Friendship In Julius Caesar Essay

In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar “friendship” is used tactically and is strategic toward the motives of the characters. Trust, the most important aspect of friendship, and flattery are used to deceive and manipulate. This is a recurring theme throughout the play and plays a part in major events that take place.

We first see this with Brutus and Cassius. At the beginning of the play Cassius is constantly telling Brutus how great he is and how he should be the King of Rome. In act one, scene two Cassius says “Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear, and since you know you cannot see yourself so well by reflection, I, your glass will modestly discover to yourself that of yourself which you yet know not of.” Cassius often refers to Brutus’s name with positive connotations, he also is saying since Brutus is not capable of seeing his own potential he will show him himself. This is all used in method to gain Brutus’s trust through adulation and steer Brutus towards Cassius’s views and motives. Brutus is later quoted saying “What you have said I will consider; what you have to say I will with patience hear, and find a time both meet to hear and answer such high things. Till then, my noble friend,” Cassius has now formed a bond with Brutus and Brutus refers to him as his
When Antony says “Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death to see thy Antony making his peace, shaking the bloody hands of thy foes, most noble in the presence of thy course?” He makes it appear as if he is making a pact of concord to Brutus and the other conspirators by shaking hands with them. Antony then goes on to say “Friend am I with you all, and love you all.” Antony cunningly uses this all to outwit Brutus. Antony then uses his charisma to convince Brutus to let him talk at Caesar’s funeral unsupervised and is successful in turning the plebeians against