Main Themes in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Thus far, Caesar has neither been a threat to the republic so far nor the tyrant that Cassius accuses him of being; however, the way things were going he was bound to seize absolute power eventually. For one, Casca’s witty statement that “…if Caesar had stabbed [the commoner women’s] mothers they would have done no less…” (Shakespeare 1.2.271-272) truly is meaningful, as Caesar, through his reforms has captured the hearts of the plebes. Secondly, Caesar has been known for his ego, which is especially evident when he states “I rather tell thee what is to be feared Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.

” (Shakespeare 1.2.211-212). Finally, Brutus’s fear that “…The people choose Caesar for their king.” (Shakespeare 1.2.79-80) does soon come true. This combination of popular support, a large ego, and an intent to become king makes Caesar a dangerous brew for the Roman Republic.

As always, the act of killing with intention is, regardless of the circumstances, completely condemnable and must be avoided at all costs.

However, there are many circumstances when the only reasonable path is to “nip it in the bud”, per se. Such an assassination should only be conducted if it is determined that the person of interest poses a genuine threat, if the person is too powerful to be taken down by less lethal means, and if by killing alone will the threat posed by this person subside. There have been many examples of such instances in history, although many times the killings ordered were brutal and/or unjust.

One example of this is the assassination of Prince Mustafa by his father, Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Suleiman had heard fake rumors that his son was trying to overthrow him; thus, he summoned his son to him where his guards executed him.

In the modern political world, there are many ways in which political figures try to sabotage their enemies. Many times, a political leader may get drawn into a trap where he/she is forced to do something politically “deadly” or incriminating. Politicians may also attempt to expose a foe’s secrets or also attack them in vulnerable positions. Finally, the most popular method to remove politicians from office is impeachment. One famous example of this is the downfall of President George H.W. Bush. During his candidacy, Bush famously promised that he wouldn’t place any new taxes. However, during his presidency, Democrats successfully pressured him into increasing taxes, destroying his chances in the next election.

In the play, the main role of women is to steer their husbands in the right direction and to generally support and listen to their husbands. This is seen in Calpurnia, who dutifully follows Caesar’s commands and requests, yet also desperately warns Caesar about the dangers of him going to the Senate. Portia also follows this main duty of hers; however, she is much more assertive and confident before Brutus compared to Calpurnia, who is quite submissive before Caesar. For example, when Calpurnia tries to make Caesar stay home, she desperately pleads Caesar to do so, but when Portia is trying to find out what was bothering Brutus, she boldly explains Brutus her right as his partner to know his secrets, and even stabs herself in the thigh to prove herself worthy.

Tradition influences the thoughts and actions of characters. For example, Brutus is almost always occupied in the interests of Rome, drawing from his family’s tradition of being liberators of oppression and leaders for the people. Brutus also practices Stoicism, a traditional school of thought which emphasizes rational thought and the absence of excessive emotion. This is clearly seen when, in the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, Brutus is “…with himself at war…” (Shakespeare 1.2.46). Furthermore, tradition also serves as a backdrop for the events of the play, which is evident in the fact that the Feast of Lupercal is the setting for the opening of the play. Finally, an interesting point to note is that with his support of the plebes and his desire for absolute power, Caesar, in the eyes of many senators, represents a major break of Roman Tradition.

Flavius and Marullus, for instance, define honor as being a function of social status, which is exemplified through their ostracism and bossing around of the plebeians. Brutus, quite conspicuously, views honor as serving the best interests of the nation. Cassius, on the other hand, defines honor as doing your part and working hard to rise above your counterparts, which he explains when he states that “Men at sometimes are masters of their fates.”(Shakespeare 1.2.139) and that “The fault…is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (Shakespeare 1.2.140-141).

Loyalty means sticking up for those who one believes in and also means staying committed to those who one has committed to, without question. One can prove their loyalty when they stand up for those who they are loyal to during a difficult situation for them. One of the best real world examples of loyalty is that of Nathan Hale, who was a spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He was later captured by the British, and before he was hanged, famously stated “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Loyalty to oneself, or the trust in one’s abilities and capability, is evident in Caesar, who never doubts his capabilities and seldom faces internal conflicts over his decisions. Another good example of self loyalty is . Loyalty to country, or the devotion of oneself to the betterment of the nation is seen in Brutus, who, when judging his actions, always considers how they would impact Rome. Many freedom fighters, revolutionaries, and leaders throughout the course of history have shown loyalty to their nation. Just consider Nelson Mandela, who endured 26 years of jail in hopes of furthering his cause or Mahatma Gandhi, who fasted unto death with the goal to reunify the nation that he loved. Loyalty to friends, or trust and service to one’s closest friends, is seen in Antony, who never leaves his friend Caesar aside and is willing to obey whatever he says. A great example of this type of loyalty is seen in Dartanyan Crockett and LeRoy Sutton, two underprivileged and disabled high schoolers who literally lifted each other up to obtain a high school diploma. I personally feel that self loyalty is the most important loyalty, as one must be true to oneself before they can be relied on by others. It is tough for others to trust you when you cannot even trust your own self.

Your conscience is one of the most important factors in your decision making. Your conscience helps you balance what you would like to do with what is morally acceptable or unacceptable, allowing you to make more informed choices. Brutus is extremely motivated by his conscience, which sets up an “angel vs devil” situation in his mind. It is clear that Brutus faces an ethical dilemma set up by his conscience in which he fights with himself over choosing either the good of Rome or choosing friendship. On the other hand, Cassius is completely unmotivated by his conscience and carries out actions solely at the mercy of his desires, lust, and goals for immediate benefit. He sees no wrong in deceiving Brutus and/or killing a leader/comrade, but rather sees the end as justification to the means.

One’s conscience is not infallible, as there are many times in which complex moral dilemmas can cause the conscience to err. Brutus, possibly the only character in Julius Caesar who actually is depicted using his conscience, is, in the long run, unfortunately misled by his seemingly sound conscience. Brutus’ case is a difficult one, as he is confronted with a classic ethical dilemma, in which both sides (loyalty to friendship and loyalty to nation) are equally weighted and equally important. Brutus leaves the decision to his gut feeling, which ultimately leads him to pursue his loyalty to the nation and join the conspirators. Even though this is a noble choice to make, it is clear that his conscience, by leading him to kill, has made Brutus err. A real world example of a wrong conscience is the story of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who believed so firmly that he was helping his people that when a coup d’etat occurred and nearly the entire nation rallied against him, he became distraught with grief and confusion.

When one goes against their conscience, they usually exhibit anxiety, frustration, self-doubt, fear, and many more negative emotions. The conscience is meant to guide us and support our decisions, and thus when we abandon it we feel alone, weak, and helpless before the inevitable forces of justice. Brutus, after committing to join the conspirators, shows symptoms of him abandoning his conscience, where he becomes unsure about revealing his decision to even his own wife, loses sleep, and has lengthy mental arguments. He becomes emotionally withdrawn and somber as well.

A guilty conscience is when your actions directly contradict the actions that your conscience expected you to take, leading your conscience to scream out that your actions were wrong. A guilty conscience is a heavy burden to bear, and naturally begins to preoccupy one’s thoughts. When someone is thus only thinking about their guilt, they tend to withdraw from their surroundings and relationships, and also tend to lose their sleep and peace. Brutus exhibits all of these “symptoms” of a guilty conscience, showing clearly that even though he seems morally convicted to serve the interests of Rome, he is internally distraught and conflicted about the morality of his decisions.

Works Cited

• Shakespeare, William, et al. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2011.