Julius Caesar Essay, Research Paper
In the play Julius Caesar Shakespeare give up hints about what is going to happen though out the rest of the play. He uses foreshadowing in the use of his characters names. For instance Julius Caesar was born Julius but earned the name Caesar after many triumphs over his stellar career. With the “title” of Caesar came many meaning such as inmortal, and fearless. His two names mean different things. Shakespeare use of “titles” gave him more openness though out the play. By giving Julius the title of Caesar it enabled him to concentrate on other parts of the play. The name Caesar dates back to the Rome times and hold meaning in Roman history. Julius is more like the hidden character that we do not know much about. In his prime he was strong and had the goal of ruling Rome. I feel the character of Mark Antony must be like the young Julius. Remember Mark Antony is the who warned Caesar not to go to the capital. Caesar truly felt that he was bulletproof. Julius was level headed until he became a big force in Rome. Julius would of listen to the Soothsayer, and Caesar did not. Shakespeare wrote in a scene regarding the role of Caesar. Caesar was speaking with Antony explaining how his role as “the great” Caesar would not let him be fearful of anyone. “Would he were fatter; But I fear him not, Yet if my name were liable to fear” (1.2 198). In those two lines we see the conceded approach by Caesar. Caesar does not fear Cassius because he believes he is beyond the reach of mere humans, and he caps his explanation of his incapbility of experiencing fear by observing, “for always I am Caesar.” And at the end of the speech by Caesar, he asks Antony to “come to his right hand” (1.2 213). This physical charactics of Caesur contradicts everything that he just said about not fearing anyone. He lost his hearing in his left ear. This showing that Caesar is human and he has weaknesses just like everyone. It is very ironic that he can not hear out of one ear but he does not fear a man who has a strong demeor. Possibly the reason we see such a change in Caesar is b
We can also see how another character in the play was infleaused by his title. In a conversation with Brutus, Cassius brings up a point to Brutus about his name. He told Brutus that he must live up to his ancestors. “There was a Brutus once…” (1.2 159). Cassius was referring to a Brutus that lived back in 509 BC. That Brutus helped expel the Targuins and founded the Republic. This was the pressure that possible made Brutus go forward with the conspiracy against Caesar. Brutus title was used against him by Cassius. Cassius knew that Brutus was much to honorable to not live up to his title. Even Mark Athony said “this was the noblest Roman of them all. . . . (5.2 ?) This is just another example of what a person will go to live up to their name. Throughout the first part of the play with Caesar, we see him change how in thinks about ruling Rome. He starts changing his ideas to better fit the country and in turn makes it hard for Brutus to justify killing Caesar. But finally Brutus makes the point that “I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general. He would be crowned (2.1-10). That statement explains the reason behind Brutus wanting Caesar died. Whether it is justified or not Brutus says that he is only thinking about the well-being of Rome. Really he is thinking about what his title more than he lets on. Both Caesar and Brutus were killed by there names. Brutus would not of wanted Caesar killed if Caesar would not of been such a dictator. Brutus might not of killed Caesar if his title did not have a history of expelling against a dictatorship type of government. Shakespeare gives the audience a great deal of information in the use of the characters names. It turned out that Brutus lived up to his name but, Caesar did not have the chance too. Toward the end of Caesar’s life in the play Shakespeare sort of tells us that Caesar was not going to be a dictator. Caesar views changed but not enough for Brutus to spare his life.
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