preview

Omens In Julius Caesar

Decent Essays
Open Document

Birds of death, broken mirrors, a black cat in the street. These are all symbols of bad luck around the world, but they can also be identified as omens. Omens are an occurrence or phenomenon believed to indicate a future event. Throughout the play, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, omens play a strong role within some of the characters lives. Much attention is paid to omens and nightmares, for they foreshadow the death of Julius Caesar. The omens throughout the play pull out different responses from all the characters, but one can’t help but wonder did failure to listen or comprehend these omens tragically affect the characters?
“ Beware the ides of March” (1.2.21), is an omen to March 15, or the day Caesar was killed. The soothsayer tries to warn Caesar many times but is ignored. Caesar also disregards him as a “dreamer” (1.2.29) . When the time has come Caesar says, “ The ides of March are come” ( 3.1.1), he feels that since nothing bad has happened, nothing will. The soothsayer warns him there is still time. Likewise, Calpurnia had a dream the night before of her husband, Caesar as a statue with a hundred holes. “She dreamt tonight she saw my status, / Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,/ Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans/ Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it” (2.2.81-84). Calpurnia's dream foreshadows death to come, but Caesar much like with the soothsayer pushes away this warning as well. Caesar instantly bought into Decius’ story,

Get Access