Evil In Julius Caesar

Cassius is a talented general, and does not like the fact that Caesar has become `god-like' in the Roman people's minds (see above quote Act I, Scene ii). Cassius can be seen as a

Both Brutus’ and Cassius’ characterizations are results of Shakespeare’s biased dialogue. Throughout the play, Brutus is continuously described as being noble and honorable. The first mention of this is early on in the play. Cassius, when trying to persuade Brutus to join the conspirators, praises Brutus by saying “noble Brutus” and “good Brutus” (page 17, line 68, 72). During Antony’s funeral speech, he repeats over and over “Brutus is an

Have you ever wondered if anything has stayed the same for over half a century? Look no further; in the drama, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, an important theme is all power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This simple statement is true for Ancient Rome and it is also true for North Korea today.

Good and evil; two simple words that hold an infinite amount of power. Though they are similar in this aspect, it is a compelling argument that ‘evil’ is stronger and more powerful than ‘good.’ William Shakespeare wrote in his play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: “The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.” As true as this quote is, the fictional and modern proof accentuates the veracity of the statement.

In Act I, Scene 2, the purpose of Cassis’ speech is to persuade Brutus to distrust Caesar, and to join him in a conspiracy against Caesar. In his speech to Brutus, Cassius uses a variety of persuasive and rhetorical devices to persuade Brutus to join his cause against Caesar. Cassius is desperate to have Brutus on his side because of his close relation to Caesar and great respect and trust from the people of Rome. The tone of Cassius’ speech to Brutus is introduced with Cassius appealing to Brutus’ sense of responsibility towards Rome. Cassius tells Brutus that he has, “Heard where many of the best respect in Rome, except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus and groaning underneath this age’s yoke, have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes” (I.ii.64-68). Cassius tells Brutus that he is admired by Rome, appealing to Brutus’ value of putting Rome ahead of himself. Cassius uses knowledge of this value to his advantage in his speech, insisting that killing Caesar will be for the good of Rome. Cassius also introduces his speech by persuading Brutus that he is honorable and can be trusted. Cassius tells Brutus that, “Honor is the subject of my story”(I.ii.99). This appeals to the speaker Cassius’ credibility and has an ethical appeal on Brutus, or ethos. This appeal is effective because it connects with something that Brutus values, honor. In Cassius’ speech to Brutus, he uses a comparison comparing Caesar to a Colossus saying, “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves”(I.ii.142-144). Cassius is using an analogy comparing Caesar to Colossus, which was a large statue. Cassius again uses Brutus’ value of honor to persuade when he tells Brutus that if Caesar is in power, he and Brutus will die dishonorable deaths. During the time period, an honorable death was very important to noble Romans, especially Brutus. When Cassius is comparing the two names Brutus and Caesar, he uses the strategy of asking rhetorical questions. “Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that ‘Caesar?’ Why should that name be sounded more than yours?(I.ii.149-151).” Cassius also asks, “Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed that he

In this situation Cassius had a conversation about killing Mark Antony as well as Caesar. This was a form of Treason. Cassius would never have said such things if he did not have the power to. Being a senator he felt he had the right to decide what was good for Rome. He not only said this for Rome, but for himself as well. If Caesar had become King, he would have been able to get ride of Cassius. This thought did not please Cassius. "Casca, you are the first to that rears your hand" (Shakespeare 3.1.30). This was another point in the story where treason was committed. It took place in the Senate House, as Caesar approached. Cassius and the other senators discussed how Casca would attack Caesar first.

He states that Brutus is just as noble and worthy as Caesar. (Act 1, scene ii). He says that Brutus cannot see what everyone else does and recognize his worthiness. Cassius and the other senators do not want Caesar to be king because they would lose all their power. Cassius is slowly luring Brutus in to do his dirty work. He builds Brutus’s confidence up to make him thing that killing Caesar is the right thing to do. Cassius is basically playing with Brutus’s head because he knows Brutus will listen. So, Brutus joins the conspirators in killing Caesar. Cassius tells Brutus that it is for the good of Rome, and that he is saving them from a dictatorship. Cassius is going for Brutus’s weakest point, his care and concern for Rome. He knows that if Brutus believes the people distrust Caesar, then he will be convinced that Caesar must be thwarted. Brutus knew that if Caesar was crowned, he would never have a chance, and he was power hungry. This is what ultimately leads to the tragedy of Julius Caesar. After Brutus kills Caesar off, he starts to feel guilty for killing his friend, thus creating an internal conflict. Brutus was so confident that the plan would go exactly as planned that he fell apart when they encountered problems. If Brutus and the other conspirators had taken more time to think things through, they probably would have been more prepared for the situation that was handed to them.

