In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, struggles occur between major characters, such as Caesar, Brutus, Antony, and Cassius. These towering political and military figures serve major roles in the play. For example, Brutus is a powerful supporter of the republic, and becomes the tragic hero of the play. Antony is Caesar’s close companion who brings about the undoing of the conspirators, and Caesar is a godlike being, who has just return from his defeat against Pompeii. However, the plebeians, or common folk, eventually serve a greater role. In the democratic government of Rome, the citizens influence politicians. Yet ironically, citizens are actually the ones being manipulated in the process.
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...
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...r, despite the ridicule, the plebeians continue to celebrate Caesar, supporting his ultimate rise to power. This suggests that although powerful roman citizens may disagree, the common peoples’ opinion outweighs all. Another instance when power of speech is portrayed is during Brutus and Mark Antony’s speeches after Caesar’s death. After Brutus’ speech, a citizen yells, “Let him be Caesar” (3.2. 20-2), which could of swayed other plebeians to back behind Brutus. The words of one citizen could influence other’s opinions.
In conclusion, although the plebeians seem to hold the right to affect the politics; they are not aware of the affects that might occur to them. For instance, by influencing Brutus and Antony, they indirectly put themselves in a position to be manipulated. Therefore, the biggest influence the citizens could have, would be none at all.
Since the people knew Caesar because of his friendliness and how nice he was to people he was able to get sympathy for his death. When the people remembered how good he was at one point they wanted to get vengeance on the conspirators,Antony had used persuasion and reverse psychology with the crowd to get mad at the conspirators. Brutus had not connected to the people as well because he did not give as much sympathy about Caesar's Death , and what he will give in return. Antony had touched the people when he sad said that he had money and land for the people of rome but he did not want to read it because it would make them made. Once that had hit there was no way Brutus could fight back against Antony's
Looking at Rome’s political struggles at the dawn of the first century B.C., it becomes apparent that the groundwork for Caesar’s Republic shattering revolt was lain down by Marius and Sulla. To be more specific, the stage was set by the class struggles between the Aristocracy, who demanded control of the Republic by virtue of tradition, and the masses, which demanded a voice.
The Roman Senate and constitution was built upon the notion of ancestry. One was to do things just as the past Romans did. There was little respect for free thinkers who wished to start their own path in Roman history. Romans were filled with so much pride for their past and founding that they simply never wanted to deviate. This principle was known as mos maiorum, the unwritten code from which the ancient Romans derived their social norms (slides). However, there were people that wanted change, some Romans believed in reform and spreading the power amongst all levels, not just the senate. These people were soon labeled the populares. The populares were aristocratic leaders in the late Roman Republic who relied on places other than the head of the senate, such as the tribunes to acquire political power. The populares addressed the problems of the plebs, particularly subsidizing a grain, and in general favored limiting slavery, since slavery took jobs from poor free citizens. They also gained political support by attempts to expa...
The plebeians are everyday citizens of Rome, and although they do not play a vital role in Julius Caesar, they are quite substantial benefactors of the relationship of governments. However, this is not the case in this story, when the plebeians are simply influenced by the political tricks. During the dispute between Brutus and Antony, the plebeians are fickle; the mass conforms and do not bother to debate or voice their opinions. In "Not One of Us" Kazin Al...
Greed, ambition, and the possibility of self-gain are always constant in their efforts to influence people’s actions. In Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, a venerable politician, becomes a victim of the perpetual conflict between power-hungry politicians and ignorant commoners. He is a man of honor and good intentions who sacrifices his own happiness for the benefit of others. Unfortunately, his honor is strung into a fine balance between oblivion and belief and it is ultimately the cause of his downfall. His apparent obliviousness leads him to his grave as his merciful sparing of Mark Antony’s life, much like Julius Caesar’s ghost, comes back to haunt him. Overall, Brutus is an honest, sincere man who holds the lives of others in high regard while he himself acts as a servant to Rome.
scene by Frank Kermode (see bibliography). Marullus and Flavius, two. Tribunes (higher than commoners, otherwise known as plebeians) berate. the plebeians for their fickleness in welcoming Caesar, who has gained. power by fighting with fellow Romans.
The nature of government and political culture in ancient Roman society was similarly complicated as our our political infrastructure in modern day Western civilization. In addition, it had its own unique characteristics rendering it a mechanism of social ideal; one where the population was provided for, and at the same time ruled by an upper lass in the electorate.
