Fear In Julius Caesar

While Macbeth and Marc Antony come close, Julius Caesar reigns supreme.
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.
I have heard these words many, many times in my household from my dad, to allay my fears before my first piano recital, right before my first performance in dance, and before my first softball game.
As I grew older, I became curious as to how these words knocked out my deepest fears. Shakespeare creates in Caesar a character who is sometimes reasonable, sometimes superstitious, sometimes compassionate, and sometimes arrogantly
aloof. In doing so, he has projected Caesar as a man whom the nobility have just reasons to fear, yet who is not a villain.
Shakespeare converts his narration into complex stage directions, brilliant character tropes, and eloquent dialogue.
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Quite the random quote to pick from all of the musing that Shakespeare has written.
It didn’t tear down the beauty of Caesar, but instead reflected inward on self doubt.

The more I read Julius Caesar, the more I grew to liking Shakespeare as much as Caesar. It was amazing to see a playwright in 16th century AD bring about the story of 5th BC to connect the British to their origins and bring them to the reality of their times. In fact, the questions of “Who's in charge, who ought to be in charge, and how well are those in charge doing” were all pivotal in Julius Caesar and in my own life.

Shakespeare’s representations of rebellion in classical Rome also resonated with political turmoil in England. When the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was first performed in 1599, Queen Elizabeth I had sat on the throne, heirless, (as did Julius Caesar), for nearly forty years. Many feared that her death would plunge England into chaos. In an age when censorship would have limited direct commentary on these worries, Shakespeare cunningly used the story of Caesar to comment on the political situation of his day. No direct questioning of England's state or monarch would have been possible. Playwrights of the time were aware of the dilemma and crafted their plays so that they would not offend. The setting of this play, therefore, in ancient Rome was the perfect answer. In casting Caesar as a central figure, Shakespeare portrayed a figure of legendary greatness, consistent with the other aspects of his drama. For many people in Renaissance England, the ancient Roman republic did not seem remote or exotic. Instead, it served as an important precedent to politics and
history.
In my desperate desire to know more about these two men, I took a journey first to England and visited Stratford-upon-Avon and immersed myself in his life and literature. Two years later, I went to Rome to see for myself if Caesar’s legacy held true. As I visited the places he had reigned and ruled, I think it would have been hard for the Roman Army to establish its fierce reputation had it not been for great leaders like Caesar and the many campaigns he fought for. Moreover, Pharsalus is still considered one of the greatest tactical masterpieces in all of military history and I think that speaks volumes about the leadership skills, ambitions, and will to win of the victorious general. Alesia is another great example of the sheer audacity that Caesar commonly displayed. I find Caesar to be an intriguing character. I think it is hard for anyone to say that he isn't a smart, inspiring individual, regardless of one’s personal feelings toward the man. I appreciate his qualities as a military leader, an orator, and a politician. He is a great example of a self-made man, and he furthered his status with every military victory. He was capable, fierce, assertive, resourceful, and bold. I admire those qualities and I find it hard to condemn him, regardless of his actions. To me, Caesar is a hero because to this day, he inspires all who read about him, and he left behind so much written history for everyone to enjoy.
Simply put, Julius Caesar is my reason to Veni, vidi and vici.