Calpurnia in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

848 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: specific research on Julius Caesar

Dreams can come true. Calpurnia Pisonis had a tremendous opportunity to stop the murder of the most adored man in Rome, though she did not succeed. Julius Caesar, Calpurnia’s husband, typically listens to his wife when an important event is about to take place, but not this time. Likewise in history, Calpurnia had entered the same situation as William Shakespeare unfolded her into during The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
Calpurnia is portrayed as a polite, middle aged woman married to Julius Caesar, one of Rome’s most famous generals. She was Caesar’s third wife and the two wedded in 59 BC and was together until his life ended on March 15, 44 BC. Caesar had great respect for his wife, as well as she did for him. They treated each other fairly and loved each other dearly. Although Caesar had children of his own, Calpurnia was not able to produce a child like his previous wives had been able to. Being infertile does not only cause a rift in the marriage; it causes a sense of disappointment because Caesar will not have a heir in the family. Caesar demands Calpurnia to “Stand you directly in Antonius’ way;/ When he doth run his course” (I.ii.5-6) because Caesar believes that if Mark Antony touches Calpurnia during the race in the play; she will be cured from being infertile. There was always hope for her to bore a child, though that day could never come for them during their marriage.
Calpurnia is considered to have precognition, which is being able to foresee future events in dreams. Precognition allows her to dream of her husband, Julius Caesar, being brutally killed in the Capitol by Romans. During her dream, she dreamt that “Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds;/ In ranks and squadrons and right form of war;/ Which drizzle...

... middle of paper ...

...key, but compelling at the same time. Infertility had a small role in the play, but a large role in their life. Precognition occurred in the play. It allowed Calpurnia to make her husband realize it was too bad of a day to go outside of the house. Caesar could not seem to agree with her decision and the influence from his friend is what killed him. Calpurnia displays caution in every way that she can; through her voice, her gestures, and her concerns to other people. The history of her brother and father never really influenced her life in any way. She developed as a person on her own and did not need help from others. Calpurnia’s dream was significant because Caesar could have prevented his own death by listening to her, but he chose not to. Calpurnia quietly says “Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies;/ Yet now they fright me” (II.ii.13-14). Dreams do come true.

Show More
Related

  • Julius Caesar

    510 Words  | 2 Pages

    Julius Caesar is the leader of Rome and is seeking to become king in a matter of time. Though he is a good military strategist, he lacks knowledge in running government and is too greedy to have any concern for the peasants when he is alive. Caesar is all about conquering and power and he is afraid of nothing. Before he is murdered, he says “The things that threatened me ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see the face of Caesar, they are vanished” (II, ii, 575). Th...

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar: The Quintessence of a Tragic Hero

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    Julius Caesar is shown to have many reprehensible character flaws over the course of the drama. Namely, he is illustrated as having a belligerent sense of arrogance. Initially, the great majority of the Roman public adores and esteems Caesar. However, this adoration inflates his sense of self-pride and arrogance. For example, in the play’s introduction Caesar is given warning about a plot to extirpate him from the throne. A soothsayer warns him to “beware the ides of March” (890). Rather than to obviate the attempt, Caesar blows off the Soothsayer, stating “he is a dreamer, let us leave him” (890). Later in Act II, Caesar has been informed of dead men walking, a lioness giving birth in the street...

    Read More

  • Free Will In The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar

    839 Words  | 2 Pages

    CAESAR: He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass.” (1.2.28-29) Othsayer appears to be the fortuneteller who tries to warn Caesar of an unknown danger in this situation but Caesar quickly dismisses the idea. Caesar demonstrates his control of his own life, that the predictions are merely dreams that can never turn into reality. Under such conditions, it cannot be the fate but rather the free will of Caesar himself to blame for his death for taking risks and facing life in his own way. Another instance of fate is Casca's observations of a dreadful night. He describes the setting as if there are burning slaves, crawling lion, and ghostly women on the street of the Capitol. (1.3.25-32) These omens are usually associated with fate, as that supernatural sights hints the happening of a tragedy soon, but they don't necessarily define the tragedy itself. They can refer to a series of other events and not the assassination of Caesar. Lastly, the night before the assassination, Calphurnia convinces her husband to stay home due to a nightmare, but Caesar responds with as if it is no big matter in "CAESAR: Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight. Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out "Help, ho, they murder Caesar!" (2.2.1-3) In her dream, Calpurnia claims to see the death of her husband whose blood flows all over Rome. Her fear toward

