Fate or choice? This question has been heavily debated throughout history and there has not been a definite answer on whether fate or choice has more of an impact ever since the question was first asked. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, there are numerous examples of fate and choice. It is a combination of these two that led to Julius Caesar’s untimely death and the following war. The role of fate played a major role in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. The first major occurrence of fate was the infertility of Calphurnia. This is shown when Caesar wanted Calpurnia to stand in front of Antony. Caesar says “Forget not in your speed, Antonius,/To touch Calphurnia, for our elders say/ The barren, touchéd in this holy chase,/ Shake off their sterile curse” (I, ii, 8-11). This shows that Calpurnia is barren and that Caesar and Calphurnia are looking for an heir, but have no luck in finding one. …show more content…
This is the first major role of fate because this shows that it was fate that Caesar would not obtain an heir and that it would never happen. Caesar would not be able to pass down his rule throughout his lineage. Another example of fate in the play is when Calphurnia dreamt of Caesar’s death. Caesar said: “Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight. / Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out / “Help, ho, they murder Caesar!” (II, ii, 1-3). This foreshadows the killing of Caesar because she is crying out about the murder of Caesar. Later on, she also talks about a statue of Caesar that was spurting blood. Both of these events foreshadowed his fated death. Even though fate may seem all powerful, there are always two sides to a coin. This leads to the opposite of fate. Choice. The role of choice played a large part in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. For example, Julius Caesar chose three times to not accept the crown. Casca Why, there was a crown offered him, and, being Offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, Thus, and then the people feel a shouting. Brutus What was the second noise for? Casca Why, for that too. (I, ii, 231-235) This went on once more, as Caesar was offered the crown three times.
All three times he made the choice to reject the crown, even though his temptation to accept it grew with each time it was offered to him. This shows how Caesar still made choices, and that everything was not just fate for him. Another part where choice played a major role in the play is when Julius Caesar chose to go to the capitol on the ides of March. Here, he made the choice to disobey the soothsayers warnings, he also chose to go against Calphurnia’s and the priests judgement, and he also brushed off Artemidorus’ warning to him . “What touches us ourself shall be last served” (III, i, 8). Here, Caesar is seen pushing away the warnings of Artemidorus, as he is in public and he is trying to maintain his image of being an unselfish person. This could be thought of as the last choice that Caesar made before his death. Choices can impact the future drastically, and because of that, one should always think about the choices they will make and think about all the possible
outcomes. Personally, I think that fate has an effect on one’s future, but not to the same extent as choice. I believe this is so, because the choice was made by the conspirators to not kill Antony. “Decius, well urged. I think it is so not meet/ Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,/ Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of him/ A shrewd contriver; and, you know his means,” (II, i, 168-171). This was the beginning of the end for the conspirators. They chose not to kill Antony, even though they knew all along that he was a “shrewd contriver” and that he has a chance at ruining their plans. As it turns out, they were right. Antony is the one that turned the plebeians against the conspirators. This is not the only time. In another instance, Caesar also chooses to brush aside Calphurnia’s, Artemidorus’s, and the priest’s warnings and still travels to the Capitol. The choice to ignore all the warnings was what led to his death. Even though fate may have helped a little bit, it does not amount to as much as the choices Caesar made before his death. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, countless examples of fate and choices occurred, and a combination of these two factors led to the assassination of Julius Caesar, and the ensuing war. This play translates into modern life quite well, as life is just like Julius Caesar’s. We all have a choice to do things, but sometimes fate will take its course and we cannot do anything about it.
Caesar’s lack of somewhat savage Machiavellian traits foreshadows his downfall a multitude of times. From the beginning, the soothsayer warns him to watch out for the Ides of March. There are also bad signs; men in fire walks up and down the streets, and a lioness gives birth on the streets. Likewise, before he heads to the Senate House to receive the crown, Calphurnia tells him that she has had a nightmare, and pleads him to stay home. However, he ignores all the premonitions and moves toward where the Senators are, with no one to protect him when he is in danger. This action of Caesar contradicts the teachings of Machiavelli, “Before all else, be armed” (The Prince). As a result of his carelessness, the conspirators see that he has no chance of circumventing, and assassinates him. Similarly, he is unsuccessful in recognizing the outrage of Cassius and a few others; he isn’t doubtful enough of their secretive deeds and eventually loses the reigns to eliminate the defiance. "The same thing occurs in affairs o...
