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Julius Caesar Humanism Essay

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Julius Caesar is a play by William Shakespeare that tells the story of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar. Based on events from the Julio-Claudian dynasty, this play focuses on the political intrigue that ensued during Caesar's reign. Although it incorporates historical detail into its characters' motivations, this play is more about human behavior than politics. In this sense, it can be looked at as a morality play depicting the consequences of negative actions on both the individual and society. Throughout Julius Caesar, Shakespeare presents several principles of humanism derived from ancient sources. For instance, in the opening scene, Brutus outlines the virtues of humanity that Caesar's followers failed to recognize. He also highlights the value of knowledge and life itself- all tenets of humanism. In another scene, Caesar himself highlights the importance of valuing human life when he argues for sparing Antony's life after their battle. In doing so, he draws upon one of the oldest sources of humanistic thought Stoicism. This theme prevails throughout the entirety of the play such as when the common people turn on the group of senators who murdered Julius Caesar. During the Renaissance, a period of rebirth in Europe, humanism became a philosophical movement. Humanism emphasized …show more content…

The war pitted two powerful leaders against each other, Caesar against Pompey and Brutus against Caesar's friend and colleague, Cassius. The metaphor extends even further into modern times, There are many nations around the world where two rival political factions are fighting for power. During such times, both sides reason superficially and emotionally while ignoring vital facts they want to protect their ideals. The political arena is no different from the battlefield when it comes to the necessity of removing emotional blind spots from

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Julius Caesar was scripted by William Shakespeare, a highly regarded English writer. In the play, Cassius is the manipulator and instigator of the play, he uses rhetoric to gain more people in his plan to murder Caesar. Cassius convinces 7 others to join his conspiracy. The conspirators are Cassius, Brutus, Cinna, Casca, Trebonius, Ligarius, Decius, and Metellus; these are the men who plan to kill Caesar. After Caesar is murdered, the conspirators must hide their crime so they have Antony give a speech at his funeral but he must only say good things and not name the conspirators.

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Succeeding the Middle Ages, the Renaissance was a time period in Europe of cultural and artistic advancements that changed the course of history, leading to the Modern Era. (Source 1) Through the Renaissance, ideas of humanism spread all throughout Europe. Humanism is a system of thought based on human individualism and self-worth that was greatly emphasized during this time period. People were expected to become active in public affairs such as literature, politics, and the arts. (Source 1)

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The opening scene serves as way of foreshadowing the events of the play by placing the power within the hands of the people. Shakespeare does so by dedicating a whole scene to individuals who collectively become the catalyst of the shift in Roman leadership in the play. Not known to both the reader and the characters involved in the scene, but their opinionated banter on whether or not to celebrate Caesar is one of the central themes in the play. Similar to other history plays like Richard II and Henry VI, Julius Caesar showcases the dilemma that war brings and the divisions of opinions by the public. The dilemma lies in the juxtaposition of what is good for the individual against what is good for the nation state.

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was written about four hundred years ago. This story demonstrates the corruption of Roman government in 44 BC. Rhetoric and theatrics are the main tools that current politicians, and ancient politicians use to gain popularity, commandeer power, and make crucial relationships. Important Roman political figures such as Brutus, Cassius, Antony, and Caesar along with present-day politicians use these rhetorical methods to accomplish their goals. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare demonstrates how rhetoric and theatrics largely affect politics and political relationships.

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Act III, Scene 2 of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Antony's speech effectively develops and supports the central idea of turning the people against Brutus and honoring Caesar, through his use of emotional appeal, rhetorical questions, and loaded words. Brutus manipulated the people but Antony uses good reasoning to turn the people against Brutus. Antony masterfully employs emotional appeal to evoke strong feelings in the audience and encourage them to turn against Brutus. “For when the noble Caesar saw him stab, ingratitude, more strong than traitor’s arms, quite vanqished him.” Therefore the noble Caesar so who stab him and brutus was his friend and did him wrong. ”

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Brutus tries to explain to the crowd that he didn't murder Caesar to be cruel but for the people.

