ipl-logo

Power And Corruption In Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'

1028 Words5 Pages

Lily Bell
Mrs. Wood
English II
18 January 2023
Power and Corruption In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare multiple characters gain power which eventually ends up in corruption and even death. Characters such as Caesar and Brutus both used their power in evil ways. With too much power, one can make terribly awful events happen. In Caesar and Brutus’s cases, their power was the sole cause of the terrible affairs. However, in Mark Antony’s case, he gained power and used it to create peace and bring justice to Caesar. Regardless of this circumstance, Caesar and Brutus’s usage of power in the play is not dismissed. More times than not, when one gains an excessive amount of power they will use it for evil and cause corruption. …show more content…

Shortly after Caesar gained his victory, there was a celebration held in the streets of Rome. Two senators, Flavius and Marullus, were not particularly pleased by this. They decided to take down some of the celebratory decor. In return, Caesar had them killed. We learned this when Casca, who later in the play is the first to stab Caesar, states, “Marullus and Flavius, for pulling down scarfs off of Caesar's images, are put to silence” (I.ii.78). This shows just how much power Caesar has. All that Flavius and Marullus did was take down some decorations and in return they were ordered to be killed by Caesar. From this you can see how much power Caesar truly has. If he didn’t occupy as much power as he did, both Flavius and Marullus would not be dead. When one has so much power they can cause an immense amount of corruption. Flavius and Marullus didn’t maintain much power so what they did didn’t result in corruption. If they were to have had as much power as Caesar then possibly conditions would have been different. Instead of using what little power they possess to destroy Caesar's image, they could have taken it as far as to kill Caesar just like what he did to them. It is obvious that once power is gained that the chances of corruption occurring are much higher. If it were not for power these corrupted circumstances would not have been able to take …show more content…

After Caesar was killed, Mark Antony knew Caesar did not deserve to be killed, he deserved justice. Mark Antony proceeded to use the power he had to persuade the crowd of people to bring justice to Caesar. At one point in Antony’s speech he stated, “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar and I must pause till it comes back to me” (III.ii.103). Mark Antony speaks from his heart. He uses his power to speak in front of the crowd and show them that Caesar deserved peace and justice. Most times when power is gained it is more likely to lead to evil or corrupted outcomes. Mark Antony however used his power in a way not commonly seen in the play. Unlike Caesar and Brutus, Mark Antony used his power for morality instead of

Show More
Related

Comparing Power In 'Julius Caesar And Mean Girls'

993 Words | 4 Pages

Oftentimes, powerful people use their power to do bad things. Firstly, Julius Caesar had help before rising to power. Caesar used his forces to remove political rivals and conquer Gaul. Julius Caesar created an alliance with Crassus and Pompey to form the First Triumvirate.

Read More

Lucius Caesetius Flavus Character Analysis

888 Words | 4 Pages

Flavis is best known for his involvement in the diadem incident with Caesar, where, before Julius Caesar’s assassination Flavis and one other man stole the Caesar’s diadem. As Caesar’s power grew over time someone put a diadem on one of his statues, marking him as a king. Flavis and Gaius Epidius Marullus removed it. Later that month, the annual festival of the Latin-speaking peoples was being celebrated, and the Senate had granted Caesar

Read More

Examples Of Ethos In Julius Caesar

354 Words | 2 Pages

Marissa Gill Mr. McNulty G4 Mark Antony used numerous rhetorical strategies to take control of the Plebeian crowd’s minds and lead them into a furious frenzy. In the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Mark Antony attempted to undo the idea of an ambitious Caesar that was painted in their heads by Brutus in his previous speech. Mark Antony did this in his own speech to persuade the crowd that Caesar shouldn't have been murdered and that Brutus was deceiving them for his own gain. Antony used pathos, metaphors, and repetition to prove that Caesar was a good man who loved his people, held himself to the same standards as them, and implied that the men who killed him were not honorable.

Read More

How Does Antony Use Ethos In Julius Caesar

967 Words | 4 Pages

He tells of how dearly Caesar had loved Brutus, and how the betrayal was so horrible to Caesar that it was what truly killed him. This sad story moves the crowd back towards their love of Caesar, and angers them to the point of wanting to burn the conspirators. After telling the story of how Caesar was murdered by the conspirators, Antony makes one final play to anger the crowd even more. He reveals what was in the will he had told the crowd about before, in

Read More

Corruption In Julius Caesar's 'Parallel Lives'

1298 Words | 6 Pages

Ella Burke Mrs. ODonnell 10th Honors English 9 May 2023 Julius Caesar’s Theme Corruption is one of the most pressing political concerns in America, mirroring a longstanding pattern observed in ancient societies such as Greece and Rome. Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, fueled by citizens' fear of his autocracy, was chronicled by Plutarch about a century later. It was this book, Parallel Lives, that Shakespeare used as a historical reference to write Julius Caesar, which revolves around the abuse of power and how it negatively affects civilizations.