As one of the most well known authors of the Elizabethan Era, Shakespeare had written numerous sonnets and plays reflecting the values of people of the time period. Shakespeare often display themes of love and death, fate and free will, and power and weaknesses throughout his works of literature. The play "The Tragedy of Julius” truly highlight the impact of fate and free will in the development of the plot, of the assassination of Caesar’s death. Some may argue that fate is actually the one responsible for the act, but they fail to recognize that it is the acts of men leading to the death. It is the free will at fault for this occurrence, that the Roman senators consciously killed Caesar and Caesar himself facing his mortality.
In the play Julius Caesar, Cassius tells Brutus, "Men at some times are masters of their fate." But is this true? Can we do anything we chose or is the universe's fate fixed? The answers to these questions we may never know. But we can guess. In Antigone, Creon is faced with a decision. Should he condemn Antigone to death or should he let her get away with a crime? He feels as if he has a choice between the two. But, he doesn't. It was determined that he would put Antigone in a cave and try to get her out after contemplating it carefully. No matter what he did, he could not have defied this. He had the choice between the two, but it was determined that no matter what advice he received from Haemon and Tieresius, he would inevitably choose to put her in the cave. As Oedipus portrayed, you cannot escape fate no matter how you try.
Shortly before his death Caesar was given several warnings throughout ActsⅡand Ⅲ , however he still went to meet with the Senate due to the fact he thought he was needed. He had an alliance with his adopted sons and valued soldiers Octavius and Antony. The play is about the events that follow his death making him an important secondary character that also portrays a protagonist. Caesar faced many conflicts throughout his lifetime, some internal and some external. He fought a war against Pompey ,which lead to conspirators plotting his death, and he was troubled by the fact that his wife could not provide him with a child. He showcased this by publicly asking Antony to touch her as he passed her, hoping that this would bring healing to her barren womb. He also went through several character changes. When he returned from war, he returned believing that the people would be ecstatic to have him as an emperor. Nonetheless when the people of Rome did not respond the way he expected he knew he had to play on their emotions. He did this by refusing the crown three times and by offering to kill himself to prove his honesty and trustworthiness. This gave him the desired effect, so he returned to knowing that the crowd wanted him as a king. The driving force of the play was the unfortunate murder of Caesar or what happened afterwards. Throughout this play many of the characters go through many unique changes, although Julius Caesar experienced some very significant character changes. The theatrical work exhibits Julius Caesar’s actions, alliances, character developments, and internal and external conflicts which in turn showcase his various changes. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a brilliant piece of work that thoroughly covers the story of Julius Caesar, a protagonistic secondary character. Julius Caesar was the unofficial emperor of Rome. He was a war General and he fought
Caesar's death was a most tragic event indeed, for he would have made a great Roman monarch. However, there were many unheeded warnings. caveats which might have averted his death. In the first act itself we see that Caesar comes across a soothsayer. who fore tells that the future holds terrible things for Caesar.
Shakespeare in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet depicts the conflict between fate and free will through use of his characters’ actions and beliefs. Fate is the main driving force between the demise of the two main protagonists. Because of it, superstition, the actions of others, and the idea of chance are allowed a main role in the play building up to events that lead to a tragic end.
In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, I saw two main characters as tragic heroes. First, I saw Julius Caesar as a tragic hero because his will to gain power was so strong that he ended up losing his life for it. The fact that he could have been such a strong leader was destroyed when he was killed by conspirators. I saw Marcus Brutus as a second tragic hero in this play. Brutus was such a noble character that did not deserve to die. The main reason why he did die, however, was because he had led a conspiracy against Caesar and eventually killed him. These two characters were the tragic heroes of the play in my opinion.