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One of the most famous scenes in Julius Caesar is Act 3, Scene 2, a rhetorical clash during which the the fate of all of Rome hangs in the balance. It is during these moments that Brutus and Marc Antony showcase their rhetorical skills, turning the tides against the conspirators and ultimately culminating in their demises. This is when we, as readers, receive an opportunity to see both the good and the supposed “tyranny” of Caesar, in the form of Brutus’s and Antony’s well-crafted orations. More importantly, it symbolizes the fall of Brutus’s good reputation, and the rising in power of Octavius and Antony, who will later form the second triumvirate with Lepidus.

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Paige Dispalatro Ms. Lammers English Honors II Period 2 19 January 2015 Actions For many centuries, people have often done what they thought was right. Whether it was for themselves or for others, they always had a reason for their actions. In the play Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare, Marcus Brutus believes that killing Caesar was best for Rome. But, during his speech, he needs to explain the reasons of his action to the people.

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Although Caesar, as the upcoming ruler of Rome in Julius Caesar, should be portrayed as the ideal leader of the play, he actually has too arrogant of a character to be so. Therefore, Shakespeare places honor in Brutus and allows Brutus to have the role of the idealistic leader of the story. Although Shakespeare writes this play in a controversial time period during England’s political turmoil, he allows the audience to be able to choose the true ruler of loyalty to the crown or the honor of a noble man through the understanding of the two contrasting character

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In Brutus’s speech he used ethos and logos to try and control the people of Rome. He was stoic and blinded of what Antony was capable of. He wanted to change their minds about the conspiracy and the murder of Caesar. Brutus says “Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men” (III, i, 23-24).

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Many people say the education is the key to success, but the path to higher education is notably harder to achieve due to high costs and immense course work. Community college is one path students take to earning a bachelor’s degree while others jump straight from high school to a four year university. Although the goal of this country is to push more students towards the path of higher education, many people advocate for more financial support. Some people believe community college should be fully funded by the federal government because it would encourage low income high school students to earn bachelor’s degrees and help alleviate the costs. Although some people may argue that community college should be free, federal funding should not

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“If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it”- Julius Caesar, the man who is known as one of the most fascinating political figures of all time. The one who through his military genius, expanded the Roman Republic to include parts of what are now Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium. Although the hero had many followers and admirers, he was ultimately stabbed to death by his own fellow politicians. Caesar was born in July, 100 B.C.E to Gaius Caesar and Aurelia. The family claimed a noble history but hadn’t produced many influential people till then.

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1071 Words | 5 Pages

Julius Caesar, is a play based on the true events that occurred in Roman history. The play follows the fictional lives of Caesar and his people leading up to, and after his assassination. Several characters can be labeled as both villainous and heroic at different points in the play due to their actions, however, this does not apply to the character of Marcus Junius Brutus, who remains a hero through the entire play. Brutus is a hero for several reasons, The first reason Brutus is considered to be a hero is because he continuously stands up for what he believes in. Secondly, it is clear that Brutus is a hero because he kills himself as a sacrifice to the roman public.

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700 Words | 3 Pages

The play begins with Julius Caesar returning from a victory over Pompey to a cheering crowd of Romans. He is an ambitious leader who wants Rome to prosper and looks out for his countrymen over himself, though he has his own, darker, flaws. This selflessness is explicitly demonstrated by him saying “What touches us shall be last served” (III.I.9) when he is told to deal with a letter because it most directly related to him. His goal is to further Rome and gain the approval of his people, which he does very well.

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Brutus responds saying that it is not true; it's just that he had a lot on his mind lately. Brutus has a soliloquy that addresses his inner conflict over how to deal with Caesar. "The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power, and, to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his affections sway'd." Later after Caesar's death, Brutus and Cassius are preparing to assault the armies of Antony and Octavius. Brutus wanted power more than he valued his friendship with Caesar.

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