Read More

Julius Caesar Leader Analysis

1556 Words | 7 Pages

One of his very first, and most common productions being Julius Caesar. In every act of Shakespeare’s plays, there is a leader that shows skills that make him or her perfect for their job. In Julius Caesar, one of these leaders in Marc Antony. Marc Antony would be a strong leader because he has two important traits that the audience can see through his words and actions throughout the play. He is fiercely loyal, to his friends, countrymen, leaders, and to Rome.

Read More

Theme Of Corruption In Julius Caesar

974 Words | 4 Pages

Corruption is defined as dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by powerful people, and just like its definition, corruption and power go hand in hand. The more power a person has, generally, the easier it is for them to be corrupted. Just like in Julius Caesar where power and corruption are very prevalent, and most of the leaders in Julius Caesar became corrupted by their power, but in some rare cases leaders have avoided corruption, these people are very valuable in society, and must not be taken for granted. Just like many other leaders in Julius Caesar, Caesar was corrupted by his power. He wasn’t corrupt in the normal sense, he was socially corrupt in the fact that he didn’t stick to the social norms of respecting fellow senators in

Read More

Effect Of Power In Julius Caesar

155 Words | 1 Pages

Antony forms a triumvirate to defeat Brutus and the conspirators. Power causes feelings for revenge.

Read More

Tribunes In Julius Caesar

224 Words | 1 Pages

However, the citizens are busy celebrating the return of Julius Caesar, and the tribunes are well aware aware of this. In my opinion, Flavius and Murellus are in the wrong not because they conspired against Caesar, but that they fell short in their duty

Read More

How Is Julius Caesar Corrupt

494 Words | 2 Pages

Just the thought of Caesar coming into power and turning corrupt is a powerful thought in Brutus’s mind. Brutus fears how Caesar could become corrupt when he becomes a dictator. That he walks around the room like a madman trying to convince himself of Caesar's corruption. The power gained from a selfish mind is corrupt, “[for] the abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power” (2.1.18-19). Shakspear depicts politicians as being corrupt individuals using power for their own selfish greed.

Read More

Julius Caesar: Political Landscape Of America Today

959 Words | 4 Pages

In contrast, Antony's armies, which raised money through unethical means, succeed. Brutus cannot put aside his morals even if that is what it takes to be successful, proving his inability to govern effectively. Now some may say Brutus rules ineffectually not because morals cloud his judgment but because he lacks the skills to navigate the political landscape. He does not perceive Antony as a threat, unlike Cassius, even though he had devoted himself to Caesar. However, this does not hold true because Brutus dismisses Antony as a threat not out of lack of political skill but because he did not want any more blood on his hands.

Read More

Public Vs. Private Life In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

737 Words | 3 Pages

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

Read More

Immorality In Julius Caesar

349 Words | 2 Pages

It is not possible for politics to be completely successful and moral at once, as demonstrated in Julius Caesar because humans constantly crave power, which is met with disapproval by others- leading to them carrying out immoral actions in order to stop the power from growing. Both leaders and citizens/officials fall victim to displaying immorality through their actions, which is frequently seen in Julius Caesar. This scenario applies in politics when one wants to gain power (Caesar) and rule in an unjust manner, while others (the Conspirators) want to destroy their threat of democracy (Caesar). Political leaders fail at their jobs when power is introduced, causing them to gradually disregard their citizens and focus on how they can run the

Read More

How Does Shakespeare Create Corruption In Julius Caesar

1110 Words | 5 Pages

Corruption: The Story of Representative Democracies Julius Caesar, Shakespeare’s play about that arrogant Roman guy who almost became emperor, or more formally known as, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. That’s right, he dies in the middle of the book. But, what lead to his death, was it greed, the work of some so-called vigilante, or even some oversized egos? The answer is D, all of the above. In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, he criticises representative democracies by displaying severe corruption and for not acting the best interest of the people.

Read More

Caesar's Wing Will Make Him Fly And Ordinary Pitch Analysis

166 Words | 1 Pages

Flavius’s metaphor, “These growing feathers pluck 'd from Caesar 's wing will make him fly and ordinary pitch” (I.i.73-74), details the imagery of Caesar 's power and the fall of his reign. The feathers are a symbol for Caesar’s supporters and the cruel imagery of the feathers being plucked from Caesar 's wing strongly connects with betrayal. His own government was working to overthrow him. A major theme of the play, betrayal, is seen on many levels throughout the Roman government and within Caesar’s interpersonal relationships. According to the Senators the only way Caesars’ great ambition could have been stopped was by killing him.

Read More

More about Power And Corruption In Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'

Related Topics

Open Document