How Did Shakespeare Use Politics In Julius Caesar

Weston Tengan

Mr. Norman

English 2 block 2

21 March, 2016

Julius Caesar Essay Rough Draft In society people use politics in many ways. In William Shakespeare’s, Julius Caesar people make choices based on their personal loyalty and social view. Politics are shown and used throughout the play. In roman society people make their decisions on what is best for Rome instead of themselves and this is shown in Julius Caesar. In the first act during Julius Caesar’s parade in Rome, all of the people “greatly admired Caesar “and almost all of Rome believed he would be the best man to rule because he was a military leader (12 Shakespeare). This shows the people can go against the traditional republic standpoint and can change
their opinions quickly. After Caesar’s assassination people see a change in the people’s perspective on politics.
This is shown in their actions. When Brutus gives his speech in Act 3 Scene 2 he justifies his actions of killing Caesar “not because he loved Caesar less but that he loved Rome more” (45 Shakespeare) and the people were convinced even though they were cheering for Caesar in large crowd’s only days earlier. A citizen living in Rome at the time to me would have made their decisions on what’s best for society because roman culture was revolved around the idea. Again though we see the people change their point after Antony speaks at funeral and criticizes the conspirators and that Caesar who was his friend was wrongly murdered and after that the people finally chose to “Avenge! Seek! Kill! Let not a traitor live in Rome” (50 Shakespeare). At first we see the people making choices to avoid rebellion and tyranny but after Antony’s speech the people have turned against the conspirators. To me personally resorting to violence is not necessary. Though many people have grown up in an American culture where murder is generally looked down upon, in Rome it was okay to use murder to make change just how Brutus ancestors killed Tarquinius Superibus who was the last king of Rome and after changed Rome into a
republic. People can compare politics in Rome to The United States with the senators of Rome being compared to United States Congressmen. Some men and women in Congress who are mostly republican oppose the president any time he makes change because they are jealous of his power. We can compare this to Cassius who thinks “why men he both bestride the narrow world, like a colossus, and we pretty man” (25 Shakespeare). This shows Cassius thinks that Caesar is higher than him in ways and can do nothing but angrily observe and protest at time.
People can also compare Rome to Elizabethan England which was the time when William Shakespeare lived. Roman society at that time was a republic which was led by a group of men elected by the people. In Elizabethan England the queen had all the power and controlled everything that goes on which is in stark contrast to Rome. The regime worked however even though she used violence and torture she controlled her people and there was no rebellions at the time of her reign but in Rome the weak senators could not control the people causing the collapse of the Roman republic and the birth of the Roman Empire. This shows how politics were used in the play and in different societies