...Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare Renowned English poet, playwright and actor William Shakespeare’s birth date is not known; however, he is said to have been baptized on the 26th of April 1564. He died on the 26th of April 1616 but not before he had written about 38 plays, 154 sonnets and other literary pieces. Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into several languages over the years and have been produced in many forms throughout the ages. The Play Julius Caesar is a play about friendship, betrayal and power. The play is a historical tragedy as it presents the biography of one of the greatest man to have ever lived in Rome. Caesar was made Dictator and Consol after he chased Pompey and his forces out of Rome in an attempt to obtain ultimate power. Caesar’s ultimate goal was to become Rome’s first king and he remained focus on this goal until his death in 44BC. His death was as a result of fate and his refusal to acknowledge the many signs and omens that foreshadowed his fall. Brutus a very good friend of Caesar also took part in his assassination. Brutus feared that Caesar would become a tyrant and harm the people of Rome. In an attempt to ‘save’ the people Brutus helped Cassius to take Caesar’s life. After Caesar’s death he is avenged by his loyal servant Antony who skillfully manipulates his way into the band of conspirators. Later, after winning the love of the people Antony pursues and conquers Brutus’ and Cassius’ forces...
Words: 4055 - Pages: 17
...Does Shakespeare depict Julius Caesar as a tyrant who deserved to be deposed because of his unconstitutional usurpation of power? William Shakespeare’s well-renowned play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, has led to centuries of controversial debate on the validity of tyrannicide based on his depiction of Julius Caesar. Some scholars have argued that Shakespeare intended to portray Caesar as a tyrant, while others believe he is acting as a just King. On one hand, it is difficult to assume that Shakespeare plainly viewed Caesar as a tyrant, especially since Shakespeare deliberately left Caesar’s actions and intentions ambiguous, making him into a less obvious tyrannical figure compared to Plutarch’s representation of Caesar. In addition, Shakespeare does not solidify Caesar as a tyrant in the same way he does with Macbeth and Richard III in their respective plays. On the other hand, it is difficult to reason that Caesar is a just King because he came into power by usurpation. “In antiquity the term [“tyrant”] referred to a ruler who came to power by usurpation, without constitutional warrant.” Based on insight from several sources and my own interpretation of Julius Caesar, I have concluded that Shakespeare left Caesar’s objectives unknown in order to focus on the moral dilemma faced by Brutus, but Shakespeare still intended to depict Caesar as a tyrant who deserved to be deposed because of his unconstitutional usurpation of power. In order to prove this I will evaluate the political...
Words: 1848 - Pages: 8
...The Tragedy of Julius Caesar tells of the conspiracy and the murder of one the most prominent figures in Roman history, Julius Caesar. The play written by William Shakespeare, shows the relationships between the conspiracy members, more specifically Marcus Brutus. He comes from noble ancestry and is a politician in the Roman capital. One of Shakespeare’s most used ideas in his plays is the idea of a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character usually of noble birth and has a tragic flaw. Shakespeare uses Brutus and not Caesar as the tragic hero. To fit the criteria of a Shakespearean tragic hero the character must be a person of noble birth and have a tragic flaw. Brutus has an ancestor who is of noble importance. Lucius Junius Brutus was the...
Words: 804 - Pages: 4
...English 326 – Shakespeare’s Tragedies Essay #1 – Julius Caesar Source Study Sourcing Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Reading the works of William Shakespeare has often proven quite interesting, as most of his plays are works of fiction, due in part to Shakespeare’s wild imagination. The same cannot be said for his tragic drama of Julius Caesar, a story heavily based not only real life events, but also on Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, as translated by Sir Thomas North. In studying a source, readers are privy to the creative genius that is Shakespeare, as one takes note of what he has kept in his plays as well as what he changed and added himself along the way. While the majority of the plot of Act three in Julius Caesar is mostly the same, there are subtle changes here and there that reflect the liberties that Shakespeare took in writing his own version. For the most part, the changes are not so much words, but rather the physical actions of the characters and their dramatized presentation. Plutarch’s source states that Caesar’s entrance into the Senate house was cause for all members of the Senate to stand, and as a result of this, the men surrounded Caesar standing, before they stabbed him. In Shakespeare’s version, the men each come forward and kneel before Caesar prior to the violent stabbing. The kneeling is reflective of their pleading for Plubius Cimber’s return from banishment. The brutality of the stabbing is most likely a dramatic effect intended...
Words: 1002 - Pages: 5
...Marcus Brutus VS Mark Antony In William Shakespeare's brilliant play, Julius Caesar he discusses the tragic and brutal death of Julius Caesar. After this tragedy, Mark Antony and Marcus Brutus hold a ‘funeral’ for Caesar. Both Mark Antony and Marcus Brutus are close friends of Julius Caesar. But, Marcus Brutus turns on Caesar, Brutus and a group of conspirators stab Caesar multiple times, resulting in his death. Brutus overall is not loyal to Julius Caesar. During both Mark Antony and Marcus Brutus’ speeches during Act III, Scene ii of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, both conveyed a life changing point about Caesar's death, but, Mark Antony by far gave the better speech, through the use of pathos and rhetorical questions to show his honesty,...
