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Essays on jealousy
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Cassius’ jealousy is shown at the Feast of Lupercal and on the night of the storm. The first appearance of Cassius is in a public place on the Feast of Lupercal. During the festivities of the day, Cassius and Brutus have a conversation about Caesar. Cassius says, “Men at some time are masters of their fate; / The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves, that we are underlings” (I.ii.139-141). Cassius is jealous of a higher power. He states explicitly that the flaw of all people is their comfort in being “underlings”. Cassius emphasizes that allowing a higher power forces men to abandon the control they have over their fate. On the night of the storm, Cicero and Casca are talking in the street when Cassius comes across them. They talk about the storm that Cassius goes on to compare to Caesar. Cassius says, “Now I could, …show more content…
Casca, name to thee a man / Most like this dreadful night, / That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars / As doth the lion in the Capitol; / A man no mightier than thyself, or me” (I.iii.72-76). Cassius compares Caesar to both the storm and the lion using a simile, calling him dreadful, stormy, and dangerous.
Cassius also directly compares himself to Caesar. Cassius clearly considers Caesar to be no better than he is, and therefore he is jealous. Later in this conversation, Cassius again speaks of Caesar. Cassius says, “And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? / Poor man, I know that he would be not a wolf / But that he sees the Romans are but sheep; / He were no lion, were not the Roman hinds” (I.iii.103-106). Cassius uses four metaphors in this speech. He compares the Romans to sheep and female deer, and he compares Caesar to a wolf and a lion. Caesar only has power because the people allow him to. If people fought back and weren’t such sheep, he would not be the wolf. If people weren’t as easily dominated as female deer, he would be no lion. Cassius is crediting Caesar’s strength to the weakness of the people. Cassius clearly doesn’t believe Caesar deserves the power he has and is jealous of Caesar’s power. On multiple occasions during the Feast of Lupercal and on the night of the storm, Cassius’ jealousy is
revealed.
Cassius, a very suspicious character throughout the play tells Brutus to “be not jealous on me” (827), in the quote he tells Brutus to not be suspicious of him because he is just a friend who genuinely cares. Cassius does this to put himself on Brutus’ side and not seem like a distant person, this allows him to criticize Caesar and suggest that he is a bad influence on Rome which appeals to Brutus’ desire to keep Rome safe. After setting himself up as a friend to Brutus, Cassius uses harsh anecdotes on the weakness of Caesar to show that he isn’t fit to rule Rome. Cassius recollects a time when he and Caesar went swimming in the river Tiber and Caesar screamed “Help me, Cassius or I sink” (828) to depict Caesar as a little baby compared to the colossus he is said to be.... ... middle of paper ...
Imagine yourself listening to a political debate, undecided as to which leader you agree with. One candidate begins to speak about unjust societal issues, such as the horrifying amount of people in the world that do not have food on their table. The candidate also begins to touch upon the topic of taxes and how he will lower them if he is elected. You find yourself being persuaded in the direction of emotions and morals. The power of language used to appeal others is not only present in the modern world, but also in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by famous English playwright William Shakespeare. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar portrayed a story of how an aspiring leader, Julius Caesar, is assassinated by a group of schemers, lead by Marcus Brutus, who disagreed with Caesar’s decrees and ways of governing. Over the course of the text, it demonstrated the use of two rhetorical charms: ethos and pathos. While ethos refers to the moral and ethical appeal and pathos invokes to the emotional aspect, each one was evidently shown in the funeral speech for Caesar given by his best friend, Mark Antony. Prior to Antony’s speech, Brutus had given the plebeians a synopsis of what had occurred. However, Mark Antony knew that what Brutus had told the plebeians was false. In such manner, he allured the plebeians onto his side of the tragedy by touching upon ethical and emotional appeals.
The idea of ignorance, and the belief of a false faith, turns this noble man into a vulgar grave, with virtuous notions. Brutus’ ignorance creates an expectation that develops a path that leads him awry. When Brutus mentions, “I would not love Cassius; yet I love him well” (1.2.81-88 ), he portrays his internal conflict. Brutus depicts the struggle between Cassius’ acquisitions and Caesar’s actions.