Brutus made his speech effective in persuading the people by using tone and rhetorical devices. Brutus was compassionate when referring to how he loved Caesar as much as Caesar`s friends of his speech. Brutus was showing compassion on lines18 - 20 when he said, "If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus's love to Caesar was no less than his." Brutus said this to help the people understand the sorrow he felt for the loss of Caesar, but he felt he killed Caesar for the good of Rome. Brutus anticipated an objection by the people when he said he loved Caesar , so he went on to say on lines 20 - 23, "If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I love Caesar less, but Rome more."Brutus manipulated the people with rhetorical questions. He asks them on lines 29 - 33, " who is so base, that they would be a bondman, who is so rude, that they would not be a Roman, and who is so vile, that will not love his country," the people do not want to be against their country nor do they want to be so base to be a slave....
William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar How could this have happened? More to the point, why did it happen? Caesar's dead and I didn't even get to say goodbye. So what the soothsayer said must have had some truth in it, when he said "Beware the days of March".
Brutus’ tragic flaw was his perception that all men were identical to him in their motives. This factored allowed his decisions to be easily influenced by others whose motives were devious. Cassius was able to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy because Brutus thought the only reason behind the conspiracy was to prevent one man from becoming “Rex.” He allowed Antony’s speech to occur because he was sure that Antony was motivated by the same “honor” which motivated himself.
Brutus tells the plebeians that he wants to allow Antony to host a little ceremony in Caesar’s name. After Brutus and the conspirators leave, Antony start turning the crowd to his side. Antony then starts to badmouth the conspirators. Antony preaches, “See what a rent the envious Casca made; / Through the well- beloved Brutus stabbed, / And as he plucked his cursed steel away, / Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it…” Antony preachers about how ‘beloved Brutus” back stabbed and killed his “dearly loved friend” Caesar. Antony also calls the conspirators traitors, “The dint of pity; these are gracious drops. / Kind souls, what weep you when you but behold / Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look here, / Here himself, marred as you see with traitors.” Antony is trying to convince the plebeians of the treachery that the conspirators committed. It seemed like the plebeians agreed because they cheered, “Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay! / Let not a traitor live!” The plebeians are now content on avenging Caesar to Antony’s plans. The conspirators leave Rome because of the new turn of events. A war is to break out leaving in it a trail of death for the conspirators, including Brutus, who Antony actually wanted to
Cicero claims, “People believe that strictness and good faith are not to be found in our courts . . . so we Senators are scorned and despised by the people of Rome”(Cicero 111). Cicero also accuses Verres by saying that he, “. . . takes enough for himself, his protectors, and his counsel, and the president of the court, and the judges”(Cicero 111). This shows the fall of Roman statesman’s morals by explaining why they are loathed by the people of Rome. Verres embezzles government money for his own use, and to avoid prosecution, bribes the court officials. Rome’s democratic values are declining because, Cicero says, the actions of Verres are not only happening in Sicily, but they are applicable to the rest of Rome. The ability of the citizens of Rome to control their government is minimized by the lack of control on the senators. The empire also could not possibly be democratic if its leaders are permitted to abuse their power. This directly contradicts Aristotle’s definition of democracy, which claims that a democratic leader must rule and be ruled in turn. While the Senators of Rome are ruling the people, they are failing to be ruled in turn and thus are not representative of a true
Julius Caesar’s criticism of men is represented in the shift of crowd from Brutus’s side to Antony’s side. This is seen in the crowd’s declaration “Live Brutus!” where the exclamation highlights the crowd’s fervent support for Brutus’s murder of Caesar. However, immediately following Antony’s eulogy and temptation of “seventy five drachmas”, this support shifts to “burn the house of Brutus”. This sudden shift from life to violent death-like imagery highlights the wicked irrationality and changeability of people. It warns the aristocracies that are gaining power through the populace such as the populist reformer Lord Essex of the unreliable temperament of people.
The most important characters of the play Julius Caesar are clearly the citizens of Rome. The citizens have an important effect on both the audience and the characters in the play because of their unlimited desire to passionately express their emotions. Throughout the play these emotions are communicated through various events.
In the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, eight people conspire against Julius Caesar. Caesar is slowly rising in power, and the envious Cassius recruits several people to help murder Caesar. One man he recruited, Marcus Brutus, plays a very big role in the conspiracy and the play. Unlike the other conspirators, Brutus murders Caesar because he believes it would be for the good of Rome. After Caesar's death, Brutus delivers a speech to calm the citizens of Rome. After he's finished, Antony delivers a speech, which has a the complete opposite affect. The speeches in Julius Caesar have powerful affects on the people of Rome.