Words: 629 - Pages: 3
...William Shakespeare's play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" exhibit the most revolting attributes of Ancient Rome. There are two essential components of the account which is the power of deception and manipulation , which Shakespeare uses to move the storyline forward and let pivotal occasions occur. The First occasion in which deception plays a crucial part is when Decius maliciously guarantees Caesar that his wife's overwhelming dream has been " all amiss interpreted" (II,ii,83). Decius says rather " it was a vision fair and fortunate" ( II,ii,84). This untruth is key to the storyline on the grounds that it persuades Caesar to go to the senate gathering where his murder happens. Thereby without deception the end of Caesar could have been escaped by and large....
Words: 429 - Pages: 2
...Julius Caesar - BBC Shakespeare Collection: Analysis Julius Caesar was written in 1599 by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers of his time and most popular in the modern era, with Julius Caesar being one of his greatest works. In his work Julius Caesar, Shakespeare shows the fluctuation of power in Rome and the problems that came with it. Shakespeare expresses the abuse of power and the struggles to obtain in a society that was at its peak. However with great power comes great responsibility along with challenges and dangers. There is no absolute power; every power has limitations; especially when you are just a human, power itself is more than a name or position; it is something that people must do. Every character within Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar has some form of power, however the biggest issue of power in this story, is the change of power in the rulers of Rome. Here once again Shakespeare displays to us many different kinds of power and the use and abuse of it such as, people with power using it just for their convenience. Julius Caesar, the protagonist of this story is the center of power; he is also the first logical person to be introduced. Upon his arrival, he is hailed as a great man who has been offered the crown numerous times, refusing it each time, he is to be seen as the hero of the people at that time. However, when Caesars past actions are looked upon we are meant to question if he has true heroism. These actions being that...
Words: 1212 - Pages: 5
...In William Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the character Marc Antony is given emotional and intellectual depth for the first time during his soliloquy with Caesar’s body in act three scene one. This is the first time the audience’s opinion of Julius Caesar is softened. Before Caesar’s death, the audience only knows the conspirators’ opinion on the ruler of Rome. “think him a serpent’s egg which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell.” Those who killed Caesar did not stab him for something he had done, but rather, for what he had the potential to do given enough power and opportunity. Marc Antony does not share this sentiment. He loved Caesar as much as Brutus did, but without doubting what Caesar would do with the power he is given. “Thou art the ruin of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of times” Depending on who is playing the role of Antony, this can be a very moving scene. The emotional depth of Marc Antony plants a seed of doubt in the audience’s mind as to whether Caesar should have died or not. Marc Antony believes this assassination to be...
Words: 500 - Pages: 2
...LIFE OF SHAKESPAERE JANUAR BIRTH DATE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE--- BACK SIDE According to tradition, the great English dramatist and poet William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-on-Avon on April 23, 1564. It is impossible to be certain the exact day on which he was born, but church records show that he was baptized on April 26, and three days was a customary amount of time to wait before baptizing a newborn. Shakespeare’s date of death is conclusively known, however: it was April 23, 1616. FRONT SIDE William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language . He was born on April 1564 . FEBURAR BIRTH PLACE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE BACK SIDE PICTURES FRONT SIDE Shakespaere was born in the bard of Avon in United Kingdom. MARZ EARLY LIFE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPAERE BACK SIDE William was the third child of John Shakespeare, a leather merchant, and Mary Arden, a local landed heiress. William had two older sisters, Joan and Judith, and three younger brothers, Gilbert, Richard and Edmund. Before William's birth, his father became a successful merchant and held official positions as alderman and bailiff, an office resembling a mayor. However, records indicate John's fortunes declined sometime in the late 1570s. FRONT SIDE William was the third child of John Shakespeare, a leather merchant, and Mary Arden, a local landed heiress. APRIL WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S SCHOOL LIFE BACK SIDE Shakespeare probably began...
Words: 989 - Pages: 4
...William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, set in Rome in 44 B.C, focuses on the character of Julius Caesar and his gruesome assassination by the members of the Roman Senate. Mark Antony, Caesar’s best friend, plots his revenge and incites a riot, causing the exile of the conspirators and their impending defeat. The tragic hero with a tragic flaw can be found in the character of Julius Caesar, an example of this being Caesar’s prominence in society as well as his fatal flaw of hubris. Another example is Caesar’s recognition of his fatal flaw following his betrayal and downfall. A third example is Caesar’s redemption, when his death is fully grasped by Marcus Brutus, who was once Caesar’s friend but betrayed him. The tragic hero is Julius Caesar because of his fatal flaw of hubris, his recognition of his flaw in his...
