Julius Caesar Research Paper

Aniyah Esdelle Mr. Lyman English II 15 March 2024.

Shakespeare “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” Should being too “ambitious” get someone killed? Or should being too weak have you killed? In the Shakespearean play “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, it introduces us to two complex characters, Cassius and Brutus. Cassius and Brutus are two senators who planned, and were a part of the assassination of Julius Caesar. However, their reasoning on killing Julius is very different and is visibly shown in the play. Julius Caesar considered Brutus and Cassius one of his friends because they worked together in the Senate. Even though Julius felt this way, Cassius and Brutus did not feel this way. Cassius, especially, felt as if Julius was too weak. He goes

Cassius says, “A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone.” (i.ii.129-131). However, Brutus says he loves honor more than he loves Caesar. “If it be aught toward the general good, Set honor in one eye and death i’ th’ other, And I will look on both indifferently; For let the gods so speed me as I love The name of honor more than I fear death,” (i.ii. 86-89) says Brutus as he talks about how different he looks at honor and death. Brutus loved the Roman Republic and the people. Even though he does not like Caesar, he still brings honor to the Roman Republic. If the Roman citizens did not like Caesar, and did not want him as senate, then he would make sure that their complaints are heard. There are key signs in the play that show how Cassius feels about Julius. With context clues, we can tell that Cassius was jealous of Julius. Being an emperor meant that you had to be strong. You can not show any weakness to your peers. Showing weakness can make people want to take advantage

Cassius tells Brutus, “There was a Brutus once that would have brook’d th’eternal devil to keep his state in Rome as easily as a king.” (i.ii.159-161) As said in the last paragraph, Brutus joined the conspiracy because he thought the Roman citizens needed help, Cassius had to forge letters saying that the citizens wrote it. Knowing that Brutus cares about his Roman people, he believed it. Cassius had successfully manipulated Brutus into being a part of the conspiracy. Towards the end of the play, when that killed Julius, the conspirators talked to Marc Anthony after. They were planning on killing him. However, Brutus told them not to because that would go against their “cause”. Brutus says, “Our cause will seem too bloody cassius to cut the head off and then hack the limbs, like wrath in death and envy after words, For Anthony is but a limb of Caesar,” said Brutus. Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, shows us how our trusted friends can also be our enemies. During the story, there are multiple parts and scenes that show us how different Cassius and Brutus were. These characters are complex in a way that not many people can understand. Readers, however, learn to understand how the characters work and the way they think. Cassius