Significance Of The Salem Witch Trials In Julius Caesar
Akin to the Salem Witch Trials that took place in 1692 and 1693, the assassination of the great Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar appeared to be unreasonable or unjust to many of those that honor him. However, unlike the notorious Salem Witch Trials, it is clear that as light manifests itself upon the mysterious reasons in regards to why Julius Caesar was brutally murdered, it is made obvious that Julius Caesar may not have been quite the adored and honorable man that the Romans so hoped for. There was a side to the Julius Caesar that remained hidden by his graciousness and utterly generous facade. This side of the great and almighty Caesar would prove to convince and compel the very Senators that served below him, that Caesar must meet his rather “timely” demise.
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This occurrence often goes unnoticed, however if one were to recall the very first act in the first scene of Julius Caesar, it is made evident that upon Caesar’s welcome homecoming, the same journey that he is returning from is from that of the very battlefields in which he killed once partner of the First Triumvirate turned political enemy, Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey), as stated by Marullus, “And do you now strew flowers in his way that comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?”.
It is noted that Julius Caesar killed Pompey in order to gain power over him, overthrowing his position and therefore achieving total authority over Rome in his place. It is here, that Julius Caesar is proven to appear to be somewhat ambitious. This ambition would lead way to persuade many of his senators to doubt his sincerity and question his true intentions for Rome. Meanwhile, as the plebeians spoke highly of him and adored him so, few started to catch onto his uncertain and rather concerning
behavior.
Apart from the assassination of Pompey, Caesar was also found to be responsible for conducting the assassinations of those that opposed him in Rome. During Caesar’s return to Rome, as his statues filled the streets draped with flowers and offerings of which that praised Caesar, praised by the same citizens of Rome that once praised Pompey, two tribunes who are very well-aware of Caesar and his doings rebuke the simple-minded plebeians and continue to deface his statues. Soon after, in Act I, Scene II, Casca states of what has transpired of both Marullus and Flavius, “Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Caesar’s images, are put to silence”. This statement justifies the fact that Caesar refuses to be exposed of his hunger for power over Pompey, and will take upon rash acts to avoid his ambition being discovered.
Finally, aside from being found ambitious and power-hungry, Julius Caesar was discovered by some to be a weak person in general and therefore would not make a fit ruler overall. In Act I, Scene II, amid the discussion taking place explicitly between Cassius and Brutus, Cassius reveals to Brutus about an incident that had once taken place along the Tiber river where Cassius had to rescue Caesar from drowning. Cassius explains, “Caesar cried, ‘Help me, Cassius, or I sink!’ so from the waves of the Tiber, did I the tired Caesar”. It should also be noted that as well as lacking the ability the swim, Caesar was also known to suffer from epileptic seizures from time to time, and to be hard of hearing in his left ear. Cassius reasons with Brutus that with Caesar being a weak individual, it would hinder him as a ruler for it could suspend him from fulfilling his duties as a leader. This could cause the public to also worry for Caesar, making him appear weak and pitiful; even vulnerable in the eyes of his enemies.
As brutal as the assassination of Julius Caesar may have seemed to the masses, the reasonings behind it happening as such would prove to be legitimate in order to overall benefit the future of Rome. Though uncanny, the participation of the Conspirators’ in the assassination would symbolize the doubt that they had in Caesar, for his true intentions for Rome would have been unpredictable. Therefore, the Conspirators had to make haste with their decision to kill Caesar, for the fate of Rome was guarded due to the defects that Caesar held. It was much a shame for Julius Caesar to meet such a brutal and untimely demise, but for the betterment of Rome, untimely and unjust was anything but.
This occurrence often goes unnoticed, however if one were to recall the very first act in the first scene of Julius Caesar, it is made evident that upon Caesar’s welcome homecoming, the same journey that he is returning from is from that of the very battlefields in which he killed once partner of the First Triumvirate turned political enemy, Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey), as stated by Marullus, “And do you now strew flowers in his way that comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?”.
It is noted that Julius Caesar killed Pompey in order to gain power over him, overthrowing his position and therefore achieving total authority over Rome in his place. It is here, that Julius Caesar is proven to appear to be somewhat ambitious. This ambition would lead way to persuade many of his senators to doubt his sincerity and question his true intentions for Rome. Meanwhile, as the plebeians spoke highly of him and adored him so, few started to catch onto his uncertain and rather concerning
behavior.
Apart from the assassination of Pompey, Caesar was also found to be responsible for conducting the assassinations of those that opposed him in Rome. During Caesar’s return to Rome, as his statues filled the streets draped with flowers and offerings of which that praised Caesar, praised by the same citizens of Rome that once praised Pompey, two tribunes who are very well-aware of Caesar and his doings rebuke the simple-minded plebeians and continue to deface his statues. Soon after, in Act I, Scene II, Casca states of what has transpired of both Marullus and Flavius, “Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Caesar’s images, are put to silence”. This statement justifies the fact that Caesar refuses to be exposed of his hunger for power over Pompey, and will take upon rash acts to avoid his ambition being discovered.
Finally, aside from being found ambitious and power-hungry, Julius Caesar was discovered by some to be a weak person in general and therefore would not make a fit ruler overall. In Act I, Scene II, amid the discussion taking place explicitly between Cassius and Brutus, Cassius reveals to Brutus about an incident that had once taken place along the Tiber river where Cassius had to rescue Caesar from drowning. Cassius explains, “Caesar cried, ‘Help me, Cassius, or I sink!’ so from the waves of the Tiber, did I the tired Caesar”. It should also be noted that as well as lacking the ability the swim, Caesar was also known to suffer from epileptic seizures from time to time, and to be hard of hearing in his left ear. Cassius reasons with Brutus that with Caesar being a weak individual, it would hinder him as a ruler for it could suspend him from fulfilling his duties as a leader. This could cause the public to also worry for Caesar, making him appear weak and pitiful; even vulnerable in the eyes of his enemies.
As brutal as the assassination of Julius Caesar may have seemed to the masses, the reasonings behind it happening as such would prove to be legitimate in order to overall benefit the future of Rome. Though uncanny, the participation of the Conspirators’ in the assassination would symbolize the doubt that they had in Caesar, for his true intentions for Rome would have been unpredictable. Therefore, the Conspirators had to make haste with their decision to kill Caesar, for the fate of Rome was guarded due to the defects that Caesar held. It was much a shame for Julius Caesar to meet such a brutal and untimely demise, but for the betterment of Rome, untimely and unjust was anything but.