Analysis Of Caesar's Celebrity: A Life In Western Culture

In Maria Wyke’s article “Caesar’s Celebrity: Fame and fable” which is an excerpt from her book Caesar: A Life in Western Culture, Wyke argues that Julius Caesar was an important figure, and that his image changes from history to myths. She claims that Caesar was a man famous for his actions and decisions that influenced both fact and fiction. She supports this claim by first reporting the writings of ancient times where Caesar is shown as a man with no faults, flexible to any changes, and a charismatic politician (Wyke 1-2). Caesar’s conquests only furthered his fame and gained the people's’ affections. Wyke then proceeds to discuss the complications of Caesar’s death and the power struggle that ensued. Caesar’s death was seen as an act for Rome, and later a wrong doing.

Coins were distributed in two types: one of Caesar and one of Brutus, Caesar being god-like and Brutus as the hero that saved Rome from tyranny. The image of Caesar changes and shifts through history and Rome. He is seen as a hero, a warning of what not to become, a godly power, a demon, and the greatest ruler Then the fictions that go along with Caesar’s life. Caesar’s accomplishments lead to literature viewing him as an example teaching pride to a demon on earth to a godly power ruling Earth like heaven (Wyke 5). Caesar’s life was turned into a fable with links to religion and exaggerations about his feats. He was titled one of the Nine Worthies (Wyke 6), and had epics and chronicles written about his great deeds. He became a man of prodigy and great fortune, and his memory was honored. And finally Caesar’s image in the Western cultures. Caesar became a mythical image, a diverse godly figure that changes on the viewers opinion. He became a reason to object against and change