Dangers Of Civil Disobedience In Julius Caesar

940 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The life and works of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, arguably the best playwright in history, lived during the Elizabethan Era and wrote Julius Caesar from 1599 to 1608. Many historians believe that it was Shakespeare’s worry for the future of England that caused him to write Julius Caesar. Queen Elizabeth I’s health was declining; however, she refused to name an heir, which caused many citizens to fear civil war. During these years of turmoil for Britain, Shakespeare wrote a play based on historical facts about political intrigue, succession, and civil war in ancient Rome that could be considered a warning to his own time (“About the Play: Julius Caesar”). Julius Caesar should serve as a warning to modern society as well. The lessons of the dangers of absolute power, the use of speech to manipulate society, and the dangers of civil disobedience are still relevant to today’s society. One of the major lessons of Julius Caesar is Shakespeare’s …show more content…

The conspirators justify committing murder by claiming that they did it out of “love for Rome” or because it was the “noble” thing to do. Caesar is assassinated by his most trusted companion, Brutus, because Brutus could not see another solution. He believed that the only way to save Rome was by killing Caesar. However, Brutus’ actions do not solve the problem or save Rome, which is thrown into riot, turmoil, and even civil war. In fact, his actions result in the death of many innocent people. Today, we see the dangers of civil disobedience through citizens’ disregard for authority. We seem to have forgotten this lesson. Society has a general lack of respect for anyone in a position of power or authority whether it be a teacher, police officer, or the president (“Why Julius Caesar Speaks to Politics Today. With or Without Trump”). Julius Caesar should be a warning to those who choose to try to take matters into their own

Show More
Related

  • Essay

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    One friend kills another. Speeches are presented. A war breaks out. This is the story of Julius Caesar, the emperor of Rome who was killed by Brutus and a group of conspirators. Many argue that Brutus was a patriot, and many argue that he was a betrayer. People argue that he was a betrayer because he betrayed Caesar’s trust and gave a speech against him. However, when you think of Caesar’s personality, arrogant and slightly reckless, he could’ve made bad decisions and caused Rome a great deal of trouble. Brutus was a patriot to Rome since he did what was best for the country and even took his own life instead of running away. He put his own feelings aside to do what was right.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Quotes

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (3.2.24) This quote reflects the motive of Brutus for the assassination of his friend, Caesar. I believe Brutus killed him not out of disrespect, but in a selfless act to protect Rome from the decree of Caesar yet to come. I also believe that he did this out of force from the manipulation from his “friend” Cassius. In Shakespeare's “Julius Caesar”, Brutus’ two most significant characteristics are virtue and unconscious hypocrisy. In order to fully understand these characteristics, it is necessary to analyze all other contributing characteristics, the manipulation of friendship that Cassius uses against him, and the motivations for

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Traitor

    572 Words  | 2 Pages

    Brutus turned on his best friend and stabbed him in the back. In Julius Caesar’s final moments he noticed his best friend as a traitor. “Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar”, these are Caesars last words as he is stabbed in the back by his friend. Since Brutus thought what he did was for Rome, he did not kill his best friend out of spite or hate he killed his best friend Julius Caesar so that Rome could live. Brutus was tricked into believing that Caesar would not be fit to be king, and would destroy the place Brutus loves, Brutus killed Caesar to protect Rome. Despite what Brutus did, he did only what he thought was the only thing he could do to save Rome. He thought not about his position he thought about the people. Yet he killed Caesar off

