Introduction to Julius Caesar
One of the famous plays by William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar is a tragedy that apprises the story of how and why Julius Caesar, a Roman Patrician and General, is murdered by his own peers in the Roman senate.
The play was written in 1599, and the action takes place in the ancient Rome around the events connected with the seizure of power and death of Caesar, as well as the subsequent civil war. The play deals with the issues of power, treachery, and the code of the knight as well as the consequence of the political greed. Through the multiple characters and the complex plot, Julius Caesar presents a fascinating and still relevant look into the human character and the issues of power and authority.
The play revolves round the main historical characters, such as Julius Caesar, Brutus, Cassius and Mark Antony. Each character faces his own personal ethical dilemmas and ambitions. The rising power and influence of Julius Caesar made his opponents fearful, as they thought he would become a tyrant, so they hatched a conspiracy to assassinate him.
After his assassination, the author depicts the ramifications of the political violence, as Rome is plunged into chaos, civil war. In the course of the play, Shakespeare employs a lot of linguistic devices and imageries to bring out the themes that are still relevant in the contemporary society.
Themes in “Julius Caesar”
Theme#1
The Corrupting Influence of Power
It is the most significant theme in Julius Caesar. The play also has thematic concerns regarding authority and how one gains and uses it, on its effects to those in a position of authority.
Julius Caesar whose political status has placed him at the apex of Rome’s political power becomes the epitome of power dictatorship. This fear motivates the conspirator, especially Brutus and Cassius to kill Caesar.
In Act 1, Scene 2, Cassius unfolds his concerns about Caesar’s rising power:
“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 dishonorable graves.” (Act 1, Scene 2)
Here, Cassius compares Caesar to a statue, the Colossus of Rhodes which stood majestically right at the middle of harbor. The depicted idea is that Caesar has become invincible, taking up all the spotlight and rendering everyone else unimportant.
There is the truth in Cassius’ sayings, relating his anxiety about Caesar’s power making the others suffer and the self-elimination of the noble and liberty. This fear Cassius mobilizes Brutus to act against Caesar, thinking that is only through Caesar assassination that power corrupts would destroy the Roman Republic.
Power is still concentrated in the hands of a few and the death of Caesar does not prevent tyranny. It cultivates a series of actions that brings only the new degradation of corrupt schemes and new steps in power struggle.
The Romans transform the people in the play into a riotous mob by manipulating them. The betrayal of the partnership between Antony and Octavius shows how the thirst of power brings about violence. The play therefore concludes to a belief that power no matter how it is pursued is bound to present an individual and even the state into moral disintegration.
Theme#2
Betrayal and Loyalty
The theme of betrayal is well developed in Julius Caesar and it is best evidenced by Caesar and Brutus. A loyal and a popular friend of Caesar, a senator, is persuaded to join the conspiracy against Caesar, because he considers that it is in the best interest of Rome.
The conflict between personal allegiance and political responsibility behind Brutus actions is one of the essential conflicts, which leads to the famous betrayals in literature.
In Act 3, Scene 1, as the conspirators stab Caesar, he turns to Brutus and utters the famous line:
“Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar!” (Act 3, Scene 1)
Caesar’s shock and heartbreak upon looking Brutus among his assassins indicates the depth of the betrayal of Brutus. The most dramatic and memorable phrase of the play is ‘Et tu, Brute?’ where Caesar seems to understand and feels the worst kind of betrayal, even from his best friend.
This moment captures the tragic irony of Brutus’ actions: as to rescue the Republic, he betrays the person who trusted him most.
The revenge of Brutus on Caesar is not personal, but it is a kind of duty to Rome; therefore Brutus’ betrayal is not the malicious one. Brutus is depicted as a noble man who has the best interest of Rome and feels that Caesar has to be killed in order to curb tyranny.
However, this betrayal has ruinous results, both for himself and for Rome. The tragedy of Brutus is the best example of how betrayal is a deadly sin even if it is carried out with noble purposes.
Brutus has become an enemy of Caesar, Mark Antony never turns against him – not even in death. Antony’s famous speech at Caesar’s funeral in Act 3, Scene 2 is a masterclass in rhetorical manipulation, as he turns the crowd against the conspirators while ostensibly honoring Brutus’ motives:
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar.” (Act 3, Scene 2)
Antony being a loyal friend to Caesar seeks revenge against the conspirators, which leads to a civil war and this ultimately destroyed Rome.
Loyalty and betrayal have thus been entwined with political implications as a way of showing the ramifications of the character’s actions on their relationships in the political arena.
Theme#3
Fate versus Free Will
The conflict between the fate and free will is another key theme in the Julius Caesar. In different scenes of the play, the characters debate on the issue of free will and free decision as opposed to predestination.
