses and his allies to know exactly how he must conduct himself at each particular moment in order to gain the most advantage. In both his eulogy for Caesar and the play as a whole, Antony is adept at tailoring his words and actions to his audiences’ desires. Unlike Brutus, who prides himself on acting solely with respect to virtue and blinding himself to his personal concerns, Antony never separates his private affairs from his public actions. As a result of Antony’s oration, a downhill spiral for Brutus begins; one thing leads to another. As Cassius did warn Brutus beforehand about Antony’s whole motive, Brutus’ error of judgment toward Antony created a situation that could have been prevented. His flaws stood in his way, accordingly leading to his own treasured country turning against him. After Antony’s speech at Caesar’s funeral, the servant states to Antony that Brutus and Cassius, “Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome” (III, ii). Fleeing from Rome makes Brutus realize the immensity of his error, and that he can no longer turn back. Brutus was so certain about his justness in killing Caesar that he never anticipated that Rome would follow Antony and go in opposition to him. From the outlook of this whole situation, war was inevitable. Subsequently, by the end of the war, Realizing that the end is near, Brutus exhibits honor by choosing to take his own life rather than letting himself be captured, “It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, / Than tarry, till they push us.” (V,v). Again, in this scene honor connotes self-pride. It is more “honorable” for Brutus to save face and take his own life than it is to be captured and appear weak. Therefore Brutus does not fear death, he is deemed brave, self-possessed, and a model of Roman virtue.

In the Roman World of The Life and Death of Julius Caesar, honor is a matter of altruism, rationality, and pride. No character in the play more clearly embodies the virtue of honor than Brutus. His flaws of idealism and bad judgment lead him to an event where there is a reversal of his fortunes. Ultimately, intertwining it all together, the assassination of Julius Caesar resulted in the demise of Marcus Brutus. One might say that it was destined to be, specifically through the way he made his decisions through the aspect of his honorableness mind. Furthermore, when we face similar situations that leave us feeling unjustly wronged, we must look past our stubborn pride and respect ourselves by accepting the help that is offered. This acceptance gets us that much closer to rebuilding our path to the happiness in life that we strive to reach.

Personal Response

Can you think of any contemporary political leaders who are like Brutus and Cassius? Who are they?

I could say that Brutus and Cassius are like George Bush and Tony Blair. While Cassius convinces Brutus to join the conspiracy of killing Caesar because he had too much power, Bush was able to convince Blair that Saddam Hussein was harboring weapons of mass destruction and the only way to stop him was to invade his country.

Analyzing Literature

Shakespeare uses nature to mirror the disorder in human lives. What details in Scene 3 do you think evoke a sense of danger and terror?

In Act 1, scene 3 of “Julius Caesar”, thunder and lightning fill the sky of Rome. During the storm, Casca has terrifying visions that trouble him and lead him to think that Julius’ power is dangerous. I think this storm foreshadows upcoming danger and terror in the life of several characters from the play. In addition, the bad weather helps create a mood of unease and tension.

What is your impression of Cassius, the protagonist who drives the action in Act 1? By the act’s end, what steps has he taken toward his goal?

In Act 1, Cassius seemed to me like an ambitious man driven by jealousy. He is jealous of Caesar’s immense power which determines him to turn others against him in order to kill him. At the end of Act 1, Cassius seems to be succeeding in his goal, however, he still needs to convince Brutus to join him.

How would you describe the play’s conflict as it is established in Act 1?

The first Act of “Julius Caesar” shows the conflict between the conspirators and Caesar’s power. The commoners celebrate Julius Caesar’s victory over Pompey but the tribunes argue that Caesar’s victory isn’t a victory for Rome. In addition, Act 1 depicts Cassius’ plans to end Caesar’s power.

What does Casca report that Mark Antony did after the Lupercal games?

Casca reports that after the Lupercal games, Mark Anthony offered the crown to Caesar three times which he denied every time. However, the third time, Julius Caesar fainted after denying the crown.

At the end of Act 1, how is Cassius planning to win Brutus to the conspiracy?

