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A Comparison of Plutarch's The Lives of the Ancient Grecians and Romans and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
When closely evaluating the two texts: Plutarch's The Lives of the Ancient Grecians and Romans and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, there are stark differences of the theme and characters. While Plutarch's text is mostly informative, as describing a series of historical events, Shakespeare incorporates a wide variety of dramatic conventions as well as changing many events to entertain an audience. It is important to note that Shakespeare's play was based on Plutarch's text, which is why many of the differences are because of Shakespeare's revision. Shakespeare changes the tone of many important characters such as Marcus Brutus and Mark Antony. He also adds details to make the storyline heroic and inspiring. Plutarch's text is a third-person view on the events, with little explanation of people's opinions and thoughts.
Plutarch describes Brutus as merely one of the conspirators that took a little persuading. After Brutus joined the conspiracy, he rapidly gained control. In the...
Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.” Elements of Literature: Kylene Beers. Austin: Holt, 2009. 842-963. Print.
Plutarch's The Life of Crassus and Caesar. Plutarch presented history through biographical stories of the people that were important and influential during the time period he wished to address. However, after having read some of his work, one realizes that Plutarch inserts his own personal opinion and views of the people at hand into the factual documentation of their lives. For example, in The Life of Crassus, Plutarch expresses a general dislike and negative view of the man, but in The Life of Caesar he portrays the life through a lens of praise. It also seems that he uses his opinions of the people that he writes about to subtly extend moral lessons to the reader.
As a “speculative man of high motives and refined sensibility”(Catherine C. Dominic) Brutus does have his confusion of motives. Act I, scene ii, is the first we see his weakness, “his concern with reputation and appearance, his subtle vanity and pride”(Gayle Green). Yet the main bases of Brutus’s bewilderment of motives takes place in Act II, scene I, with his famous soliloquy beginning with “It must be by his death”. This speech may be the turning point in which Brutus feels better about the assassination of his once called friend.
Brutus’s tragic flaw is that he is very easily manipulated and persuaded. He is very naïve and allows others to swindle him because he feels that no one would ever lie or deceive him since he didn’t do that to anyone. His first mistake is believing the forged letters from the conspirators. This was all ...
During Plutarch’s life, he wrote many legendary writings, all of which were different from each other in the way they described and pictured history. There are more than 200 works by Plutarch, “approximately 227 works”(Walbank). It is known that “Plutarch’s writings are individually of any great lengths”(Smith). Ancient historians usually did not write many books, but very lengthy one, sometimes with smaller works or essays in them. Frank William Walbank, a scholar of ancient history, tells readers many things about Plutarch and the life he lived. Plutarch was a “biographer and author whose works strongly influenced the evolution of the essay, the biography, and historical writing in Europe”(Walbank). One of his most recognizable and known books is Parallel Lives, which is where “Plutarch’s popularity rests primarily…designed to encourage mutu...
The two plays, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, have many differences and similarities. Obviously since they were both written by William Shakespeare, then they will have some similarities because a majority of writers have similar traits in how they write each play, novel, movie, etcetera… Romeo from Romeo and Juliet and Brutus from Julius Caesar have an abundant amount of similarities and differences throughout both plays. A majority of the characters had similarities and difference as well, but Romeo and Brutus’s stood out the most to the readers. Romeo and Brutus both did something detrimental that ended up being the cause of their lovers suicide, but it was for different reasons. Then the way that Romeo did not
Although the plebeians are under the impression they strongly influence the politicians, the politicians indirectly manipulate the people’s opinions. After the assassination, the plebeians are shown to contradictorily sway from Brutus at first to Antony subsequently. Brutus explains why he acted against Caesar: “ not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (3.2. 20-22). Due to a lack of intelligence, they immediately dismiss the harsh crime Brutus committed, and instead praise him. Although it may seem like the people are influencing Brutus’ to provide reasons for his actions, it is just a tactic being used to persuade his audience, much like Antony and Brutus are competing for office. It is important for the politicians to manipulate the plebeians because, although lower class, they still have the power to riot against the officials. Thus, if the citizens disagree with a certain politician, they can overthrow him to show their distaste; whereas, if they like the politician, they will promote and spread his posi...
