Julius Caesar's Downfall Essay

William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar shows the rise to power of a famous general along with the downfall of one of the greatest Empires the world has ever known. Gaius Julius Caesar is believed to have come to power in late February, 44 BC. On the day of his murder, he came to the senate floor and was greeted by his friends. They were begging for Publius Cimber to not be banished, yet Caesar remained in his position comparing himself the northern star. He considers himself more than the average man, as if he is more powerful and honorable than his peers. Caesar’s ambition for total control of Rome was what catapulted him to the main stage, but was also what ultimately caused his downfall.
In the opening scene of the book, Caesar is seen parading
through the streets after ascending into power. People are walking about the streets singing for their “hero” Caesar. Some skeptics go to them and say “And do you now strew flowers in his way that comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?” (1.1.56). The people were on to their next savior, forgetting who they previously praised. Caesar was later offered the crown three times by Antony. According to Casca he denied the crown “every time gentler than [the] other” (1.1.240). Caesar clearly wanted to take accept the crown, but decided instead to remain one of the people for just a few more days. His attentions were still clearly set higher than that of his previous position of consul.
The night before the Ides of March, Caesar awoke to his wife Calpurnia hysterical. She begged him to not go to the senate after having a bad dream. He agrees to stay home to humor his wife, until Decius comes to him. He was to give the news to Caesar that “the Senate have concluded to give this day a crown to mighty Caesar” (2.2.98). Caesar then changes his “powerful” will and decides to attend the senate. He arrives full of charisma. He is confronted by senators that he considered to be his closest friends. They all crowded around him, begging him to not banish Publius Cimber. He pompously says “I could be well moved if I were as you” (3.1.64), essentially demeaning the senators and saying he is superior to them. He continues to compare his consistency to that of the “Northern Star” and that there is “no fellow in the firmament” (3.1.65). In other words, he believes that he is the northern star of people, and that no one else is comparable to him. He emphasizes that he cannot persuaded to change his mind. In many cases, this would be an admirable trait, however his constancy is rooted in pride and arrogance. When the senators press on he said it was like “[trying to] lift up Olympus” (3.1.80). His false since of divinity failed seconds later when he was stabbed 20 times and fell dead on the senate floor.
Where there was a vacuum for power, Antony stepped in.
He formed an alliance with Octavius, Caesar’s nephew. Octavius took over as emperor when the armies of Brutus and Cassius were defeated. Shakespeare sets up a dilemma of if Brutus and the conspirators did what was right. Caesar is clearly ambitious for the crown, but would it have been better for him to have it than all the others that held complete power down the line? Did Brutus really liberate Rome, or simply bring it closer to its fall? The answer is easier to discuss in hindsight, saying that Rome was worse off from the murder of Caesar. However, Shakespeare shows that Brutus truly cared about the Republic. The other conspirator’s motives were murky, even Cassius had begun acts of bribery before the war with tyranny was over. Brutus clearly only did it for what he perceived to be the betterment of Rome. He could have killed Antony, but decided instead they would be liberators and not “butchers” (2.1.180). At the end of the play Antony delivers one of the most powerful lines of the play saying, “He only in general honest thought and common good…” (5.5.78). Even Antony, who ironically turned the general public against Brutus in his funeral oration for Caesar, understood the pure intentions of Brutus and praised him in his funeral
oration.
In conclusion, Caesar stepped into power because of his hunger for power, but ultimately he and the whole of Rome would pay for it. Caesar’s ambition was clear, and his overall insufferable arrogance was what got him stabbed in the back. Even Brutus had to take down the soon to be tyrant that he had always considered a friend. Caesar’s head was in the sky, comparing himself to the firmament, or heavens. He had become a colossus, but one that had gotten too big for those that still loved freedom. He was constant in his feelings about being a divine, omnificent power, but those same feelings were ones that caused others feel justified in him being slain.