Shakespeare evinces perspectives of situations, events and characters as innately conflicting, as the impossibility of a single and stable objective reality comes to advocate the embrace of truth and meaning as endlessly deferred and enigmatic. The Stoic Brutus' epideictic "not that I loves Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more" positions the twin motivations of a personal allegiance and socially altruistic pursuit of Republicanism as irreconcilable within a system of static moral precepts. Cassius embodies a humanistic subversion of the divine as the epistrophe "Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius" is contrasted with the ironic anaphora "Therein, ye gods, you make the weak so strong, therein ye gods, you tyrants do defeat" as the stage direction and pathetic fallacy "thunder continues" signifies a violent departure from theocentrism and the subversion of a single stable discourse. Caesar is subject to competing representations; by himself as metaphorically "as constant as the northern star"; by Anthony as benevolent as benevolent through the parralelism "when the poor hath cried, Casesar hath wept"; and as Cassius as undeservedly revered and poignantly mortal, through the dramatic imagery "Help me, Cassius, or I sink". These conflicting perspectives cannot be resolved into a stable and tru...
Cassius is a sly, deceitful and an untrustworthy character. Caesar described him best. He said (act1, scene 2, line 195), “Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous”. Cassius is very superstitious. This is shown when he says (act 5, scene 1, line 75) “ you know I held Epicurus strong, and his opinion. Now I change my mind, and partly credit things that do presage…”. He believes in omen and signs that foretell events to come. Cassius is conceded. This is shown when he says to Brutus (act1, scene 2, line 116), “ And this man is now become a god, and Cassius is now a wretched creature, and must bend his body if Caesar careless but nod on him…”. Cassius continues on saying about times when he saved Caesar from drowning and when he saw Caesar with a fever and he started to shake. All this tells us that Cassius thinks he is just as good or even better than Caesar.
In Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Cassius encompasses ethical and emotional appeal to persuade Brutus that something should be done about Caesar's aspirations for sovereignty. For instance, Cassius cleverly references himself as "Aeneas, our great ancestor,/ Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder,/ The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber,/ Did I the tried Caesar" (1.2.23-26). Cassius skillfully employs vivid imagery to depict how he once rescued Caesar when they were swimming in the River Tiber, while heavily suggesting that Caesar is a feeble man compared earlier to the event from Roman history. Cassius also explains to Brutus how it is ironic that Caesar appears to be an omnipotent figure since Caesar is no better
Caesar enters Rome followed by supporters and citizens rejoicing over his victory. As Caesar passes a soothsayer called out to him and said he should beware the Ides of March; Caesar ignores the soothsayer and called him a dreamer. As Caesar came across Cassius he is worried that Cassius is dangerous because he thinks too much. Cassius dislikes Caesar and resents Caesars power. He knew that in order to kill Caesar he needed to get more people on his side so that they would believe killing Caesar was for the betterment of Rome. Cassius met with Brutus and talked about how much power Caesar has received. Three times they were interrupted by cheers from the crowd, throughout their conversation.; Cassius informs Brutus that he’s forming a plot
Cassius chooses to compliment Brutus in order to get what he wants. He wants Brutus to join his conspiracy against Caesar so he uses flattery as a manipulation to gauge Brutus. “That you might see your shadow. I have heard where many of the best respect in Rome.” (I.2.55) Cassius tells Brutus that he is very well known and loved in Rome and suggests that the people are clamoring for Brutus to lead Rome instead of Caesar. By saying “respect” Cassius is referring to his reputation. By saying “shadow” he is also referring to the “reflection” of what others think of him. “Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.” (I.2.55) Cassius mentions words such as “noble” to compliment the vulnerable Brutus by stroking his ego. “O, you and I have heard our fathers say. There was a Brutus once that would have brooked Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome. As easily as a king.” (I.2.161) This refers to an ancestor of Brutus’s who, in the sixth century B.C. helped to expel the last king from Rome and set up the Republic. Cassius reminds Brutus that his own ancestors were responsible for founding the Roman republic. This manipulative phrase flatters Brutus and convin...
