Essay about Fate vs. Free Will in Julius Caesar

betrayal as “not that [he] loved Caesar less, but that [he] loved Rome more.”1 The reasoning

Julius Caesar was a Roman Dictator who was both loved and hated by those that he ruled over. Throughout the world, he has been written about in a variety of different ways and is portrayed as a politician as well as a selfish dictator. Three “firsthand” accounts that were written to give us a better understanding of Julius Caesar were “The Assassination of Julius Caesar”, “Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius”, and “Plutarch, The Assassination of Julius Caesar, from Marcus Brutus”. We will explore the writings and explain how he is viewed from those around him and compare that to the history portrayed in the History books. With this, we will be able to get a better idea of who he was.

What is an example of two top competing forces that people can think of at the top of their head? Some might say Nike vs.Reebok because the battle between the two lasted over three decades and helped create sporting celebrities into cultural icons. Others might say Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs because they were different as apples and oranges, yet they had much in common because they both created and dreamed of the idea of a personal computer. But is it possible that fate vs. free will spark an idea in peoples’ brains? Maybe. This essay will be focusing on that relationship and balance in one famous piece of work. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar proved that fate and free will maintain a tug-of-war situation by

He states that Caesar also gets sick, and is no god. That he alone can’t conquer the rest of the world , he isn’t capable of it. Cassius’s jealousy and selfish reasons fueled him to create a group of conspirators, He uses his friendship to manipulate Brutus and other senators to join him in seeing the end of Caesar. To get Brutus by his side he tells Brutus about his love for him. Nobility and honor were characteristics of Brutus, Badian E. writes that

In the play Julius caesar, there are two powerful forces and a theme of destiny vs human free will. Fate and free will are one of the many themes and philosophies present in the play Julius caesar. The role of fate along with Humans free will in this novel brings tragic events. “Men at some time are masters of their fates.”(I.ii.146-148), a quote said by cassius, explaining that men most of the time may not have control over their destinies. However characters in the play that follow their free will can create their own outcomes in their lives.

He has the urge to be the best there is and knows that with the acceptance from the Romans he is able to overcome that ambition. The power he withholds against the men are what they want to cease. They are afraid that the plan will not go on because of the anxiety of being caught. Cassius expresses his thoughts on how he believes Rome is idiotic for having a worthless object like Caesar wanting to control the city. “What rubbish, and what offal, when it serves. For the base matter to illuminate. So vile a thing as Caesar!” (Shakespeare 56) They would not need necessity of murdering Caesar if they believed he was not incompetent and abuse his power. It presents throughout the play that Julius Caesar does think in a high matter. His concerns were mainly put on him instead of the people of Rome. The events that took

Although it was the belief of the majority that it was Caesar’s fate to become king, Cassius did not believe that Caesar was worthy of such honor. As the leader of the conspirators, he uses various means to convince the others to join his cause, and as he attempts to convince Brutus, he says: “Men at some times are masters of their fates./The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,/ But in ourselves, that we are underlings” (I. ii. 146-148). Cassius believes that society’s faults are not caused by fate, but in man’s fear of resisting tyranny. According to Cassius, fate is a form of passivity and cowardice, and he chooses to overcome this

Both, Julius Caesar and Invictus, are set in times of adversity and strife. In both predicaments, a conclusion is made that every man has his own free will which

“A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets, and graves have yawned and yielded up their dead. Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds in ranks and squadrons and right form of war, which drizzled blood upon the Capitol” (2.2.17-21). If Julius Caesar had listened to words like these, the events that conspired wouldn’t have been so tragic. In fact, there are many times when Caesar ignores important words that could have been beneficial to him. Julius Caesar’s tragic flaw lies in his inability to interpret omens in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, and it eventually leads to his downfall.

The universe is full of events that occur for reasons that can not be explained in full certainty until the day we die, and until then we may only speculate their reason. Depending on who is asked, they may say that we are slaves to fate, or deciders of our lives by choice. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar shows both of these possibilities throughout the play. The lives and deaths of the characters are dictated by these forces and how they live can be analyzed from both sides. The story is a case split between bad choices causing death, and the fate to die.

Caesar was very confident in his ability to rule and he thought everyone loved him and would follow him with whatever decisions he made. However, the last day he appeared at the Senate thing began to become clear. Caesar showed his surprise when Brutus, his right hand man, came forward against him and petition for Metellus Cimber’s brother. Caesar declared his decision was as “constant as the Northern Star” which made them realize he was becoming a dictator. Casca was the first to stab Caesar then the remaining conspirators joined in and began stabbing him. Once he saw Brutus with the sword he realized he has been betrayed. "Et tu, Brute? - Then fall Caesar" (3.1.77) He realized he had been blind to what was really going on. He had lived

William Shakespeare’s tragedy called “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” focuses on the psychological drama of Brutus, Caesar's friend, and his struggle between the clashing demands of honor, patriotism and friendship. Looking at the role of fate and freewill in the play could it be said that fate and/or freewill controls the lives of others. One cannot avoid fate, but rather settle for the outcome. Although Cassius feels that men are masters of their own fate one can say otherwise, because everyone has control of their choices but not of their outcome.

“Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Perhaps Caesar was a small part in the overall scheme of things in the tragedy Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare. In the play, Julius Caesar’s end is inevitable because of his inability to face the truth. The truth being the opposite of what he believes to be the “righteous thing”. Overall, Caesar’s inability to accept the truth is what ultimately lead to his downfall.

In the play, Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare, is about the killing of Julius Caesar and the story behind it. The reader has the ultimate decision to decide whether or not a character is deemed to be “good” or “evil” due to their decisions. Caesar’s decisions and actions define his overall character, revealing that he is blinded by pride which leads him to his death.

The audience can assume that his pride is the main reason that he ignored the soothsayer’s words. Caesar, as evident by his prompt dismissal of a man warning him of his own demise, sees himself as above the common folk, and above the influence of the fates. This trait, which he exhibits on several occasions, eventually leads to his end.