    Read More

  • Machiavellian Ministry

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    Caesar’s lack of somewhat savage Machiavellian traits foreshadows his downfall a multitude of times. From the beginning, the soothsayer warns him to watch out for the Ides of March. There are also bad signs; men in fire walks up and down the streets, and a lioness gives birth on the streets. Likewise, before he heads to the Senate House to receive the crown, Calphurnia tells him that she has had a nightmare, and pleads him to stay home. However, he ignores all the premonitions and moves toward where the Senators are, with no one to protect him when he is in danger. This action of Caesar contradicts the teachings of Machiavelli, “Before all else, be armed” (The Prince). As a result of his carelessness, the conspirators see that he has no chance of circumventing, and assassinates him. Similarly, he is unsuccessful in recognizing the outrage of Cassius and a few others; he isn’t doubtful enough of their secretive deeds and eventually loses the reigns to eliminate the defiance. "The same thing occurs in affairs o...

    Read More

  • Analysis of William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

    1357 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the absolute power of ancient kings and medieval monarchs to the tyrannical dictators of today, political corruption has been a persistent aspect of governed societies since their emergence early in human existence. In the quest for power, individuals create furtive conspiracies to overthrow governments and destroy policies. The presence of political corruption and conspiracy in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is prominent, as Brutus and Mark Antony conduct opposing conspiracies in relation to corruption in the Roman government. Shakespeare depicts Antony’s emotional drive, ability to set aside honor, and capacity to use manipulative language as additive to the strength of his conspiracy. These qualities allow his conspiracy to undermine Brutus and, in doing so, emphasize Brutus’ flaws of uncertainty, excessive accentuation of honor, and naïveté.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar

    2828 Words  | 6 Pages

    The theme that stands out the most in this play is fate. There is no doubt that there is divine intervention in this play. The destiny of many of the characters in this play have been prearranged because there are so many predictions or visions of the future that actually come true. For example, the soothsayer predicted that Julius Caesar was going to die on the Ides of March. (I. ii ll. 11-20) He did not make this prediction after he heard that Caesar was going to be assassinated, or the night before when everyone knew that he was going to die. He made this prediction many months in advance. The soothsayer knew that Caesar was going to die, because it was Caesar’s fate to die on the Ides of March. It has been predetermined that it was Caesar’s time to go on the Ides of March. Another instance of fate relating to the death of Caesar was the night before he died. His wife had an awful dream predicting that her husband was going to die in the house of the Senate the next day. Although Calpurnia told her husband of this, he chose to ignore resulting in his assassination. This is a strong example of fate because frequently throughout time people see the future in dreams.

    Read More

  • Manipulation In Julius Caesar

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    Decius shames Caesar furthermore by adding, “‘Break up the senate till another time / When Caesar’s wife shall meet with better dreams’ / If Caesar hide himself shall they not whisper / ’Lo, Caesar is afraid?’”(II.ii.98-101). Cesar comprehends that his wife is a complete fool for even considering this obscure plan of staying there. Caesar 's greed and self respect gets the better of him, however, is clueless on how horrid the ceremony will go for him; his faults will get the better of

    Read More

  • The Role Of Fate In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    Calphurnia in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, based on Plutarch’s account of her having a nightmare where “Caesar was slain, and that she had him in her arms (“Sources” 107),” fears for her husband’s life on account of these superstitious happenings and states “O Caesar, these things are beyond all use, / And I do fear them (2.2.25-26).” Rather than being in support of these superstitions and therefore believing that fate is determined by the Gods, Calphurnia’s fear and several mentions of her physical weakness (1.2.9-11) and foolishness (2.2.110) within the play discredits the validity of such portents and omens. With these signs devalued, Shakespeare argues that it is the decisions of men alone that determines their fate and the faults of these decisions that lead to an imminent

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar: Brutus Is The Protagonist

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Help ho - they murder Caesar!" The reader soon learns of a dream in which