During the first Act, Cassius tries everything to persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy. He tells him how he is admired by the Romans, and he also informs him about the times he saved Caesar to show him that Julius Caesar also has weaknesses. However, by the end of the Act, Cassius decides to manipulate Brutus into joining the conspiracy by forging letters written by Roman citizens urging action against Caesar.

Do you have conflicting feelings about Caesar during this act? Describe your impressions of his character, based on your responses to his speeches and actions and on what other characters say about him.

My first impressions of Julius Caesar are rather mixed. I think he is a very honest and good leader for Rome. Even though he has great power, he doesn’t use it to his advantage, this shows when he neglected the crown three times. During this event, his loyalty also shows when he says that he cares about his people more than the crown. However, some of this character’s illnesses are shown during Act 1. For example, it was suggested that he has epilepsy when he fainted after refusing the crown for the third time. Even though Caesar seems like an honest leader to me, a lot of people are jealous of his power and speak ill of him.

Conflicting perspectives emerge throughout Julius Caesar, as different characters hold different perspectives as each character has different motives and interests. In Julius Caesar these conflicting perspectives are shown through the stylistic features of a play, the representation of the perspectives through these features helps to portray the conflicting perspectives in a unique way.

The stylistic features and characterization used in Julius Caesar allow the opposing motives and interests of numerous characters to be established throughout the play. One way this was done was through Caesar’s assassination, Caesar’s assassination was portrayed through various viewpoints in the play and allowed the audience to determine the personal and social motives behind the assassination. In Scene 1, Act 1 when Flavius states that both he and Murellus will pluck feathers from “Caesar’s wing/ will make him fly an ordinary pitch, who else would soar above the view of men…”, Shakespeare foreshadows the grievances that many of the characters have towards Caesar. The use of a simile when comparing Caesar to a bird soaring ‘above’ the people of Rome helps to develop him as a revered and god-like character, an absolute power that Murellus and Flavius both desire. Likewise, differing viewpoints behind the reason for Caesar’s assassination are developed behind the conversation between Cassius and Brutus in Act 2, Scene 1.

The nobility behind Brutus’ motives is established in this scene when he states that Caesar should be thought of as a “serpent’s egg”. This use of animal imagery and in particular that of a serpent which is symbolic of power and evil is used to represent Caesar demonstrates the fear that Brutus has of Caesar’s corruption. The notion that Brutus brings up of an ‘honorable’ murder is directly contrasted with the personal animosity and hatred that fuels Cassius’ desire for killing Caesar, evident when Cassius states “Why should that name be sounded more than yours?”. The rhetorical question used by Shakespeare highlights the jealous and indignant tone that Cassius adopts in this verse and establishes the grudge and vendetta that he holds against Caesar. The diverging views between Cassius and Brutus are further accentuated in the scene when Brutus states that they should be ‘sacrificers’ but not ‘butchers’. The contrast and juxtaposition between the positive, heroic connotations of the word ‘sacrificers’ as opposed to the adverse connotations of ‘butchers’ once again portrays the stark difference between Brutus’ integrity and Cassius’ hatred. Through the use of foreshadowing and contrasting characteristics, Shakespeare develops conflicting perspectives in a way that is unique to the medium he portrays.

Brutus: Innocent

Your honor; ladies and gentlemen of the jury, imperial Prosecutor, John Smith, would have you convict my client, Marcus Junius Brutus of conspiracy, negligence, and regicide. My client pleads guilty to the charge of negligence, but to the charges of conspiracy and regicide, he pleads not guilty. Let’s consider the testimony of key witness William Shakespeare, in Act 4, Scene 2.

