The Consequences of Betrayal
“The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies….it comes from friends and loved ones” (Ash Sweeny). Ash Sweeny’s quote can be considered true for many reasons. It applies to both to the situation of betrayal in “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” by Shakespeare and with the death of Skylar Neese a 16-year old girl murdered by her best friends. Both of them were betrayed not by enemies but by loved ones and friends, which is where betrayal originates according to Sweeny. Julius Caesar and Skylar Neese were both stabbed to death and killed by their best friends, both of them being victims of the greatest form of betrayal and the both of them completely unsuspecting. Caesar and Neese are similar
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In Caesar’s last breaths the readers and/or audience were able to understand and feel the complete and utter shock and betrayal Caesar was feeling as he muttered “et tu, Bruté?” in his final moments (3.1.85). Skylar’s last word was “why?” which was very similar to Caesar’s , however, the circumstances though alike were not the same as Caesar’s death took place a couple thousands years before (Sandt). Both of them were shocked and hurt in that moment as they realized their best friends had turned on them. This makes betrayal still very relevant today because, similar to Skylar Neese and Julius Caesar, people are constantly being betrayed by the people kept close in life. Skylar Neese, unsuspecting like Caesar, had gone to enjoy a night with her friends that ended in her death. Her supposed best friends’ cause for the murder was “we just didn’t like her anymore” similar with Caesar, his death the result of the fear of tyranny (Sandt). Both of their deaths were a result of betrayal, dislike, and fear. Caesar, many times put trust in his friends and confided in them, his reason being “because I love you, I will let you know” (2.2.79). In Skylar Neese’s case, though she was said to be fighting with her friends at the time, she still had trust and faith that they wouldn’t hurt her; unfortunately,