Critical Essay on "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare

Introduction

"The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare is a history play which is believed to have been written in 1599. The play is one of the many plays written by Shakespeare. The play is based on the actual events from Roman history (Caesar 201). The story of the play revolves around the various individuals who would vie for control of the Roman Empire. Most of the characters in the play exhibit different values, attributes and technique to gain control over the Roman Empire. Main characters in the play include Brutus, Antony Cassius and Caesar (Caesar 201). The play starts with two tribunes discovering the commoners of Rome celebrating Julius Caesar's Triumphant return from defeating the sons of his military rival, Pompey. The Tribunes try to silence the crowd but fail and are received with insults from the group. Caesar and his army hold a victory parade and ignore the warning from soothsayer on why he should not match into the city (Caesar 201). Cassius, on the other hand, tries to convince Brutus that they should conspire and kill Caesar as Caesar may be abusing his power. Caesar declines the crown of Rome in the presence of the crowd after he is offered the chance to become the leader by Mark Antony and Casca. However, his refusal to take the crown is so that the crowd can beg him to take the crown. He is angered after the crowd applauds him for refusing the crown instead of them asking him to take it (Caesar 201).

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Thoughts about death are clearly shown in Act III scene 2 of the play. Caesar is assassinated after a conspiracy by senators led by Cassius who manages to convince Brutus that Caesar was abusing his powers. The conspiring senators meet and forge a letter from the Roman people support of their move to assassinated Caesar as a move to convince Brutus. Brutus, who is unaware of the intentions of the letter, accepts and decides to join the conspiracy. Brutus is convinced that to prevent Caesar from further abusing his powers and harming the Roman people then he should be assassinated. Caesar on the other side goes to the Senate against warning from different people about his safety. His wife Calpurnia, as well as the soothsayer, advises him against going to the Senate. Cassius, Brutus as well as other conspirators, approach Caesar with a fake petition which he has predicted rejects. The conspirators suddenly stab Caesar. Climber grabbed Caesar's shoulders and stabbed him and then was followed by other conspirators who had crowded round Caesar during the petition to offer support. Brutus stubs Caesar being last and Caesar turns towards him and asks him "You too, Brutus?" After the stabbing and assassination of Caesar who the senators termed as a dictator, the conspirators defended their action by stating that they did it for the good of Rome. The conspirators do not attempt to flee the scene and can convince the crowd that their actions were not for their good but the good of Rome. Cassius and Brutus during a battle after the assassination of Caesar hold hands and smile probably knowing that they will die. His servant kills Cassius while Brutus commits suicide.

On one side in the play, death is portrayed as noble while on the other death is deeply unpleasant. Death is presented as a noble, unbrutal and honorable thing. This is clear where Brutus is talking about Caesar's murder "Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offenses enforced, for which he suffered death" (Act III, Scene 2). Brutus also states "Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar: And in the spirit of men there is no blood: O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit, and not dismember Caesar" (Act II Scene 1). These words by Brutus portray death as a noble life experience which people should not be afraid of. Instead, Brutus words suggest that there is life in the form of spirits afterlife and thus people should not dismember Caesar even after his death. Both Brutus and Cassius kill themselves in what many would supposedly argue was in an honorable way. The two die by their swords and seem to be prepared to die as they smile and holds hands before their deaths. Caesar ignored the warning and instead chooses to uphold justice even if it meant that would lead to his death. This shows that he was not afraid of death as long as he believed it would be for the right course.

Death is horrific and unpleasant. This can be seen from Antony's words during the burial of Caesar. He states "You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason. Bear with me; my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it comes back to me" (Act III, Scene 2).

The actions of these characters in the play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" towards death indicate that western civilization has conflicting views about death. To some death is an honorable stage of personal life and thus are not afraid of death. Others view death as a horrible experience and mourn the death of their loved ones wishing that death did not take them away from them.

Works Cited

Caesar, Studying Julius. "Resources for Teaching." Julius Caesar: A Critical Reader (2016): 201.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Vol. 5. Methuen, 1902.