“According to Shakespeare’s statement, some power-hungry men were all fighting to do what they thought was the best for their public. With this wish for power comes selfish desires for many of the men, however, one who I believe wishes the best for the people and gets trapped in the fight is Brutus. While Brutus’ actions may make him seem harsh, his intentions stay true throughout. We see that Brutus is stuck between rocks in ways he is easily convinced, and we also become aware that time after time that he doesn’t ever think for himself, he always puts people first. Brutus is an honorable man, which is what made his betrayal of Caesar so difficult. Here Cassius uses rhetoric to exploit Brutus’ hamartia. We know that Brutus had questioned the moves that Caesar made for his public, however, he did not act upon going against him and his ways up until the moment that he was convinced by the conspirators to destroy Caesar for the benefit of the public. Brutus knew that Caesar needed to go because he knew that Caesar getting the crown would change him as a person, but it was the letter received from Cassius and the persuasion of the conspirators that got to Brutus’ mind and take the action.” (Hawksites.newpaltz.edu, 2019)

“According to Shakespeare, it was clear that Brutus was clothed in pain while he toasted with Caesar before his murder. Brutus stated that there was a part of him that didn’t want Caesar to be dead and that is easily seen from his statements recorded by William Shakespeare; however, he didn’t know he was killing Caesar for the good of his heart. Brutus said to the conspirator, ‘Grant that, and then is death a benefit? So, are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridged His time of fearing death? Stoop, Romans, stoop and let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood Up to the elbows and besmear our swords. Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace, and waving our red weapons o’er our heads Let’s all cry, “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”(Act 3 Scene 1 lines 113-120). Brutus told the conspirators that because they were Caesar’s friends, they wanted to do him a favor by killing him while he was still at a young age meaning that he wouldn’t have the struggle of waiting to die another day. He then proudly told them that they will spread Caesar’s blood onto their swords to mirror the new way of life their people would have being free of Caesar. I think it’s relevant to recognize that little did Brutus know that he was going to be persuaded to make unthinkable actions towards Caesar directed by Cassius, although he had good desires in doing so anyway. We can also consider Brutus’ speech at Caesar’s funeral when he said “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. 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.” (3:2: 19-24) Basically what we can take out of this speech is yes, yes Brutus understands that he killed Caesar and yes it was for the good of his country.” (Hawksites.newpaltz.edu, 2019)

Brutus’ choice to stab his dear friend in the back isn’t easy to wrap around one’s mind. He had to choose between his devotion to the country and the people of Rome and his devotion to his friend. Brutus was also labeled an assassin as a result of him being a part of the who had murdered Caesar. Brutus was not jealous of Caesar, and neither did he have any lawful fears that Caesar was trying to take over and become a king. When Brutus overheard how the commoners were treating Caesar like a king, he was worried about Rome. Brutus spoke to Lucius about his concerns stating that “It must be by his death, and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him… crown him that, and then I grant we put a sting in him that at his will he may do danger with.” (2.1.10-15). By this statement, we know that Brutus only wanted the best for Rome, and by having that he had to sacrifice a friendship. After killing his best friend and then bathing his hands in his blood, Brutus defended his actions: “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demands why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (3.2.19-24). Unfortunately, Brutus had no idea that the information he is given regarding Caesar is made-up in an effort to win Brutus over by the conspirators. If he knew what was occurring, he would not have participated in this monstrous act. Brutus is certainly not the ‘bad guy’ here, although he is guilty of allowing himself to be betrayed into acting against his better judgment.

We know that Brutus wishes he could undo most of the things he has done the haunting final sentence from Caesar fills his head “Et tu Brute?”(Caesar, Act I, scene 2) these words were the final words from Caesar as he died of heartache from his beloved pal stabbing him. Brutus spoke to Cassius’s servant stating, “Your master, Pindarus, In his own change or by ill officers Hath given me some worthy cause to wish Things done, undone.”(Act 4, scene 1, line 10). If only Brutus was more connected with his own weaknesses, he would have known Cassius to be a manipulator. Brutus could’ve been able to question the fact why Cassius hated Caesar so badly that he would attempt to shame Caesar seeing he was, in fact, a man with ‘grey air’ (Meaning wise). Yet Brutus was dumbfounded and accepted anything and everything Cassius told him and joined the conspiracy, although it troubled him so much that he was not able to sleep. This evidence exposes that Brutus truly doesn’t understand his own weakness; he is unaware that he is easily manipulated, He didn’t realize that he was being used by Cassius to reach a secret goal rather than acting for the good of Rome and the people. Shakespeare confirmed this notion when Rome is destroyed after the death of Caesar. My client realizes how terrible the actions made are and that he is to blame but what seems truer here is that Brutus is simply having his own personal regret for his personal actions rather than thinking about the malicious act his fellow conspirators had caused. It may or may not be the time of understanding, but it certainly indicates Brutus’ regret. I believe Cassius should be the one being thrown in jail. He turned Brutus’s weakness into a false strength and set him up to be humiliated. Cassius tricked Brutus into believing that the people wanted Caesar dead by forging letters to convey these thoughts, Cassius is the mastermind behind this murder.

