Inversion Of Public And Private Life In Julius Caesar

Brutus, Cassius, Caesar, and the other Senators held the power to do things others could not. With this authority came their ability to use poor judgement. In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Julius Caesar the theme Power Corrupts is arrayed thoroughly. Murder, treason, and ethical/moral corruption were three prevalent themes that proved the overall topic of Power Corrupts.

The tragedy of Julius Caesar is a story of struggle and betrayal; however, in it, Shakespeare conveys messages about human nature. Three of the main characters in the play convey the ways that power corrupts and changes people. Brutus’ attitude towards killing Caesar and rising to power, along with his personality, change throughout the first three acts. Cassius’ need for power makes him lose himself and his humanity. Mark Antony, changed by Caesar's death, rises to power after taking it away from those that killed him. In Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, he conveys notions regarding human nature and the ways that power changes and corrupts people; he does this through his characters Brutus, Cassius, and Antony.

When Octavian stated “And yet, at first, I was so enthusiastic about him that I shared with him my command, married my sister to him, and have him legions,” he shows that he was the dominate male in his home and an authority figure in Rome during his speech to his troops (Document 2). He tells them of how men are superior to woman, but that Antony is allowing Cleopatra to take control of Rome and him. Antony has given her everything that the citizens of Rome have worked for and owned including land, riches, and even an island, all while he is still married to Octavian’s sister. Antony went as far as even “legitimizing the two children, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selena,” that he conceived with Cleopatra while still married (Document 1). Octavian tried to reason with Antony, showing that he still backed him but that he needed to come back to the Roman side because the Egyptian queen has brainwashed him, and turned him into a female servant. Once, Antony rejects the offer, Octavian condemned Antony and in return was condemned right back (Document 1). From that point, Octavian decided that he no longer has a choice, Rome needed to defend themselves from the Egyptian sorcerous, Cleopatra, and the bewitched Marc Antony. If they conquered them, then they would be free from all that has been done, but if they lose, then they have brought shame upon themselves (Document

Historically, the action of Antony and Cleopatra takes place over a ten-year span, whereas in the play the story is compressed to fit the needs of the stage. Antony is clearly much older than he was in Julius Caesar, and his political instincts

It is very obvious when reading both passages that whilst Plutarch and Octavian had similar but also differing opinions about Mark Anthony and his relationship with Cleopatra, they are both guilty of putting their own negative spin on the situation. They both use different approaches to the subject but the end result is the same. Anthony is portrayed as a man who has lost his way and in doing so, has sunk to the lowest levels of society .The one thing they both agree on, is that Cleopatra had a very negative effect on Anthony

Throughout the play Julius Caesar Antony, Caesar’s loyal servant, has become a bigger and bigger factor in the play. He really breaks out in Act III. In Act III, Brutus and others have killed Caesar, but yet leaves Antony unharmed because he seems harmless. Antony wants to show the public Caesar’s body and say a funeral speech. Brutus, trusting Antony, allows him to do so, but under some certain terms. Antony must speak good of the conspirators and not blame them. Antony uses logos and ethos, irony, and finally establishes ethos to turn the crowd away from Brutus.

While their original friendship started out at a political meeting, it was later formed into one of the greatest love stories of all times. According to The Ancient World, "the political significance of this meeting was underscored by the establishment of a personal relationship that would capture the imagination of subsequent generations" (Wildin 75). Antony began to pursue Cleopatra, and they quickly fell in love. He left his current wife Octavia for Cleopatra, which caused the Roman citizens to question if he was a good leader and always doing the right thing. According to an article found on Antony, it says that "Antony wanted funds and supplies from Egypt to assist him in his conflict with the Parthians, and Cleopatra longed to restore the original boundaries of the Ptolemaic kingdom", ("Mark Antony" 2). They used each other for benefits and quickly became an unstoppable team. As described in The Ancient World, "there was now no retreating from their personal and political alliance: politics and love became one." (Wildin 75). Antony even had a ceremony where Cleopatra was given the title the "Queen of Kings" and their kids received titles as well (Mark Antony 2).

