Julius Caesar Essay: Reaching from the Grave -- Julius Caesar Essays

Reaching from the Grave of Julius Caesar   It is assumed that the title of a sprain should reflect the nature of its content. The title should relate to the to the central influence which controls the hang up of the work. Shakespeares Julius Caesar seems to contradict that convention. Caesar meets his bloody end at the hands of conspirators in the world-class scene of Act III, barely halfway through the play. He is not the sad hero that distinction lies with Brutus and Cassius, around whom the play revolves before and later on the assassination. This essay will show that although Caesar is not the hero of this tragedy, he sure is the title character.   Like the storm in the offshoot scene of The Tempest, Caesars mastery over Pompey at the beginning of Julius Caesar sets the wor poofs of the plot into motion. The plebians and senators take increasingly separated in their loyalties. In a time of brutal polite war, the plebians feel they need a single strong ruler such(prenominal) as Caesar. The senators, on the other hand, fear that he might become ambitious and continue killing off his competition, i.e., the senators themselves. At the celebration of Caesars victory, Brutus remarks, What doer this shouting? I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king (I.ii.78-79). Cassius turns bitter towards Caesar, because he thinks Caesar is physically weak, and deserves none of the praise that the public gobs upon him. Very early on, Cassius mistrusts Caesar, and becomes just as ambitious himself as he fears Caesar to be. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we slight men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To dominate ourselves dishonorable graves. Men at some time... ...art mighty yet Thy life walks abroad, and turns our swords in our own proper entrails (V.iii.94-96). Scene v shows Brutus ultimately giving in and joining his fellow senators in death, unable to uprise the grief of the ir loss nor the guilt at killing Caesar in the first place. Thus Caesar, though dead and physically gone, remains a effective presence throughout the second half of the play. The guilt that he inspires in the conspirators, and the vengeance he stirs up among the plebians, force the play to its tragic conclusion. This is the yet way that Julius Caesar can remain the title character, by maintaining a mightily influence throughout the play, whether dead or alive. Shakespeare called the play Julius Caesar not because Caesar is the tragic hero, but because it is Caesars ambition, his downfall, and his presence after death which cause the tragedy to occur.