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Another version of the Caesar essay ENJOY!!
Julius
Caesar is a play about loyalty and betrayal. Caesar's
closest friends and allies are truly loyal. The problem is, they are
loyal to Rome not Caesar. "Et tu, Brute?" (Act 3,
scene 1, Line 85) is a quotation widely used in Western culture to
signify the utmost betrayal by a friend. In William Shakespeare’s
play Julius Caesar, these were Caesar’s last words as he
resigned himself to his death after looking at the face of his closest
friend Brutus who was taking part in Caesar's assassination. Why
would his friends and other noble Romans assassinate Caesar. Brutus,
Cassius, and the others, truly believe if Caesar were to become the
King he was acting like, it would mean the end of the Republican
system of government in Rome. The Senators, who assassinated him
believe they would no longer be equal, free men. They betrayed Julius
Caesar, but they were loyal to Rome. As William Blake says “It is
easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.”
Cassius
needs to include Brutus in the conspiracy because Brutus is so loyal
to Caesar. Cassius resents the fact that the Roman people are starting
to treat Caesar like a God."Why, man, he doth bestride the
narrow world /Like a Colossus, and we petty men / Walk under his huge
legs and peep about" (Act I, scene two, line 138) .Cassius
organized the conspiracy to kill Caesar not only out of fear for
losing hard-fought democracy, but to help his friend Brutus. Cassius
believe Caesar was a tyrant and a corrupter of his friend. That
noble minds keep ever with their likes; For who so firm that cannot be
seduced? (Act 1 Scene 2 line 305). His soliloquy at the end of act
one portrays his deep feelings for Brutus “oh, he sits high in all
the people's hearts”. Cassius believe that Brutus shouldn't
associate with people like himself, since he just started to corrupt
him by giving him the forged letters. He fears that Brutus has become
too close to Caesar, and therefore is in danger of being corrupted and
blinded to Caesar's faults. Cassius is acting loyally to Rome. Brutus
and Cassius fight in act 4 because Cassius values his friendship with
Brutus so highly. “Do not presume too much upon my love. I may do
that I shall be sorry for” (act four, scene three, line 68)
Cassius is willing to risk his own ambitions and even his own life to
keep Brutus good opinion of him. Cassius says “When thou didst
hate him worst, thou lovedst him better Than ever thou lovedst Cassius”
(act four, scene three, line 110). In this scene. Cassius bares his
soul to Brutus and expresses his deep love and his deeper jealousy of
the relationship between Brutus and Caesar. Cassius understands the
way the political world works and is shrewd and cunning . But he could
never really hurt Brutus. Cassius betrayed Caesar, but he was a true
friend to Rome.
Caesar
had many enemies who betrayed him because they were also loyal to
Rome. Casca, Trebonius, Ligarius, Metellus, Cimber, Decius Brutus, and
Cinna all conspired against Julius Caesar. These men are of
aristocratic origin and see the end of their ancient privilege in
Caesar's political reforms and conquests. These conspirators
create a superficial motive for Julius Caesar’s assassination. They
tell him it’s a petition brought by Metellus Cimber asking for mercy
for his banished brother. “Speak, hands, for me!” (Act 3 Scene 1
Line 78) Casca says before he stabs Julius Caesar in the back of his
neck first, then the others follow in stabbing him. Metellus Cimber
gave the signal for attack on Caesar. He was initially one of
Caesar’s strongest supporters and Caesar granted him governorship of
two provinces. The conspirators were envious of Caesar's power
and prestige. Artemidorus reads a letter out loud that lists
Caesar’s many enemies. He says “There is but one mind in all
these men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal,
look about you” (Act 2 Scene 3 Line 5). On March 15, the Ides of
March, 44 BC, Caesar was attacked by a group of senators. Caesar
initially fought back against his attackers, but when he saw his
closest friend Brutus. He resigned himself to his fate.
Brutus
wielded the ultimate betrayal to Caesar because of his deep loyalty to
Rome. Brutus was Julius Caesar’s closest friend and ally. Brutus was
persuaded into joining the conspiracy against Caesar by the other
senators through trickery. Brutus decided to work against Julius
Caesar after he believed Caesar wanted to be a king instead of a
leader. Brutus after killing Caesar says, (Act three, scene
two, line 20) Brutus
is visited by the ghost of Caesar. "I shall see thee at
Philippi," (Act IV, scene three, line 287) the spirit warns
him, but Brutus' courage is unshaken and he goes on. As the play ends, Antony delivers a eulogy over
Brutus' body, calling him "the noblest Roman of them all."
Caesar's murder has been avenged, order has been restored, and, most
important, the Rome has been preserved. Brutus
is proud of his reputation for honor and nobleness, but he is not
always practical, and is often naive. He is the only major character
in the play intensely committed to fashioning his behavior to fit a
strict moral and ethical code
“Then
fall, Caesar” Caesar utters after his famous line “"Et
tu, Brute?" (Act III, Scene I)”, and you,
Brutus? Suggesting that Caesar did not want to survive such treachery,
therefore becoming a hero. That the nobility of Rome are responsible
for the government of Rome. They have allowed a man to gain excessive
power; therefore, they have the responsibility to stop him, and with a
man of Caesar's well-known ambition, that can only mean assassination." This
was the noblest Roman of them all."(Act V, Scene V, line
68) In the final scene of the play, and in the wake of Brutus's
suicide, Antony gives Brutus's eulogy. Antony cites Brutus's naive
nature as to the reason for his nobleness. Of all the conspirators,
Brutus was the only one to believe Caesar's death was for the good of
all; everyone else acted out of jealousy. According to Antony, even in
death Brutus was noble. He ran himself through with a sword rather
than surrender. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed
from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas
Jefferson
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