Julius Caesar Paper

Nate Neumann

When Caesar says about Cassius, "He thinks too much, such men are dangerous,"(I.II.195) he is implying that Cassius is smart and can think for himself. This makes Cassius a danger to Caesar’s rule and therefore a danger to Rome. This renders Cassius a danger for the empire because he will not just do whatever Caesar tells him to do. Cassius can challenge and threaten Caesar's powers, unlike the people of lower intelligence who are sworn to the cult of blind obedience, represented by the all famous saying “see no evil, hear no evil”. These people are just the perfect commands executors just because they do not know what to do otherwise. A quality educated populous is the enemy of any ruler. Brutus does not want to swear to the conspirators. He says the deal he is about to do is dangerous and he would not lie. In fact, he says that no one could call himself Roman if he breaks his promises “No, not an oath. If not the face of men… If these be motives weak, break off betimes”(II.I.114-120). This shows us that Brutus is idealistic and has a strong sense of justice. Brutus thinks (mostly thanks to Cassius) that when Caesar will gain absolute power, he will change. Although Brutus loves Caesar, he also makes the point of him loving honor even more than he fears death. But Caesar is ambitious and with the help of power, he will change completely. “Set honor in one eye and death I’ th’ other,”(I.II.86). In Caesar’s final moments, the conspirators devise a plan in which they stab Caesar. The conspirators come under the pretense of pleading for amnesty for Metellus’s banished brother, Publius Cimber. Caesar then makes an elaborate speech in which a metaphor comes up comparing himself to the “North star”. Caesar talks about his loyalty to the law and how he refuses to waver under any persuasion. The North Star played a very important role. The sailors used this star since ancient times as a guide, just as the North Star Caesar leads the Roman Empire to clairvoyance. The North Star is also the only star that will never change its position in the sky. This is used to show how Caesar is peerless among Romans. This speech makes Caesar look idealistic and selfish. Caesar suffers from illusory superiority. “I could be well moved if I were as you.
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me.
But I am constant as the Northern Star,
Of whose true fixed and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks;
They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
But there’s but one in all doth hold his place.” (III.i.58–65) As the news of Caesar’s assassination spreads across Rome, a crowd assembles near the forum. They all cry to together “Let us be satisfied,” (III, II, 110). This means that the crowd demands an explanation for why their beloved Caesar was murdered. Brutus then proceeds to explain that Caesar had become a tyrant, so for the benefit of Rome, they killed him. He tells the crowd, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”(III.II.22). Brutus then proceeds to explain the in order for rome to stay free, Caesar had to die. “With this I depart—that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.” (III.II.46-47). Touched by the speech, a member of the crowd cries out, "Let him be Caesar" and another says that Caesar's attributes will be crowned in Brutus if he is made ruler. But thanks to Antony’s speech, Rome is launched into a civil war And, Brutus does, indeed, become a disadvantage as Caesar did to his country--he "becomes Caesar"--and, later defeated, dies by the sword himself, the vary sword that he killed Caesar with.. In his tragedy Julius Caesar, when the commoners cheer Caesar after the defeat of Pompey, Marullus reminds them of how they had similarly cheered Pompey in the same streets. This shows how the crowd seems to be easily swayed in their allegiance. All it really takes to sway a crowd is some strategically placed cheers amongst them who reiterate their ideas loudly and consistently. This shows how easily swayed the conspirators were to the will of Cassius and the actions of the conspirators make everything seem like the conspirators are but normal people. Shakespeare has a vivid way of portraying the noblemen. He portrays them by having two tiers. One tier like Mark Antony, a man who was put into power because he does not think, does not challenge ones power, enjoys life to the fullest, has no dreams of disobeying, and will blindly follow whatever order he is given . He portrays them as “idiots”, not being able to think for themselves, always needing someone else. Then there is the second tier of people who, like Cassius, long for power and “think too much”. "He thinks too much, such men are dangerous,"(I.II.195) I could say that he seems deeply concerned with the fate of Rome, and that it is this concern that motivates him to argue against Cassius, who seems motivated by much more personal, potentially selfish ends. But it is the fact that I can only say that these things "seem" to motivate them, that should give us pause before assigning these or any other reasons for their behavior in the play. We, as readers, simply can't know for sure.
