Excess in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

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Excess in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Excess makes for a very relevant theme in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Being excessively large compared to his followers is a trait that credits Julius Caesar's character. Excessiveness encompasses the leading conspirators. Excessiveness also marks Antony and Octavius in several ways.

Caesar's descriptions as well as his attitude contain excessiveness. Cassius describes Caesar as excessively large in relationship to his followers. This is shown when he says, "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Colossus, and we petty men/Walk under his huge legs..."(1.2.135-137). He states that Caesar's followers and close associates make themselves unnecessarily small and meek in their actions when they are around Caesar. He says that this way of acting has become unnecessary and dangerous because it allows Caesar too much room to act like a king. Also, Caesar asks to ."..have men about me that are fat,..."(1.2.192) and he has grown to be scared by Cassius because scrawnyness marks one of his traits.

Excessiveness surrounds Cassius and Brutus Cassius declares that the terrifying and supernatural events of the night merely show that something will come that Casca should look forward to and not be afraid of. He enumerates a number of fantastic things that have happened over the course of the night. He states that all of these things, like the ."..birds and beasts from quality and kind,..."(1.3.64), do not represent fear and horror, but the coming of a wonderful new change. Involving Brutus, Portia must resort to gashing her thigh in order to get her husband's attention and make him tell her the truth about his plans. She reveals this to him during a speech where she makes every excessive plea to convince Brutus that knowledge, reliability, and a strong lineage characterize her. Therefor, she has earned her worthyness to not be left out of his matters.

Antony and Octavius also express excessiveness or lack thereof. After reading Caesar's will, Antony takes the clothes off Caesar's body so that the Roman populous to whom he speaks can see Caesar's wounds, thus inflaming the public opinion against Brutus. He personalizes every wound, which raises the public's opinion against Brutus even more.

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