Words: 1290 - Pages: 6
...wrote tragedies from the beginning of his career. One of his earliest plays was the Roman tragedy Titus Andronicus, which he followed a few years later with Romeo and Juliet. However, his most admired tragedies were written in a seven-year period between 1601 and 1608. These include his four major tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, along withAntony & Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Cymbeline, Julius Caesar and the lesser-known Timon of Athens and Troilus and Cressida. ------------------------------------------------- Tragedies[edit] Many have linked these plays to Aristotle's precept about tragedy: that the protagonist must be an admirable but flawed character, with the audience able to understand and sympathize with the character. Certainly, all of Shakespeare's tragic protagonists are capable of both good and evil. As one of the most influential Shakespearean critics of the 19th century, A. C. Bradley argues, "the playwright always insists on the operation of the doctrine of free will; the (anti) hero is always able to back out, to redeem himself. But, the author dictates, they must move unheedingly to their doom." Some, including drama historian Brian Arkins in his "Heavy Seneca: his Influence on Shakespeare's Tragedies," have also pointed out their Senecan nature, as differentiated from Aristotle's principles and Greek tragedy. In one of a few exceptions to the rule that Black Roman literature was essentially superficial imitation of Greek works, the Roman Stoic philosopher...
Words: 403 - Pages: 2
...William Shakespeare, born April 23, 1564, was a playwright from the late sixteenth century. He enjoyed writing characters as tragic heroes. In Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the tragic hero is Brutus. Although the play is named after Caesar, Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger is the main character. The literary work focuses on the emotions, actions, and decisions made by Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger. Brutus is the best friend of Titular character, Julius Caesar. Gaius Julius Caesar is a member of the first Triumvirate of Rome, a form of government that is run by three people. Traditionally, a tragic hero is a character in a literary work who is usually of noble birth or who has notable ancestry. The character that is the tragic hero also has another distinguishing characteristic. The tragic hero has to have...
Words: 1473 - Pages: 6
...adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power,” was once declared by Abraham Lincoln. Adversity, which is an unfortunate event or circumstance, is an essential term is Lincoln's statement. Another important term in Lincoln’s declaration is character, which means the moral or ethical quality of a person. Overall, Lincoln means that a person's true character is revealed when that individual is given power. Additionally, Lincoln implies that not many can stand up to greed and the desire for power. Finally, when Abraham Lincoln’s statement is looked under the lens of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar, it can be proven true through Shakespeare’s development of characterization, which is used in order to show the drastic change in Brutus's morals....
Words: 413 - Pages: 2
...Julius Caesar Character Analysis Written around the year 1599, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare, was based on the Roman philosopher Plutarch’s biographies of the hoary Greek and Roman rulers, Julius Caesar, Octavius Brutus, and Marc Anthony. The role and personality of Julius Caesar in the written play was greatly determined in an indirect manner. Julius Caesar is immanently the disputed protagonist who remains a flat character throughout the play; a self-aggrandizing character that is wished death upon. His constant demands and braggart remarks about himself gave him a very egotistical perception. He was plotted against behind his back by people he called his friends, and was eventually stabbed to death on the Ides of March, or on the 15th of March, ironically, in front of the Theatre of Pompey. Julius Caesar often allowed his dignity to get in his way, which strongly made him look very preposterous and moronic. Caesar thought very highly of himself and had a very prominent perspective of himself. Subsequently defeating Pompey, a Roman politician and general, he boastfully returns back to Rome, being greeted by enjoying the show of pomp. After being demanded by Caesar, Marc Antony responded to Caesar saying, “When Caesar says “Do this,” it is performed.” (23.) Marc Antony generates the idea of Caesar being like a God; he’s treated like a deity and Marc follows all his commands and demands as if he’s a slave. Caesar is perceived as a very valiant...
Words: 1016 - Pages: 5
...From the savage Neanderthal to the charismatic Julius Caesar, humans have selfishly betrayed one another since the dawn of time. Written by William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar portrays the tragedy of the Roman ruler. Deceived by his friends, Caesar is brutally murdered as the conspirators try to prevent him from ascending to the throne as the next leader of Rome. By placing their own egotistical interests and misconceptions before Rome’s, the conspirators wrongfully murdered Julius Caesar. Throughout the play, Brutus continually questions whether or not he should follow through with the plan to assassinate Caesar. He even makes the remark several times that Caesar personally did nothing to him saying, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the question” (II.i.10). Brutus recognizes that other than his own fears for the future, Caesar has done nothing to deserve death. The conspirators repeatedly claim that because of Caesar’s unruly ambition, he would take the throne and expose his greedy, selfish side, although he has never shown any sign to actually having one. Convincing Brutus of this, they become obsessed with the idea that Julius Caesar would become a megalomaniac after his rise to the throne, making this the main incentive that the conspirators have against him, eventually making a rash decision to “sacrifice” him, supposedly for the good of...
Words: 1691 - Pages: 7