Cassius as a real hothead, someone who cannot seem to avoid losing his temper, who really tries to bully others into his point of view, while I see Brutus as very calm and level-headed, not really an "argue-er" at all. To me, it seems that others naturally follow Brutus' lead, not because he has bullied them into it. “Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so.”(I.II.78) Even though Portia and Calpurnia are neglected and never elaborated upon, their personalities were both very distinct. Portia is fascinating and mysterious. She had a strange complexity. Shakespeare evolved her so that her characterization was very flattering, by the failed to establish the depts. of her true self. She had un undying devotion with Brutus and showed her endless concern once she encountered the alteration of his personality. On the account for him joining in on the conspiracy with Casssius. Portia held a knife to her thigh and sliced through her flesh, causing her leg to drip with blood all because of devotion and love. Portia was a strong woman but eventually reached her breaking point. When one thinks of the character "Portia", they can think of the bitterness and tough times of love. Once she consumed those coals of fire, she was getting away from the pain and suffering she was going through. This included that scar on her thigh, as well as everything else she had loved and cared for throughout her life. On the other hand, Calpurnia’s description was disparaging. She acted humble and fragile thought the very few scenes she appeared on. She gave Caesar many evil omens, but only to be ignored by Caesar. She seems to have a poor self esteem, and is very weak spirited It all began with a conversation that was strike up. As Caesar dismisses the soothsayer and moves to begin the festivities for the Feast Day, Cassius strikes up a conversation with Brutus and learns that Brutus is not happy with Caesar’s sharp rise to power. Realizing their motives are the same, he quickly tries to enlist support from Brutus in an effort to do something about Caesar before the people crown him king, giving him absolute power
“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonorable graves” (I, II, 136-139)
Cassius sends for a falsely written note to be thrown in Brutus’s window.
Realizing the Senate means to crown Julius, Cassius enlists Casca and heads over to Brutus’s house. At his house, the conspirators conspire about the upcoming events. I believe it is safe to say that if it were not for Cassius’s jealousy and envy of Caesar, he would have not deployed such tactics. And without the use of dirty tactics to get Brutus on his side, Brutus would have never joined. There are many Similarities and differences between Brutus and Caesar. Brutus and Caesar both hold power, and with that power come many noble and loyal followers. Neither Brutus nor Cassius questions the roughhouses of his own path. Caesar feels justified in ruling Rome as he wishes; Brutus feels justified in assassinating Caesar for the good of Rome. Neither questions his own decisions, although both make poor decisions that result in their deaths. Caesar insists upon going to the Senate despite Calpurnia's fears, warnings, and omens. Brutus decides to let Antony live, a major error of judgment. Interestingly, both Caesar and Brutus are poor judges of character; both are deceived and manipulated by those they trust. Cassius tricks Brutus into the plot against Caesar; Brutus and the other conspirators betray Caesar, manipulating him onto the Senate floor where he can be murdered. Cassius is the leader and organizer of the conspirators. He leads the plot to assassinate Caesar. Although Cassius is proves to be a crafty and precise leader, he still cannot bend the will of Brutus, and constantly answers to his command. Since the very begging, we can see Cassius’s motivation for wanting Caesars throne. He is jealous of Caesar’s power and his greed requires that he take the power from Caesar. He is jealous that the people regard Caesar as a god He also shows that he will let nothing get in his way when he states in his soliloquy that he will send Brutus forged letters to further persuade him to join his cause. Although Cassius had a deep bond with Brutus, he does not hesitate to use it to his advantage and win the “noble” Brutus over to his own cause. When taking a look at Brutus’s motivation for joining the conspiracy, you can see the vast difference. Brutus has an undying devotion to the Roman republic. Because of that, he murders the person he loves, Caesar, saying by saying "Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers" and states his reason for killing Caesar as being "Not that I lov'd Caesar less, but that I lov'd Rome more", and states that Caesar was killed because of his ambition.