    Read More

  • JC Argument

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    Calpurnia attempts to scare Caesar into staying at the house instead of going to the Capitol. She begins with ethos to establish her credibility and justify her concerns. Calpurnia “never stood on ceremonies”, but now they “fright her,” juxtaposing that the omens never scared her, but are frightening enough that she now is attentive to them. Because women were not as powerful in Rome, Calpurnia further credits her argument by including the “watch.” Using selection of detail, Calpurnia Even the guards, who are men, have seen the strange events, and they are scared. Since even men are scared, it should implicate to Caesar that he should be scared as well. Calpurnia sees a lioness, an image, normally associated with strength and courage, “whelp[ing] in the streets.” The lioness is essentially crying, scared of something. Caesar is also strong, but should be scared as well. When ethos fails to impact Caesar, Calpurnia switches to using pathos to try and scare Caesar. “Fierce fiery warriors [fighting] upon the clouds,” is an image that connotes war. In war, there is death and Caesar should be afraid of death. Calpurnia uses the image of “drizzled blood upon the Capitol,” connoting death, scaring Caesar of what is to come if he chooses to go to th...

    Read More

  • The Characters of Portia and Calphurnia in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    1956 Words  | 4 Pages

    For thousands of years, humanity has been ruled mainly by a Patriarchal society. In this society women have often been seen as objects or inferior humans through the eyes of their male counterparts. The Elizabethan era was no exception to these beliefs, and works of literature often supported these misogynistic views. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, however, the author appears to portray the characters of Portia and Calphurnia in a positive light, ignoring the common stereotypes often associated with female characters. Although Portia and Calphurnia have minor parts in the play, their strength is discernible. Both female characters are portrayed as logical voices of reason, whose intellect and intuition are able to foreshadow Caesar's death. Their loyalty and devotion to their husbands, and their ability to manipulate the most powerful men in Rome, demonstrates that Shakespeare intended to portray Portia and Calphurnia as women of great strength and power.

    Read More

  • The Structure of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first part of the play is structured so as the reader to sense the build-up of tension taking place before the death of Caesar, reaching its climax with the assassination of Caesar and, later, when the angry mob attacks Cinna the poet, in Act III Scene III. This increasing tension is deeply related with one of the main themes of the play, “Fate versus Free Will”, because, all along with the different omens that are revealed by different characters in the course of the play, it contributes to the idea that some things are sort of pre-established, like if there was a superior power deciding the destiny of the characters .The play seems to support a philosophy in which fate and freedom maintain a delicate coexistence. Portia and Calpurnia, representing Women, are an important part of this theme since, in the beginning of the play; they are the ones that are more frightened about what may happen to their husbands. Portia fears something terrible would be taking place because of the strange behaviour her husband was having at the time. Calpurnia, on the other hand, is a character in deep relation with this theme, due to the dreams she has foreseeing the death of her husband:

    Read More

  • Mark Antony´s Loyalty in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mark Antony’s loyalty to Julius Caesar, went as far that one could call his behavior that of a servant as he often did anything Caesar requested of him as Caesar asks if he will touch his wife, Calpurnia, during the holy race, Lupercalia. The belief that since Mark Antony was a holy man him touching Calpurnia during this race would make her fertile and she would be able to become pregnant with Caesar’s child. Mark Antony assures his friend and leader he will do so.

    Read More

  • The Theme of Friendship in Julius Caeser

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    The conspirators had planned the death of Julius. Brutus and Cassius, along with Decius, knew they had draw in to Caesar close. Proving Caesar that they had a firm friendship, that would solidify their situation and leave Julius completely sightless to his doomed fate. Caesar's wife Calphurnia would have a dream. She would see Caesar's statue run with blood and men with swords surrounding him.

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Julius Caesar

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ed a vital role in the novel was when the fearfully voiced her opinion on whether Caesar should go to the Senate and when she was reported to have had a dream in which she, “…in her sleep cried out, ‘Help, ho! They murder Caesar!’ Who’s within?” (Act 2, ii, 3-4). Foreshadowing the murder of her husband, and begging him to not go out, Calpurnia essentially controlled the fate of Caesar. It is remarkable to think that if Caesar had only listened to his wife, the entire course of the story would have been dramatically different.

    Read More

More about Calpurnia in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Open Document