Cassius 'Role Of Manipulation In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar'

Kyle Lyman
12/4/13
Sec. B

People can use words in such a way that others are easily manipulated and the person doing the manipulation can gain something. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar manipulation plays a huge role and affects many people. Cassius, Caesar and Antony play very important roles in manipulating people. In the book, many characters show how they manipulate others for self-power. Shakespeare is attempting to say people are willing to do anything for power. Cassius is a major person when talking about manipulation. Cassius manipulates the conspirators into thinking Caesar is a bad person and all Caesar wants is power. Cassius wants Caesar dead because then Cassius can gain more power. Cassius feels this way because Brutus and he are friends and Brutus is highly respected in Rome. The conspirators go along with this plan because they are easily persuaded. Cassius decides to throw letters written by him but the letters say they are from the Roman people. Cassius says “Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, / And look you lay it in the Praetor’s chair.”(45) Cassius does this to manipulate Brutus into thinking that Caesar is bad and that Brutus is a noble man. Cassius will do anything to gain power and respect
from the Roman people. Caesar just like Cassius manipulates the common people for self-power.
Caesar manipulates the Roman people by saying that he is better than everyone. Caesar also says that he would make a great leader and that is why he should have power. While Caesar was declining the crown something happen to him. Casca says “He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at/ mouth and was speechless.”(29) Casca, Brutus and Cassius are all talking about this event because they feel Caesar is not fit for the role of the king. This is one example why they do not feel he is fit. But Caesar does this because Caesar is so involved in getting power that he cannot act normal. Caesar manipulates people because he wants the most power that he can
get. Mark Antony manipulates people because he feels that he is just as good as Caesar was. Antony uses Caesar’s death to persuade the Roman people that he should be in power and not anyone else. Antony manipulates the common people into thinking that the conspirators are just killers and that their act was unjustified. In Antony’s speech he says “O judgment, thou [art] fled to brutish beasts.”(123) Antony does this so that he looks like the good guy and the conspirators look really bad. This is proving that Antony will do anything for power. Many people in this book, manipulate other people just for self-power. Shakespeare is saying that people will do anything to improve their power status. Cassius feels that he should have the most power and he does whatever it takes to get there even if killing the king is necessary. Caesar persuades the Roman people to thinking that he should have all the power. Antony uses Caesar’s death to justify why he should have the most power. All of these people fail at gaining power except Caesar. The simple minded people are the easiest to persuade when trying to gain power.