Isabella Upwood Mr. Gislason ENG2D1-4 April 26, 2023 Manipulation in Julius Caesar Many characters in Julius Caesar use manipulation and deception to try and get their way. Of all characters, Cassius is the biggest manipulator, who emotionally manipulates Brutus into turning against Caesar and becoming a conspirator. Julius Caesar manipulates the citizens of Rome to rise in power by publicly refusing the crown and convincing them that he’s not greedy for power, and would, therefore, be a desirable ruler. Finally, Antony manipulates and convinces the plebians to support Caesar after his death by convincing them that Caesar was a good man undeserving of death, making them riled up and infuriated at the conspirators. Cassius, Caesar, and Antony …show more content…
In Act 1, Scene 2, Casca explains to Brutus that Caesar refused the crown—becoming king—three times in public. He says to Brutus, “He refused it the third time, and as he refused it the commoners hooted and clapped their chapped hands” (1.2). This is the result of Julius Caesar’s plan to gain more followers by publicly refusing power, making him appear humble and leading people to believe that he isn’t greedy for power and selfish. The commoners clapping in this scene shows that his plan worked, as people began clapping to show their support. This is deceptive because Julius Caesar shows signs of wanting to accept the crown, but denies his feelings to increase public support. Casca says to Brutus, “and as I told you, he refused it once—though in my opinion he would’ve liked to have it.” (1.2). Since Casca knows Caesar better than most people, he sees right through his act and can tell that Caesar wasn’t being completely transparent about his motifs. Caesar is also described to have fainted after the third time refusing the crown, which Caesar blames his sickness for, so the crowd sympathizes for him and doesn’t consider the possibility that he fainted due to an extreme unwillingness to refuse the crown. This event demonstrates how controlled the public is by Caesar, who can emotionally influence the plebians to do whatever he wants. In reality, Caesar wanted to become king, so his close …show more content…
In a public speech after Caesar’s death, Antony talks about why Caesar was a good man and shows Roman citizens Caesar’s will: “To every Roman citizen he gives—to every individual man—seventy-five drachmas.” (3.2) He uses this as a reason for plebians to believe that, unlike what Brutus claims, Julius Caesar was not an ambitious man and acted for the people. Since seventy-five drachmas was a lot of money at the time, the crowd was successfully convinced that the conspirators were in the wrong for killing Julius Caesar and believed what Antony wanted them to believe: Julius Caesar didn’t deserve to die. The crowd becomes infuriated towards Brutus, Antony’s opposition, and turns against him and the conspirators. This is manipulation because later in the play, when alone with only two men, Antony says to Lepidus, “...go to Caesar’s house. Bring his will here, and we’ll figure out a way to reduce his bequests to the people.” (4.1). Antony is confirming that his speech to the public was simply a stunt, and the will was only used as a manipulation tactic to gain more followers and supporters for Caesar’s cause. In reality, he is taking advantage of his power and wants to secretly take some of Caesar’s money for himself, or for his army. Antony carefully used his different privileges
After Caesar’s death Brutus spoke to the people of Rome to try and dignify the murder of Caesar. However, Marc Anthony also spoke to the same people trying to sway their opinion on the assassination, saying that is wrong and undignified. Eventually Marc Anthony read Caesars will and it was unopposed that Caesar wanted nothing but the best for Rome after his death. Importunely Caesar the winner of 50 major battles will never be able to be king, that’s even if he would have accepted the crown.
In Act III Scene III Antony reads the will in which Caesar gives seventy-five Drachmas to each man and donates all of his land for the citizen’s pleasures
Casca. “Why, for that too.” Brutus. “Was the crown offered him thrice?” Casca.
Brutus attempted to justify his killing of Caesar by stating in a speech to the Romans that he loved Rome more than he loved Caesar. However, Marc Antony spoke to the audience after Brutus stepped away; Antony contradicted what Brutus said, used theatrical actions, and presented Caesar’s will to incite rebellion. Speakers who are disproven by others are less likely to gain support. At Caesars funeral oration, Brutus claimed that Caesar was overly ambitious, which Antony rebutted by saying, “When the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; ambition should be made of sterner stuff. ”(3.2.91-92)
Caesar’s return sparked great joy and anger in many Romans. Because of this Caesar dedicated his time to reforming Rome to better suit the lower and middle class Romans (Toynbee). Because of this the Roman plebs loved Caesar and even famously offered Caesar a crown to become king of Rome three times. Despite Caesar refusing to become king, this concerned Cassius, who feared Caesar becoming a tyrant king. Cassius then went on to form the infamous conspiracy against Caesar.
