A Review on Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare)

A Review on  Julius Caesar

(William Shakespeare)

University of Freiburg 

Englisches Seminar,

Freiburg, Germany

Khaled Saifulla

At the beginning of the stage performance, curious onlookers eagerly await to watch the play, ‘Julius Caesar’. Meanwhile, Caesar accompanied with his followers comes on the stage. Caesar is loved, respected and supported by most of the citizens of Rome though some wary citizens conspire to assassinate him even before he becomes the king. Cassius is the leader of conspirators who convinces Caesar’s trusted friend, Marcus Brutus in conspiring against Caesar. After defeating Pompey when Caesar comes back to Rome, the working people have one-day holiday to celebrate the victory and they have gone out to see Caesar and rejoice in his triumph. Flavius and Murellus, two Roman officials, become angry with the commoners and tell them to go back home because they think that Caesar is the threat for the Roman’s republican rule. They disperse the folk and remove the banners and signs of Caesar from the streets.

While Caesar accompanied with his followers is marching through the streets of Rome, Antony shows his loyalty to him saying, “When Caesar says, ‘Do this’, it is performed” (Act ii, Scene ii). A soothsayer calls out Caesar in demonstrating Caesar’s authority, “Beware the Ides of March” (Act i, Scene ii) but Caesar dismisses it and continues with his entourage. Left behind Cassius and Brutus engage in conversation. Cassius suggests that Caesar has recently seemed distant towards him as he is usually friendly. Brutus assures him that it is nothing personal; it is only because he is ‘with himself at war’ and it is his conflict of private and public. In his continuing effort, Cassius plans to convince Brutus to rebel against Caesar by writing several letters in different handwriting, hinting at Caesar’s ambition so that Brutus understands that the letters come from different Roman citizens. After writing the letters, he tells Cinna, a fellow conspirator, to throw them into Brutus’s window. After much deliberation and reading the letters provided by his servant, Lucius, Brutus have decided to join the conspirators and assassinate Caesar for the general good of Rome.

On the other hand, Caesar’s wife Calpurnia has had a dream in which Caesar is murdered. In the morning, she tries to plead with Caesar not to leave home that day. He has finally agreed to stay at home. After few times when Decius, one of the conspirators, arrives, he convinces Caesar with a flattering interpretation of Calpurnia’s dream to go to the Senate House. When Artemidorus, A Roman writer and philosopher has come to know about the conspiracy against him, he writes a letter naming the conspirators to warn him, but he has not heed upon the letter and refuses to read it. As soon as Caesar enters the Senate House, according to their plan of action, Casca first stabs him.

At the end when Brutus approaches Caesar to attack him, Caesar recognises him, and he falls into death telling his famous speech, “Et tu, Brute?” ‘And you too, Brutus’ (Act iii,Scene i). Brutus tells other conspirators to bathe their hands and swords with Caesar’s blood and declare, “Let’s all cry, Peace, freedom and liberty” (Act iii.Scene i). A servant sent by Antony arrives at the Senate House and asks Brutus that Antony asks for permission to come here to know the reason of Caesar’s death. Brutus agrees with him and Antony comes and asks Brutus why they have killed Caesar. Brutus replies that they have killed Caesar though he loves him, and he will explain later why they have exactly assassinated him. Antony also asks for Brutus’s permission to talk in Caesar’s funeral and Brutus agrees with him.

When all conspirators leave the stage, Antony is lamenting on Caesar’s dead body and promises himself to take revenge of Caesar’s murder. Onstage, Brutus delivers his speech saying that they have killed Caesar because he was ambitious, and his ambition was a threat of Roman liberty. He also tells the people that he loves Caesar, but he loves Rome more than him. Brutus is happy because the crowd seems to be satisfied with his Talk for supporting him to be the next Caesar of Rome. After leaving Brutus, Antony starts his Talk and shows the Ceasar’s dead body to crowd and reads out the will of Caesar which is for the welfare of the common people of Rome. Antony finally could turn the people’s mind by his emotional speech against Brutus. After his speech people spread with rage in the streets and all the conspirators including Brutus leave the city.

In the meantime, Octavius, Caesar's adopted son, arrives Rome and Antony, Lepidus and Octavius form the second Triumvirate to rule the country. The Triumvirate discussing themselves plan to fight and destroy Brutus, Cassius and all other conspirators. On the other side, Brutus and Cassius are forming armies from outside of the city for a war against the second Triumvirate. At a Camp, Brutus and Cassius have a heated quarrel about money and honour. When Cassius comes to know that Brutus is angry with him because of his wife’s death Portia, they ultimately reunite and prepare to fight against Antony and Octavius. Late one night when Lucius, Brutus’s servant sings a song and he falls in sleep but Brutus reading a book, is still awake. The ghost of Caesar appears to Brutus telling him, ‘evil spirit’, it will meet again ‘at Philippi’ and it disappears. Next day in the morning, Brutus sends Lucius to Cassius to prepare to march to Philippi.

On the other hand, Antony and Octavius discussing between them prepare for a battle against Brutus and Cassius to take revenge on Ceasar’s assassination. Brutus and Cassius somehow from different omens feeling to lose the battle of Philippi, Cassius tells Brutus if they lose this battle, they will not meet again, and it is the last Talk between them. They say to each other good- bye and go to the battle. When Cassius comes to know by Pindarus that Titinius is captured by Antony’s army, losing hope the victory of the battle, he tells Pindarus to kill him with his own sword and he finally is died. On the other hand, Brutus is in the war fighting against Octavius until he is defeated. Brutus getting the news of Cassius’s suicide, with grief and being defeated in the ultimate battle, he kills himself. When Antony finds the dead Brutus, he admires Brutus, saying, “This was the nobles Roman of them all.” (Act v, Scene v). He also tells that Brutus has killed the Caesar for the ‘common good’ instead of envy. With the death of Brutus and Cassius and defeating their all soldiers, the Triumvirate start to rule Rome again in order.