Julius Caesar is remembered as one of the greatest military minds in history and credited with arranging the basis for the Roman Empire. Caesar’s military brilliance bought Rome more land and more power, which led into the increase of size and strength of Rome. Caesar’s dictatorship helped the strength in Rome. Julius Caesar was assassinated which lead to a monarchy that was ruled by Octavin. Caesar’s death caused an effect to the collapse of the Roman Empire. Many people today in the 21st century try and follow the greatness of Julius Caesar. The assassination of Julius Caesar was a tragedy with the contributions Caesar made to strengthen Rome’s success.
In Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” Public vs. Private self is a reoccurring theme. Throughout the play, characters tend to view their public persona more important than their private persona. The characters all think they know what is best for Rome but in the end only put themselves on the path that leads straight to their death.
Fate may state what will be in one's life however, how that destiny comes about is a matter of man's own choice. In other words, incidents don't occur because our destinies are written. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare expertly uses the theme of fate vs. free will and raises the pre-eminent question of which holds power over the characters. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, fate is not the cause of his downfall, his own desires and choices prove to be the deciding factor.
A tragic hero is the antithesis for the common protagonist. Most protagonists show how they overcome great obstacles however, the tragic hero shows a more humane character, that stumbles and falls. The tragic hero usually exhibits three specific traits that lead to his or her downfall. In the play, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the characters of Brutus and Caesar both exhibit the three attributes of a tragic character. The first trait of any tragic hero is a high rank and potential for greatness. Both Brutus and Caesar hold his trait, as they are beloved high ranking Romans. The second characteristic a tragic hero must possess; is a fatal flaw that dominates their personality, and Brutus’ sense of justice and Caesar’s ego, fulfill this
Shakespeare’s portrayal of Cassius is based on Plutarch’s historical description as a “choleric man” who “even from his cradle could not abide any manner of tyrant (“Sources” 115).” It is not through divine power that men begin to conspire against Caesar, but it is through Cassius’ decision to use the power of rhetoric in order to persuade men, especially Brutus, to conspire against Caesar. According to Cassius in the play, “Men at some time are masters of their fates. / The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves, that we are underlings (1.2.139-141).” Through careful and strategic planning is Cassius able to persuade Brutus, a man who “for his virtue and valiantness, was wellbeloved of the people (“Sources” 120),” into conspiring and acting upon the death of Caesar. Caesar also believes that men control their own fate by stating, in response to the omens and portents, “Danger knows full well / That Caesar is more dangerous than he (2.2.44-45).” Through this quote, Caesar presents his belief that he has the ability to overcome a superstitious fate. Therefore, he ignores all the signs and omens and thus determines his fate through an action that would seal his death. Unlike Calphurnia 's beliefs, Shakespeare makes it clear that it is the free will of these men alone that shaped history into the tragedy which it became. It was not
Throughout the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare both fate and free will is demonstrated. Cassius argued that everyone has the power to change their future in what they do when Casca came to him frightened by omens. Though, omens have seemed to prove correct throughout the play, therefore it dominates the argument of Fate versus Free Will.
Tragedies most often refer back to the actions of men. The play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, provides a good example to how the quote is shown to be accurate." The calamities of tragedy do not simply happen, nor are they sent [by the gods]: they proceed mainly from actions, and those actions of men." This statement is profoundly proven through the past and present actions of the conspirators throughout the play. From the beginning of the play, the reader can identify who will necessarily betray and plot to murder Caesar.
Past the climax and the falling action - although they were mainly controlled by Brutus and Antony - we see Cassius is used through his dreadful action to finally bring the play to its completion. During the battle of Philippi, it is seen that Cassius mistakenly commands his army to advance, prior to the time that was planned, resulting in the enemy taking advantage of his error. His mistake led to the most provocative action Cassius could ever take. After noticing that he and his army was about to lose, he took his life. This lead to a series of events, Brutus looking at Cassius’s defeat he decided to take his life. which took the plot even further to its denouement. These previous mentioned series of events brought Julius Caesar to its