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Julius Caesar Essay

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Julius Caesar William Shakespeare has written many plays that touched millions of people throughout the centuries. His works are still the most controversial ones favored by many Literature critics because his plays generate spontaneous debates on issues such as friendship, revenge, human ambitions and moralities that lead to dynamic discussion among people. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, friendship vs. duty is one of the major themes that is developed. One's struggle over the choice between friendship and duty is depicted through the main character, Brutus, as he battles himself to choose between his duty to carry out people's will and his own conscious hitting on his faithfulness to his best friend Caesar. Although …show more content…

Cassius, who does not want Caesar to have all the power in Rome, plans to form a conspiracy to kill Caesar, and other nobles, who believe that Caesar's death is the only way to save the Roman citizens from a tyrannical ruler and to retain republican government, were easily persuaded to join the conspiracy with Cassius. However, although Brutus agrees that Caesar should be killed for the better of the country, joining the conspiracy was extremely pressing and strenuous for him, because Caesar was his good friend. " Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dea, to live all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him" (Act 3, Scene 2, 25 - 27) As Brutus was struggling with his mind, (Cassius speaks of an idealized "Rome" of the past in which kingship was unthinkable. " Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!... O, you and I have heard our fathers say, There was a Brutus once that would have brooked Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome As easily as a king" (Shakespear 1.2. 151 - 161) Cassius' reminder of an idealized "Rome" draws Brutus's heart toward joining the conspiracy with Cassius, because he realizes that while Cassius and he were

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