It is linked with the beliefs of the Romans and the idea of the gods and omen, which is also present in the turn of the characters.
The theme of fate is introduced early in the play, with the soothsayer’s warning to Caesar:
“Beware the ides of March.” (Act 1, Scene 2)
The ominous warning hints that Caesar will soon be killed. This shows that the fate of Caesar has already been decided. Caesar ignores the warning and sends the man away, which reflects that Caesar believes nothing can harm him.
He thinks he controls his future. This sets up a main conflict in the play. It is Caesar’s belief in his free will and the fate that will actually lead to his death in the end.
Brutus also struggles with the concept of fate. He is torn between his love for Caesar and his fear that Caesar’s ambition will destroy Rome. In Act 2, Scene 1, Brutus reflects on the nature of fate and the role of human agency:
“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 crowned:
How that might change his nature, there’s the question.” (Act 2, Scene 1)
Brutus joins the conspiracy to kill Caesar, because he thinks that he can change what will happen. He believes that assassinating Caesar will stop him from becoming a cruel ruler. However, the play evinces that what Brutus does is a futile exercise.
Killing Caesar does not save the Republic. Instead it causes more chaos and leads to Anthony and Octavius taking power.
The play also uses supernatural things like Caesar’s ghost to explore the fate free will. Caesar’s ghost reminds us that the conspirators cannot escape the consequences of their actions. Their fates were set when they decided to kill Caesar.
The ghost shows that they cannot control what happens. This makes us wonder about the control of people on their own lives.
Theme#4
The Power of Rhetoric and Persuasion
Rhetoric and persuasion is a central theme in the play. The characters regulate and exploit others to achieve their goals. The play is full of the orations which determine the public opinion and dictate the events. It is through these speeches that Shakespeare is able to question and show how language is able to help define the world.
Another famous example is the use of rhetoric in the play in shape of Mark Antony’s speech. Antony’s speech is a masterful use of rhetoric, as he skillfully manipulates the crowd’s emotions to turn them against the conspirators:
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar.” (Act 3, Scene 2)
When Antony starts his speech, he pretends to give respect to the conspirators’ actions regarding Caesar’s death; however, as he goes on, he defines the motives of the assassins to kill Caesar.
Thus, Antony repeatedly using what he knows would be Marcus Brutus ‘description, an honorable man,’ to turn the crowd against Brutus and the other conspirators by accusing them of having killed Caesar to seize power for themselves. This speech shows the power of rhetoric as a tool of influencing the people since the speaker does not state what he wants but the people are ready to follow him.
Another example of the influence is Cassius’ temptation of Brutus in the first scene of the second act. Cassius uses flattery, appeals to Brutus’ sense of honor, and subtle manipulation to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar:
“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 dishonorable graves.” (Act 1, Scene 2)
Cassius uses his words to appeal to the Brutus’s fear over Caesar and his desire to safeguard Rome from the tyranny. He appeals to Brutus’ sense of duty and honor, thus make him able to hatch conspiracy against the Caesar. This clever domination prepares for the tragic events that will happen next. It shows how persuasive speech can be used for good or bad purposes.
The play focuses on how words can control people’s lives and reality. That is why the ability of the characters to convince others is one of the main components of the tragedy which is fixed in the play, the mightiest weapon in the world of politics might be the word.
Theme#5
Public versus Private Identity
Another theme in the novel is the public versus private identity, which has been portrayed through the character of Brutus. In the play, Brutus makes efforts to integrate his public duties with his feelings, a dispute that leads to his catastrophic end.
The contrasting between the public and the private sphere is a major theme in the play as different characters try to balance between the roles of political figure and the individual with his/her personal feelings and beliefs.
Brutus is also depicted as a man of honor losing his reputation and being concerned with his image. However, the inner sentiments and struggle with the conscience appear in his personality when he has private affection to Caesar and public duty to guard the Republic. In Act 2, Scene 1, Brutus reflects on the importance of public perception:
“Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power; and to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections sway’d
More than his reason. But ’tis a common proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.” (Act 2, Scene 1)
Brutus is worried that if Caesar has become ruler, it will make Caesar’s personality corrupt. Power often makes people lose their humility and good values.
This shows Brutus’ inner conflict between being a loyal friend to Caesar and being loyal to Rome as a whole. In the end, Brutus chooses his public duty to defend Rome over his friendship with Caesar. He betrays Caesar even though they were close friends.
This theme is also evident in the character of Caesar himself. For example, in Act 2, Scene 2, Caesar expresses his fear of the omens that have been reported:
“Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear,
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.” (Act 2, Scene 2)
Here, Caesar tries to look unbothered and brave, but his worry about the signs is clearly demonstrated here. This conflict evokes the major strife of the play, which is between the public persona and the private self, the characters are to bear themselves in public and they are to be governed by their private feelings.