Caesar was masking his greed for power when he denied the crown three times during the parade, ultimately causing him to pass out. Brutus states, “that it is the bright day that brings forth the adder” (II, i, 14). In other words, this can also mean that Caesar shows no greed until he gains the power he wants (II, i, 14). The Senators know that Caesar
CHARACTERS & QUOTES: Casca: Casca tells Brutus and Cassius about how Antony had offered Caesar the crown three times, but Caesar refused to accept it all three times. As the crowd cheered and celebrated the regeneration of Caesar's power, he suddenly fainted. ”The rabblement hooted and clapped their chapped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar, for he swooned and fell down at it.” Before he had fallen he noticed that the crowd had cheered as he rejected the crown causing him to open up his shirt and offer the commoners to cut his throat. Casca is in disbelief at what happened, even though it happened right in front of him.
Antony told the people about him trying to make Caesar king. He told the plebeians that he “thrice presented him a kingly crown,/ which he thrice refused” (3.2 105-106). This was saying that Caesar did not take the crown after three times and he maybe did not want to be king. Maybe Caesar really wanted what was best for Caesars funeral. Caesar could have not been ambitious and really had some good views for Rome future.
Antony and Cleopatra can be described as… Throughout this prose, Antony is faced with the complexity of the persuasive influence and stature the conflicting characters of Octavius Caesar and Cleopatra present. In “Celebrating Idleness: Antony and Cleopatra and Play Theory”, Abigail Scherer maintains the idea that Caesar uses manipulation as a strategic tactic just as much as Cleopatra, explicating on the perception that Caesar exploits others politically to gain the advantage in his conquests. Although starkly different in technique, both Caesar and Cleopatra use their strength in prestige to incite dominance not only over Antony, but over anyone, in an attempt to gain authority. The contrast between Caesar and Cleopatra’s essence of manipulation can be identified as being politically or emotionally driven.
If Caesar was there to abuse his power, he would accept the crown. Brutus was manipulated by Cassius to join the conspiracy, which created terrible things. Brutus knew that Caesar was now a competition and needed the people of Rome to be on his side, by having Caesar’s power look threatening. Brutus claims, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him. But for the general.
Antony publicly questions Brutus’s motive for Caesar's ambition. Antony says, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff” (Act III, Scene ii, Lines 90-91) By saying this, he is trying to show the commoners that Caesar was not clouded in his own ambition as the conspirators thought, and that he had the best interest in mind for Rome and its people. Antony also explains how the conspirators are bad men and have committed a dishonorable act on their leader.
Marcus Brutus’ Manipulation Manipulation:to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, this quote is entirely true. We are also introduced into the idea of manipulation very early in the play, which impacts the plot. The play is about Marcus Brutus, the tragic hero, being manipulated into being in a conspiracy to assassinate Gaius Julius Caesar, a politician for Rome.
Antony got the crowd fired up and got them to go try and burn all of their houses down. The people of Rome even killed Cinna the poet at the end of Act III because they thought he was Cinna the conspirator because they both had the same name. Some might say that if Brutus would have gone second that would have changed the peoples minds. That is not true though because Antony was so persuasive and good with his words that the people would still feel the same about the conspirators. Brutus was not good with his speech and wouldn't have been able to convince the people of Rome that the murdering of Caesar was for a good
In public, Caesar was the leader Rome had always wished for, a strong, valliant man that would let nothing in his way. Consequently, Caesar had a more vulnerable side to him where the reader would be able to see glimpses of throughout the play. Still, Caesar allowed his public self image to take priority in which would eventually lead to his death. Speaking historically, the great Julius Caesar was a people’s leader with a deep hunger for power in which he would do anything to
Casca Casca is obtainable to take part in Caesar's irresistible ask he doesn’t scarceness him to be the novel monarch. “Saw Mark Antony offer him a crown yet twas not a crown neither twas one of these coronets and as I told you he put it by once but for all that to my thinking he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again, then he put it by again but to my thinking he was very loath to lay his fingers off it“ Casca expectation are not with Caesar and he unite the knot that penury Caesar deceased so Caesar does not drop prince. He is also one of the first to truthfully jab Caesar.