Brutus has a naive view of the world. He is unable to see through the roles being played by Cassius, Casca, and Antony. He does not even recognize the fake letters were sent from Cassius. Then Brutus says,“You shall not blame us Antony, in your funeral speech, but speak all the good you can of Caesar.
Brutus has several tragic flaws. One of these tragic flaws is how he trusts people a lot. Brutus says that he “know[s] that we shall have [Antony] well to a friend” (1140). He trusts Antony will be a friend of the conspirators, yet he seems to not realize that Antony is obliviously against them, because they killed his friend. Brutus trusts Antony so much, that he lets Antony speak to the public alone. Antony turns the people against Brutus and the conspirators, leading to the wars where Brutus takes his own life. Brutus also receives letters, supposedly from the people of Rome. As he reads the letter out loud, Brutus remarks “‘Speak, strike, redress!’ Am I entreated to speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise, if thy redress will follow, thy receivest thy full petition at the hand of Brutus” (1118).
Both Caesar and Brutus were main characters in this play. Two sides formed during the play, and these two characters were the leaders of each side, respectively. Also, each character held a high rank in the Roman society. Caesar was the ruler of the Roman Empire, and could basically do whatever he wanted due to his outstanding power. Brutus was a general for the Empire and he was respected and was seen as a noble man and true “Roman” by many.
Shakespeare’s complex play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar contains several tragic heroes; a tragic hero holds high political or social esteem yet possesses an obvious character flaw. This discernible hubris undoubtedly causes the character’s demise or a severe forfeiture, which forces the character to undergo an unfeigned moment of enlightenment and shear reconciliation. Brutus, one of these tragic heroes, is a devout friend of the great Julius Caesar, that is, until he makes many execrable decisions he will soon regret; he becomes involved in a plot to kill the omniscient ruler of Rome during 44 B.C. After committing the crime, Mark Antony, an avid, passionate follower of Caesar, is left alive under Brutus’s orders to take his revenge on the villains who killed his beloved Caesar. After Antony turns a rioting Rome on him and wages war against him and the conspirators, Brutus falls by his own hand, turning the very sword he slaughtered Caesar with against himself. Brutus is unquestionably the tragic hero in this play because he has an innumerable amount of character flaws, he falls because of these flaws, and then comes to grips with them as he bleeds on the planes of Philippi.
Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Elements of Literature. Ed. Edwina McMahon et al. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1997.
Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Chelsea House Publisher; Connecticut, New York, & Pennsylvania. 1988, Pg. #33 - 36
Heller, Agnes. "Julius Caesar." The Time Is Out of Joint: Shakespeare as Philosopher of History. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2002. 311-335. Rpt. in Shakespearean Criticism. Vol. 115. Detroit: Gale, 2009. Literature Resource Center. Web. 16 Dec. 2010.
Julius Caesar is a play written by William Shakespeare. The play tells the tragedy of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was one of the greatest leader of Roman history. Caesar had many victorious moments in history and continued to grow more and more powerful. When he had started to govern Rome hatred by some people had grew. He had liberally gave many a spot to hold an important position. Even though he helped the nobility, they had betrayed him. They secretly were planning a way to cause Caesar’s death. Then plan was portrayed by Cassius and he had convinced Brutus to join along with his plan also. On March 15th they had circled around Caesar and stabbed him numerous of times thus, Caesar had fallen to the ground by his last stab by Brutus. Throughout the entire play Caesar and Brutus are notably different. Caesar is very egoistic, while Brutus is very considerate and is mannerly to others. Caesar is an extrovert, while Brutus is an introvert. Caesar is ambitious and Brutus is not ambitious.