As he stands among them, he begins his powerful and mind changing speech. (Movie clip) Antony confronts the plebeians for their carelessness. He states that they loved Caesar when he was alive, why not now? (Act III Scene II Lines 103-105) Antony shows his internal emotions by crying for Caesar, (Act III Scene II Lines 108-110) and calling out the plebeians for their unloyalty. (Act III Scene II Lines 118-120) He states that when Caesar fell, Rome also fell, implying Caesars importance to the country. (Act III Scene II Lines 190-192) The Romans agree with Antony, (Act III Scene II Lines 105-110) but he ignores their wishes by reminiscing Caesar. He begins to remember the images of the first time Caesar put on his cloak. (Act III Scene II Lines 171-174) As he is over Caesar's body, giving his speech, he points out all of his wounds. (Act III Scene II Lines 175-189) Antony reveals the will, intriguing the attention of the plebeians. With the plebeians excited to hear the will, Antony refuses to read it. (Act III, Scene II, Lines 141-147) Once the crowd finally convinces Mark to read it, the will reveals 75 drachmas and all public recreations to the people of Rome. (Act III Scene II Lines 241-249) By the end of Antony's speech, the plebeians want

A person of great power has a large amount of control and influence over the vast majority of the population that they lead. Often times, their leadership position was gained through manipulation of the people as they try to sell themselves to them. This manipulation also affects any competition for that leadership position because a common technique to sway someone’s opinion is to make the competition look bad which then makes the people look down on the competition, causing the opposing side’s chances of success to plummet. William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar demonstrates this as a tale of manipulation leads to the downfall of the weaker link. Cassius, Mark Antony and Julius Caesar have perfected the art of manipulation as they are

Immediately after Caesar’s assassination, Antony is invited to visit the body and to listen to the conspirators rationale for Caesar’s death. Concealing his emotions before the senators, Antony appears to understand their motives; however, when the senators depart, Antony furiously declares, “Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood! / […] / A curse shall light upon the limbs of men” (III.i.273,277). Antony’s devout loyalty means he is willing to wage war to avenge Caesar’s death. His intention to engulf Rome in chaos is further expressed when Antony declares, “Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, / Take thou what course thou wilt” (III.ii.249-250)! Caesar’s death has ultimately rocked Antony’s world, catapulting Antony into a state of frenzy. Antony’s cunning mentality gains him more overall support then the conspirators, resulting in his eventual victory against the

The clang of the swords on the shields pierced General Julius Caesar’s ear. He couldn’t wait till the war against the Greeks was over and he could return home to his wife. He slaughtered 113 enemy soldiers and was still on the hunt to find one. He stepped over 47 bodies, some of which were still breathing and groaning their last breaths on the eastern shore of the river Acheron. Caesar's nemesis was General Brutus,the leader of the greek army, and his old best friend. After the battle at the River of Acheron, General Julius Caesar rode back to his camp, Gleaming in his Ice-white armour, shining in his glory after his victory vs the Greeks.

Performers, athletes, celebrities, government officials, teachers, and almost all individuals have one specific concept in common; almost every person has a separate private and public self. Celebrities often illustrate this concept. They are under constant pressure to uphold their public image and may tarnish their private self to keep their public status intact. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare demonstrates through Brutus that people can be called to act differently in the eye of the public compared to how they might behave in private.

Deliberately falsifying information for personal gain causing an ensuing conflict is a motif clearly contrived within William Shakespeare’s tragedy Antony and Cleopatra. Deception is represented within the protagonist, the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, a tempting seductress who has a false relationship with Antony only for personal motives. Within the play Cleopatra fabricates illnesses, deceives Antony’s love through her betrayal at sea and likens Caesar to a god, Antony’s enemy, all to achieve attention and advance politically. Created in 1606 during the Elizabethan era the characters within the play are based on an imaginary and partially real concept of historical characters. Shakespeare showcases Cleopatra as a woman unlike many of the time, holding power over man. In the visual representation a mask, ships on a stormy sea and a serpent are used to represent the act of deception. Antony’s fatal attraction to the queen, and Cleopatra’s hidden desires bind the two together to create a falsified love on public display that is fueled by deception.

The audience is privy to a private conversation in Caesar’s home between Caesar and Lepidus, who were the other two thirds of the “triple pillar of the world” – the triumvirate. The triumvirate were a powerful political and military force; they ruled the Roman Empire after the murder of Julius Caesar. During this conversation, they discuss Antony’s debauched life and his former greatness in Caesar’s home where Caesar feels free to express his opinions honestly and he declares that Antony is “a man who is abstract of all faults” and someone who would “give a kingdom for mirth.” This shows us how far he has fallen in Caesar’s eyes as his tone would be scathing and I imagine he would be pacing as he ranted about Antony

Shakespeare’s Presentation of Rome and Egypt in Antony and Cleopatra As the title clearly suggests, Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra is based around the extraordinary relationship among two distinctive individuals, one a Roman general and the other an Egyptian queen. Along with Caesar who is also a Roman general, these entities dominate the play’s tragic storyline progression. However whilst Antony and Cleopatra centres around a provocative love affair, Shakespeare makes it evident that there is a good deal larger tensions involved, a collision course between two worlds. Antony and Cleopatra details the conflict between Rome and Egypt, it demonstrates the differences between Eastern and Western