In addition to this characteristic of Cassius, he also has a devious nature. This attribute allows him to invent informed manipulative plans to eliminate his opponents. For instance, after saying his farewells to Brutus, he gives a soliloquy that reveals his idea of throwing writings of different handwritings in Brutus’ windows “as if they came from several citizens” all of which “tending to the great opinion that Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely Caesar’s ambition shall be glancéd at” (Shakespeare I. ii. 306-309). Since Brutus and Cassius have been friends for a long period of time, Cassius holds an abundance of knowledge pertaining to his values--in this case being his honor and desire to please Rome’s citizens. This undermining plot Cassius has devised is based on an informed opinion of the most effective way to subvert Caesar’s authority, and because of the valid observations made of Brutus by Cassius, the likelihood that this clever scheme will be carried out successfully should make Caesar concerned about the intentions of his judicial
Friendship is a wonderful part of life, but it can unfortunately be used to deceive, for it is easy to manipulate with it, but only true friendship cannot be defeated, even after death. This element could well likely be the very thing that had sealed the fate of Julius Caesar, and Brutus, Cassius, and all the other conspirators knew that they could use this to their advantage, and to Caesar’s disadvantage. Friendship, was what the conspirators used as a cover to blind Caesar from the truth, just as a hunter uses camouflage to keep the animals from seeing what he is up to. The conspirators also used camouflage, but they used flattery along with manipulation as a way to soothe any feelings of doubt that Caesar may have had about their sincerity. These essentials would gain trust, which is the key to all friendships.
He is so motivated by ambition that he decides to kill Caesar, the leader of Rome. Although dedication can be a good quality, in Cassius, it blinds him to all other things and makes him ruthless in his quest to rule Rome. Cassius’s desire for power is evident when he states, "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" (1.2.146-148). Cassius’ ambition leads him to go as far as to convince a dear friend with manipulation and false notes to help him plot to kill Caesar. His ambition makes him power hungry and he lacks the honor to back up his overzealous behavior. Cassius envies Caesar and because of this he resorts to bribery, assassinations, and imposing taxes for personal
Jealousy in Julius Caesar & nbsp; Jealousy causes many of the characters in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar to commit dangerous and foolish acts. Cassius' jealousy drives him to kill. Caesar. All the conspirators, except the noble Brutus, kill Caesar because they feel threatened by his power. Brutus is the only conspirator who murders Caesar. for more honorable reasons. Jealousy is a very important theme in this play. & nbsp; Cassius feels very threatened by Caesar's power. He remembers when he was an equal to Caesar, and doesn't think that Caesar deserves this much power. He comments to Brutus, "I was born free as Caesar; so were you." fed as well, and we can both endure the cold winter as well as he" (Act I, p. 1).
Cassius in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a very important character. Cassius is the leader of the conspirators group led to kill Caesar. It’s very easy to understand what kind of person he is in the play. He appears as a very persuasive, manipulative, and observant. All those traits seem to go hand in hand. Although he can easily come off as hateful, he’s the kind of person that has reason to his doings.
Both Cassius and Brutus conspire against Caesar, yet Shakespeare depicts Brutus as doing a noble job compared to Cassius as doing a greedy and envious task. Cassius believes that he is stronger than Caesar. Therefore, Cassius does not understand why Caesar is in power and he is not. Cassius is also envious of Caesar. In Act I Scene II, Cassius describes to Brutus the time he had to save Caesar in a swimming race. Since then, Cassius feels superior to Caesar. In Cassius’ mind, kings’ right to rule should be based off of strength, not intelligence or virtue. On the other hand, Brutus knows that although a king should be strong, he must also be virtuous. Brutus always elaborates on the topic of honor. In fact, his first priority is to keep his own honor intact and Brutus fears that Caesar will change when he is crowned. Brutus says, “He would be crowned: How that might change his nature, there’s the question.” (Act II, Scene I, Page 49, lines 12-14) He senses Caesar’s greed for power, and ...
Revenge. Revenge causes one to act blindly without reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, however this principle is not always a justified one to follow. In Julius Caesar, Antony seeks to avenge the death of Caesar. Antony acts on emotion which leads to the demise of Brutus, who is a noble man that does not deserve to be killed. Revenge is a central theme within Julius Caesar. This is demonstrated through Antony's desire to avenge Caesar's death, and also the return of Julius Caesar's ghost. Revenge is again exemplified through the violent course of action, which is taken by the Plebeians in an attempt to seek justice for the assassination of their Roman superior.