Julius Caesar Portia And Calpurnia

Regan Batson
Portia and Calpurnia Essay In the play Julius Caesar, gender roles play a predominant part in the lives of all characters. The women and men in the play are treated differently in various ways. Calpurnia and Portia are two women who share many of similarities in their marriages, but also possess differences in how each one of their husbands treats the relationship. Throughout the play, the women are overpowered by their husbands, while the wives have no “voice” and significance in their respective relationship. William Shakespeare had viewed the women in the play Julius Caesar as being scornful. The reason he had viewed them as scornful was because the husbands had overpowered their wives, for example Caesar had ignored his wife’s opinion about not going to the senate. Also, it would be because the wives opinions are insignificant. Another reason would be because the husbands had kept secrets from their wives, for example Brutus had kept the secret that he and the conspirators are planning to murder Caesar. Finally, it would be because Caesar chooses the crown over his wife.
When the conspirators had planned to murder Caesar, then Portia tells Brutus “I ought to know of. (Kneels) And upon my knees I charm you” (Act II Scene I Line 273-275). Portia tells Brutus “By all your vows of love and that great vow. Which did incorporate and make us one. That you unfold to me.” (Act II Scene I Line 275-278). Brutus was heartbroken noticing that his wife, whom he dearly adores, is on the floor begging to know what the secret is. Later on that night Brutus tells his wife the secret. The reason for it being different than Caesar and Calpurnia is because Brutus is superior while Portia is inferior causing her to be overpowered by