JULIUS CAESAR
JULIUS CAESAR
The Shakespearean play Julius Caesar is a historical tragedy. It is based on the life and time of the Roman general Gaius Julius Caesar.
JULIUS CAESAR – A TRAGEDY
CAESAR IS A DOMINANT POWER IN THE PLAY
Although Caesar appears only for a short time in the play, it is named after him. He appears only for three times in the play and is killed in the middle of the play. Hence, he does not appear before us at all. But still the play is named after him. Here are the reasons to support the title.
WHY IS THE PLAY NAMED AFTER JULIUS CAESAR
Caesar no doubt physically dominates the beginning of the play. He was assassinated in the first scene of Act three. However the second half of the play is dominated by the spirit of Caesar. In the opening scene of the play we are impressed by Julius Caesar’s power and influence. The citizens of Rome are out in the streets and celebrating the victory of Caesar over the sons of Pompey. Later the tribunes succeed in sending the citizens back to their homes. However, the tribunes too speak about the growing powers of Caesar though they are hostile towards him. Hence, the opening scene highlights the popularity of Caesar among the common citizens of Rome.
CASSIUS’S VIEW OF JULIUS CAESAR
In scene ii Cassius talks to Brutus about the infirmities and the ordinariness of Caesar. Yet he conveys to us an impression of his greatness also. Cassius refers to Caesar as a god and as a colossus bestriding this narrow world. All Romans are tiny figures walking to and fro and waiting for their miserable deaths. Little later Cassius while talking to Casca compares Caesar to thunder, lightning, open graves, and a roaring lion. Cassius’s real intention was to lower Caesar in the eyes of Casca and Brutus. However, he could not help talking about Caesar’s greatness and tremendous influence in the country. Hence, Cassius’s view of Caesar creates in our mind a lofty image of his.
CAESAR’S INFIRMITIES
Cassius refers to Caesar’s physical infirmities which he had witnessed like the swimming episode and the episode of Caesar’s fever. We also learn about few more of Caesar’s weaknesses – he is deaf in one ear, has a wavering mind. He is also by turns superstitious and not superstitious. According to Casca, he has been longing for the crown but had to refuse it for the sake of show. Caesar had spoken to the crowd in a ridiculous manner and fainted in the middle of his speech. All this is true and certainly tarnishes his image in our eyes. But he is fearless in the face of danger and indifferent to the warnings of the priests and the soothsayer. This again certainly raises him in our estimation.
JULIUS CAESAR LOVES FLATTERY
He certainly likes flattery. But again all great men like flattery. Even the gods like flattery. For this reason people worship them with ardour and sing songs in their praise. Love for flattery cannot be a serious defect of character. In the senate Caesar really appears to us like a demi-god because his manner of talking is Olympian. Of course we don’t approve of the insulting manner in which he speaks to Metellus Cimber and others. However his constancy and aim cannot be a defect in him. Thus we cannot deny his dominance in the first half of the play.
THE DOMINANT FORCE OF CAESAR’S SPIRIT
After the assassination of Caesar, there is confusion in Rome for a time. But soon afterwards Antony take charge of the affairs and Antony is a representative of Caesar. Antony succeeds in exciting and instigating the Roman citizens to mutiny against the conspirators. He is however, able to do so because the corpse of Caesar lies by his side. He repeatedly points to the dead Caesar while delivering his speech. It is in the name of Caesar that Antony appeals to the citizens.
ANTONY HIGHLIGHTS THE GREATNESS OF JULIUS CAESAR
Antony repeatedly says Caesar was not ambitious, Caesar loved the Romans, Caesar suffered Brutus’ ingratitude. Again Antony produces the will and says Caesar has left to the people of Rome a large part of his property. Hence, we can say it seems to be the spirit of Caesar which is now speaking to the citizens. The citizens too respond whole-heartedly.
THE SPIRIT OF CAESAR RULES
After Caesar’s death a civil war took place. The forces of Brutus and Cassius fought against the forces of Antony and Octavius. But the war was actually fought between Republicanism and Caesarism. In this war we can see the spirit of Caesar was having an upper hand. The ghost of Caesar appears before Brutus twice. After the second appearance Brutus comes to the conclusion that his end is near. When Brutus runs upon his sword he urges Caesar to be still as he has got his revenge at last. A little earlier Cassius too while dying said about Caesar’s revenge. He said that Caesar had taken revenge with the very sword with which Cassius had killed him.
Even in the tent Brutus had seen the ghost of Caesar twice. Julius Caesar’s ghost had spoken to him. Brutus had understood that his end was nearing. At the end of the war when Brutus was resting with the few remainings of his friends, he had again seen the ghost of Caesar. Brutus decided to end his life. He ran himself through the sword held by Dardanius. He urged the ghost of Caesar to be still as he had at last got his revenge.
WAS CAESAR THE HERO?
Hence to conclude we can say that Julius Caesar was no doubt the hero of the play. Although he died early in the play and remained physically present in few scenes, his spirit ruled the entire play.
