Cassius Domino Effect

Cassius’ Domino Effect The divine lightning that rules our lives has always made us both the protagonist and the victim. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, he focuses on the actions and results in the play that occur in a domino effect, with characters that set forth events that lead to great suffering. In Julius Caesar, Cassius is the tragic figure who contributes to the vision of the conspirators as a whole, but through the “divine lighting,” matters could not be helped. Cassius’s personality leads to his, and many others, fatal downfall. Cassius’s is seen as the leader of the conspirators, the manipulative master behind the cruel plan. He, with many others, disdain Caesar for his arrogance, yet Cassius encompasses the same exact trait. His arrogance is shown in Act I, when he and Brutus are talking, and Cassius notices the unease in Brutus’ eyes when they believe Caesar is crowned. He says, “I was born as free as Caesar,” (1.2, 104). In this speech Cassius is trying to convey the idea that Brutus is as good as Caesar so that Brutus will be more inclined to join the conspiracy, but Cassius uses the first comparison of Caesar to explain that Caesar is no better than he. His cunning, manipulative nature bleeds through in his very first speech, his arrogance is clearly shown and his motives laid down. Cassius’ jealousy leads to his revulsion of Caesar. Only Caesar’s death being the answer to Cassius’ insecurities. The cunning manipulation Cassius practices affects everybody in the play. Cassius manipulation so purely spoken by Brutus when he proclaims, “What dangers would you lead me, Cassius/That you would have me seek into myself/ For that which is not in me?”(1.2, 69-71). Brutus’ jealousy of Caesar had not yet progressed to the level of malevolence, but as Brutus said Cassius spurns him on selfishly to mold him into what benefits him the most. Brutus is troubled at first, unsure what to do, and his odd behavior aggravates Portia, causing