Fate vs Free Will
Fate vs. Free will
Do you believe in prophecies and omens? Do you believe they foreshadow and influence your fate and destiny? In William Shakespeare's play “Julius Caesar" two important forces, fate and free will, compete to influence many of the main characters lives. In the play fate is shown by the prophecies and omens that take place, and free will is the characters attempts to overcome and rule their own fate and destiny. Although there are several characters that are in the hands of these two forces Caesar, Cassius and Brutus are the three that are affected the most by these forces.
In the play "Julius Caesar" the three main characters affected by the forces of fate and free will the most is Caesar, Cassius and Brutus. Between these three characters, Caesar’s fate is the most prominent to the reader. However, Caesar uses free will in many instances to ignore and try to bypass his destiny. One way this is shown is when Caesar is given a prophecy by a Soothsayer that foreshadows his fate. "Beware the ides of March."(779). in this instance Caesar is very arrogant and passes off the Soothsayer as a dreamer, and ignores the warning he was given. Later on in the play after March 15th Caesar seeks out the Soothsayer to prove him wrong. "' The ides of March have come' 'Ay, Caesar, but have not gone.'"(821). Caesar is so confident and full of pride to prove the Soothsayer wrong. It is like Caesar feels he is almighty and invincible compared to the citizens who feel inferior to him.
The second character that deals with the forces of fate and free will in the play is Cassius. During the play Cassius makes his opinions about fate and free will very clear. He says "Men at some time are masters of their own fate."(784). this quote implies that Cassius feels they must take the fate of Caesar into their own hands. Since Cassius feels it’s his place to enact Caesar fate he uses his free will to comprise a plot to rid Rome of his growing power. Rather than letting
Do you believe in prophecies and omens? Do you believe they foreshadow and influence your fate and destiny? In William Shakespeare's play “Julius Caesar" two important forces, fate and free will, compete to influence many of the main characters lives. In the play fate is shown by the prophecies and omens that take place, and free will is the characters attempts to overcome and rule their own fate and destiny. Although there are several characters that are in the hands of these two forces Caesar, Cassius and Brutus are the three that are affected the most by these forces.
In the play "Julius Caesar" the three main characters affected by the forces of fate and free will the most is Caesar, Cassius and Brutus. Between these three characters, Caesar’s fate is the most prominent to the reader. However, Caesar uses free will in many instances to ignore and try to bypass his destiny. One way this is shown is when Caesar is given a prophecy by a Soothsayer that foreshadows his fate. "Beware the ides of March."(779). in this instance Caesar is very arrogant and passes off the Soothsayer as a dreamer, and ignores the warning he was given. Later on in the play after March 15th Caesar seeks out the Soothsayer to prove him wrong. "' The ides of March have come' 'Ay, Caesar, but have not gone.'"(821). Caesar is so confident and full of pride to prove the Soothsayer wrong. It is like Caesar feels he is almighty and invincible compared to the citizens who feel inferior to him.
The second character that deals with the forces of fate and free will in the play is Cassius. During the play Cassius makes his opinions about fate and free will very clear. He says "Men at some time are masters of their own fate."(784). this quote implies that Cassius feels they must take the fate of Caesar into their own hands. Since Cassius feels it’s his place to enact Caesar fate he uses his free will to comprise a plot to rid Rome of his growing power. Rather than letting