Cassius’s jealousy caused all the events in the play to be set in motion, and thus led to his downfall. A prominent example of this would be when Brutus and Cassius are speaking and Cassius is trying to convince Brutus to join his plot by telling a story of how Caesar had to ask for Cassius’s help because he was too weak and tired to continue swimming. This leads Cassius to say, “Did I the tired Caesar. And this a man / Is now become a god, and Cassius / A wretched creature and must bend his body / If Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (I.ii.115-118). This quote in modern times would say, “Caesar was tired. And this man is supposed to be a god, and I am a wretched creature who has to kneel to Caesar.” Cassius is implying that Caesar is supposed to be this strong god and Cassius a wretched creature, yet Cassius had to save Caesar from drowning. This quote leads to Cassius’s downfall because it shows his jealousy through what he is feeling towards Caesar. His downfall is also shown because this scene is Cassius trying to convince Brutus to join his plot. Another quote that proves Cassius’s tragic flaw occurs after Brutus has died. Messala is asking

Unlike the common view of leaders, the potential leaders of Julius Caesar are not necessarily nice or giving. However, sometimes that is necessary. In the play Julius Caesar, a long tale of leadership shows the true qualities of the greatest leaders. Where the reader finds themselves started is at the point which Antony and Caesar, the overconfident leader of Rome, are discussing people around them. This discussion boils to a point in which Antony and Caesar discuss the possibility of Cassius being a threat to Caesar. Later, readers find Cassius is indeed a threat, as he and multiple others, including Brutus, stab Caesar to death. Antony then brings Caesar’s body to the multitude, and with a great speech inspires a hatred for those who wrongfully stabbed him. At the next point Antony is seen, he and Octavius are the new rulers of Rome. These two comrades go and finally eliminate the last of the traitors, Cassius and Brutus, in a battle that cements the two as the new leaders of Rome. Throughout all these actions, one man particularly showed that he should control the Roman Empire. Antony was created to be Rome’s leader in Julius Caesar, where William Shakespeare gave him inspirational abilities, persuasiveness, and fearlessness which are unparalleled.

Cassius’s character was sneaky and conniving with the motive to kill Caesar for his country because of his jealousy. His role being the mastermind behind the plan led Cassius to deceive a group of people. Cassius’s character was sneaky because he convinced many people to do what he wanted to be done. Which caused the death of Caesar because he thought it would make his country a better place. Cassius was also jealous of Caesar because Caesar had all the power in Rome. Consequently, the jealous man turned against Caesar because he wanted to have the power of Caesar.

In Act I, Scene ii, Lines 97-99, Cassius says, “I was born free as Caesar; so were you. We both have fed as well, and we can both endure the winter cold as well as he” (Anderson et al. 783). Cassius is jealous because Caesar has all the power and he thinks he does not deserve it all. Caesar is not any more special than anyone else. He should not have been treated differently until he proved himself worthy. Even though Cassius was jealous, he should not have stabbed Caesar because of it. Cassius appears to think Caesar is weak because he mentions a time where they were swimming and Caesar got tired and asked him to rescue him

In the play, it is evident that Cassius wanted to kill Caesar for selfish reasons(I, ii, 140-145). The citation shows that Cassius was jealous, but Brutus saw right through

We learn a lot about the ?evil, mischievous, deceptive? Cassius in one of his soliloquy. He reflects on the weakness of Brutus and how he is better than Brutus. He says that is he had been Brutus and Brutus him, he would not of joined the conspiracy. ?Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see, / Thy honourable mettle may be wrought / ?If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, / he should not humour me.? (Act I Scene II, L. 308 ? 309, 314 ? 315). In the same soliloquy we learn that he is a very deceptive person. He decides that he will throw letters into Brutus?s house, chair that he as wrote. Brutus will think the letters are from citizens, who disagree with Caesar and the future of Rome. ?I will this night/ In several hands, in at his window throw, / As if they came from several citizens, / Writings, all tending the great opinion / That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely / Caesar?s ambition shall be glanced at:? (Act I, Scene II, L315 ? 320.) Deceptiveness is one of Cassius greatest strengths. A man who is as deceptive as Cassius is not fit to lead a battle, not to mention an Empire.

Michael Ende once said, “When it comes to controlling human beings, there is no better instrument than lies. Because you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts.” This quote describes Cassius down to a T. Once people shared their susceptible beliefs, they were able to be molded like putty to his liking. He is a liar, but an excellent one at that; he always knows how to use half-truths to get him exactly what he wants. In this case, he wants to be a person of a higher ranking. He is jealous that Caesar had more power, and his envy leads him to manipulate people in order to get what Caesar has. Manipulation is his strength and no one else has the savvy for deception quite like he does. It leads him to a tragic end, but not before he is able to take down others with his manipulative attribute. The play begins with Cassius manipulating Brutus to join the conspiracy, in which he is conspiring to kill Caesar, and ends with him dying in order to right his wrongs. Everything in between is manipulation after manipulation. Whether he is convincing himself of one thing, or persuading someone else of another, Cassius digs his own grave from the start. He convinces himself that he is nothing, and Caesar is everything, but he wants their names to have equal value. Cassius has every reason to kill him, and every plan laid out perfectly. What he does not count on are the repercussions of his actions. In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Cassius’s manipulative trait is his tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall, because his jealousy motivates him to manipulate.

In the play, Julius Caesar, the characters lose all morality while making an endeavor toward gain political power. Cassius lost all his morality when he assassinated Julius Caesar toward the try toward gets power. I would say, he did loss all his morality. It was stupid toward