    Read More

  • Brutus Tragic Hero Quotes

    685 Words  | 2 Pages

    He has two opposing desires that he has to choose between. These are killing Caesar to preserve democracy in Rome and to save Caesar, since he is a friend of Brutus. A quote from J.L. Simmons that summarizes this well is, “Certainly the material lends itself to a conflict between private and public affections” (Simmons 64). Brutus wants to kill Caesar for Rome because the citizens of Rome want to preserve democracy and Caesar is preventing that by being dictator for life. A quote that puts this in other words is, “The ultimate factor in persuading Brutus to join the conspiracy is his belief that his countrymen wish him to act on their behalf” (Shalvi 71). Killing Caesar would be a choice made for not himself, but the citizens of Rome while saving him would be for himself and to preserve his friendship with Caesar. Saving Caesar would be a deed for himself and would strengthen his relationship with Caesar. He could have warned Caesar of the conspirators’ plans and put a stop to them. Brutus ultimately makes the choice of following through and assassinating Caesar. His plan was for this to be a honorable action, but it ended up negative on his behalf. The majority of the citizens in Rome did not take this lightly and wanted revenge for his actions. This is the main mistake made by Brutus that lead to his own

    Read More

  • How Does Julius Caesar Change Throughout The Play

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare showcases many characters and events that go through many significant changes. One particular character that went through unique changes was Julius Caesar. The 16th century work is a lengthy tragedy about the antagonists Brutus and Cassius fighting with the protagonists Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus over the murder of Julius Caesar. Although the play’s main pushing conflict was the murder of Julius Caesar, he is considered a secondary character, but a protagonist. Throughout the theatrical work Julius Caesar’s actions, alliances, character developments, and internal and external conflicts display his diverse changes. William Shakespeare retold a very unique event

    Read More

  • The Greed and Ambition of Marcus Brutus

    962 Words  | 2 Pages

    Brutus’ leadership and compassion for others make him a popular figure amongst the Roman people, and it is his reputation that establishes him as an influential individual. For example, despite the fact that Brutus loves Caesar like a brother, he warily joins the conspiracy to assassinate him. He does this because he believes that Caesar’s ambition would become tyranny and that Caesar’s death is a necessary evil in order to preserve the liberties of the Roman people. In his own words Brutus claims, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general.”(Act 2, Scene 1, Page 1116). In addition, Brutus takes the reins of authority from Cassius and becomes the leader of the conspiracy. He gains this prerogative because of his convincing tongue and powerful influence. His leadership is evidenced when he begins to challenge Cassius’ ideas. When Cassius asks the conspirators to “swear our resolution”(Act 2...

    Read More

  • Brutus Is A Tragic Hero

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ultimately, Brutus’s tragic flaw was his honor, and his demise was his death. Brutus shows that he is honorable through his choices to murder Caesar. Caesar was his close friend, and Brutus cared for him. However, Brutus joined the conspirators because of his honor towards the Roman people. Cassius and the other conspirators had faked and sent letters to Brutus that made him believe that the public did not like Caesar.

    Read More

  • Relevance of Julius Caesar to Contemporary Society

    452 Words  | 1 Pages

    The characters and situations in Julius Caesar can be twisted to tell of contemporary society. & nbsp; The persona of Julius Caesar represents many things in Shakespeare's play, among which are ambition, power, and impending disaster. In today's society, he can stand for the Human Genome Project. Although the Genome Project promises to spawn cures for genetic diseases, it also carries the fear of genetically enhanced humans. Like Caesar, the Genome Project seems to be boasting of benevolence while quietly ushering in malevolence at the same time. & nbsp; Caesar's foils, Cassius and Brutus, can be found in the opponents of the Genome Project.

    Read More

  • The True Nobleman in Julius Caesar's Rome: Brutus

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Brutus was one of many Romans with noble bloodlines. Although Brutus was noble, he never used it to get ahead. There are many times when Brutus could have used the fact that he is truly noble but he didn’t. Many people argue that a noble man wouldn’t have killed Caesar. In some ways that is true, but Brutus’ case was different. A noble man would only for the good of others and that is what Brutus did. He killed Caesar because 7he was afraid of how powerful he could become. Even then he had a hard time doing it, and that is what separates Brutus from the other conspirators. Every other conspirator had little or no reason to kill Caesar. Brutus was willing to do anything for Rome. During his speech about Caesar’s murder Brutus stated “I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death” (III.ii.45-46). This shows how Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (III.ii.20-22). He was too passionate about his country to let Caesar turn it into a dictatorship. Mark Antony and Octavius recognized that Brutus was the one noble roman. In his final speech mark Antony said “This was the noblest roman of them all. / All the conspirators save only he/ Did that they did i...