It is difficult to not feel bad for Brutus because in my opinion he is clearly the most complicated out of all the men, and it is sad to see him being taken for advantage so easily and placed in the middle of bad situations. Even though no one forces him to make those decisions. I conclude he is an innocent man because of all the good intentions he has behind the actions he makes; Brutus killed his best friend for the sake of Rome. He put his country’s needs before his own so yes, I applaud Brutus for standing up for his principles and defending Rome. Ladies and gentlemen, there is a reasonable doubt and, therefore you must find Marcus Junius Brutus not guilty.

What was Caesar’s legacy?

Gaius Julius Caesar, a controversial memorable character is remembered today as a politician of the Roman Republic credited with laying the foundation for the Roman Empire. Perceived as an ambitious man with a prolific military mind; widely believed to be one of the greatest the world has ever known. Also, a historian who played a quintessential role in the events that led to the decline of the Roman Republic as well as the rise of the Roman Empire. Caesar was known to have an unquenchable thirst for power. He was able to immense mountainous levels of power by launching an immensely successful political and military campaign. He then later went on to declare himself dictator for the life of the Roman Republic. This resulted in the Senate conspiring mutiny and subsequently assassinating him. Caesar’s death was crucially important in the death of the Roman Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire.

Julius Caesar was born into a prestigious patrician family with rich ancestry claiming descent from the epic Roman hero Aeneas and his mother Venus. However, Caesar’s family lacked strong political influence as Caesar’s father never held the consulship. Unlike other historical periods where commonly nobility would be inherited through familial prestige, during this period in ancient Rome the concept of nobility came from the idea that excellence could be inherited, however, it must be proven by doing excellent things in the present. Nobility generally also indicates that a member of the family had achieved Consulship. Acquiring consulship and nobility for Caesar would mean he and his family would be able to be influential politically as they would be of higher ranks of society. A consul held the highest level of public office a politician could have hoped to achieve, being a consul meant the individual would be able to hold imperium. Imperium is a form of legal authority that meant the consul would have control over military or governmental entities. Holding imperium also meant that he could not be prosecuted for his actions while he was in office as it could be overruled by a fellow consul. This was essential to Caesar in his conquest for power and because of his father’s lack of consulship, Julius Caesar’s early life revolved around his goal of achieving nobility.

Caesar formed an informal political alliance with two other prominent political figures Crassus, whose powers stem from his incredible wealth, and Pompey, a great military general forming the First Triumvirate in 60 BC, this political alliance continued to dominate Roman politics for several years. This alliance allowed Caesar to hold extraordinary command over Gaul and Illyria for five years, allowing him to start his conquest of Gaul. Caesar’s military campaigns over the span of eight years in Gaul were immensely successful further securing his political influence and career.

Notes

• Before he rose to power, the Roman Republic was very unstable with a lot of civil wars and essentially on the brink of collapsing.
• He rose to power by exploiting the political system, but did not act in tyranny, he stabilized Rome and created a well-run government.
• The people responded in riots after his death, the Roman Republic destabilized heavily.
• Caesar was named dictator for life and the Senate didn’t like it, therefore conspiring.
• A generous and effective leader
• Killed by those he granted clemency towards.
• Forming the First Triumvirate gave him extraordinary power over Gaul and Illyria for 5 years, therefore enabling him to start his conquest of Gaul.
• Sought election for consul in 60 BC for 59 BC. His reputation for incorruptibility was a strong factor in his winning
• Charismatic character/leader that engaged and inspired those who follow him. Won the hearts of the people
• Controversial character — one of the most important aspects of his character was his leniency towards clemency and mercy.