Who Is Responsible For Julius Caesar's Downfall

“Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.” Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is a play about a man, Julius Caesar, who has come home from leading the Roman army and is welcomed by wide arms from many, but a few men think he has become conceited and plan to assassinate him. William Shakespeare wrote this play to convey that people’s biggest enemy can be their own self. By acting bigger than life at times Julius Caesar proved that others will bring you down based on jealousy and for their own personal well being.

There are many instances where Caesar appears to act conceited which leads to his downfall. First, when Caesar returns home, celebrating the death of Pompey and deliberately telling Cassius of his disapproval of him, causing

him to look pompous. Instead of acting reserved and sorrowful for the death of his friend Caesar celebrates showing his arrogance. Caesar also appears egotistical when walking up to the senate where he is about to be assassinated. Twice, men try and warn Caesar about what is for coming and he chooses to ignore them both and gestures like he knows everything already. Again, Caesar acts too confident when he says “danger knows full well that Caesar is more dangerous than he.” Lastly, when talking with Calpurnia, his wife he states “Caesar shall forth. The thing that threaten me ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see the face of Caesar; they are vanished.” He tells her this when she reveals to him her dream about him being killed. Did many of the men who murdered him see his personality as a threat, thinking that someday he will try and overpower Rome and enslave people as Brutus said in his speech or were they jealous and hungry for power?
Acting over confident and cocky aren’t the only reasons Caesar was assassinated. Cassius was jealous of what power Caesar had and wanted to make Brutus emperor because it would benefit him more. In the speech Antony makes, he manipulates the people in order to get them to turn on the participants of Caesars assassination. Many people today still use these same tactics to benefit themselves out of either jealousy or hunger for power.
The main flaw we humans have that leads to our downfall, like Julius Caesar’s, is our pride. Caesar showed his flaw many times throughout the play which angered his enemies and ultimately lead to his death. Had Caesar been humble and grateful would he have lived a long and luxurious life as king, or would us humans find yet another flaw in him?