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

    1637 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the return of Caesar and his desire to be powerful went against the grain of the decentralizing that was taking place. This world was worrying with added dramatic conflict. Shakespeare took this event and used it to examine a leadership theme. He took into consideration how influential the ruling class was, so Shakespeare looked at what could happen if that class no longer focused on their roots and looked at how they would act if they forgot what is meant to be a Roman.

    Read More

  • Brutus’s main purpose in the conspiracy is for an Insurance policy According to Cassius According to Cassius

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar was a tragedy that is mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character that was in charge of the assassination was Marcus Brutus. Brutus was the most complex character in the play. He was one of the men who assassinate Caesar in the Senate. Brutus was an honorable man. He was a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. In Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is close to him/her. The reason of his complexity was because he did not kill Caesar for greed, envy, nor to preserve his social position like so many of the other conspirators. What would cause a person to kill a close friend? He joined the conspiracy in order to help the Romans get rid of Caesar. Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome. Brutus had a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. Brutus loved Caesar but feared his powers. Brutus advocates peace, freedom, and liberty, for all Romans, which shows that Brutus is an altruistic as well as an honorable man. Not that Brutus loved Caesar Less but he loved Rome more. Brutus had honored Caesar but Brutus felt that Caesar was too ambitious. He also felt that Caesar made the Romans as slaves. Brutus joined the conspiracy because he had the desire to help the commoners.

    Read More

  • Brutus Character Analysis in Shakespeare's Tragedy of Julius Caesar

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, was mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was the mastermind behind the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a senator and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a person to kill a close friend? After I examined Brutus' relationship towards Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy and his importance to the plot it all became clear. Brutus had one particular reason for killing Caesar and that was for the good of the people and the republic. Brutus had no personal reason for killing Caesar. Some of his most admirable traits were his morality and leadership skills.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    598 Words  | 2 Pages

    Similarly, Julius Caesar was having problems ruling the country. After his death, there was a civil war. Also when Antony warned that Rome would experience: “Domestic fury and fierce civil strife” He would have reminded the Elizabethans of their own fearful situation. The story of Julius Caesar had courage, Ritual, order, fate, honour and friendship and betrayal.

    Read More

  • Portia In Julius Caesar

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a world where one mans’ decisions predict the future of a whole country it can become uncertain what is to come next. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, we learn about the life of a man named Julius Caesar. He became ruler of Ancient Rome after the downfall of Pompey, a previous leader in Rome. Once Caesar had gained a tremendous amount of power, a group of men from the senate decided Caesar had become too powerful and now posed as a threat.

    Read More

  • The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar Reflects The Reality Of Politcs In The Ph

    2454 Words  | 5 Pages

    William Shakespeare reveals his perception of a corrupt society in his play “Julius Caesar” . This play is about the assassination of Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome. His assassination by the conspirators , Brutus and Cassius was brought about by a lot of motives. Cassius’ purpose is merely his envy and his greed for power. Brutus is concerned for the good of Rome. He did not want Rome to suffer in the hands of a tyrant. Caesar’s character is not only judged by what he says or does but mostly what others think of him. To the common people he is a hero, but to the sonspirators he is a traitor to Rome. It is evident that Caesar can easily be moved by flattery which led to his death. Shortly before his death, he didn’t want to go to the capital because he gave in to Calpurnia’s fears that he might get killed. However, Decius , one of the conspirators played with his vanity by interpreting Calpurnia’s dream in a way that would flatter him. This proves that he masks his fears because he wants to cast himself in the role of a god.

    Read More

More about Dangers Of Civil Disobedience In Julius Caesar

Open Document