The Northern Star and the many descriptions of Julius Caesar

The most widely accepted definition of imagery in literature is language used by the author to evoke a feeling or produce an image in the mind of the reader. As one of the first major authors of modern English, Shakespeare was very talented in using imagery in his many works and plays, and his tragedy Julius Caesar is no exception. Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses imagery to develop the character Julius, and the characters who can be quoted as referencing him range from a city guard on the street, to the Senators of Rome and Julius Caesar himself. These lines from the play detail the proud and noble Aquila of Rome, the ferocious and brave Leo of the Senate, the constant Stella Borealis Julius Caesar and his bloody fall from power.

The first reference to Julius comes from the city guard Flavius, as he tells his partner Marullus to walk through the streets and make the citizens go home as “these growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing, will make him fly an ordinary pitch,” (I,i, lines 73-74) It is worthy to note that the eagle is seen as a proud and majestic creature, and wa...