Preview

Cassius In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
310 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Cassius In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Cassius is one of the main conspirators against Julius Caesar, thereby possessing several undesirable traits that one may consider intolerable. First, Cassius is a very malicious person by orchestrating an elaborate plan for Caesar’s downfall. In his soliloquy, he says, “For we will shake him, or worse days endure.” (1.2.320) This statement implies Cassius’ intent to sabotage Caesar’s rising popularity among the Roman citizens through a plan yet that will unfold on the later parts of the play. Furthermore, a malicious figure or someone who intends to cause harm is looked upon as a miscreant, which most people do not want to be around with. Second, Cassius is also manipulative since he intends to involve

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Cassius's perspective is very much that Caesar is a mere man and no better than any other Roman. 'I was born as free as Caesar, so were you.' His recollection of the time he saved Caesar from drowning had a great influence on his view on Caesar, “Tis true, this god did shake.” He ironically utilizes the term ‘god’ as he was astonished that a man of such physical weakness can now have the reputation of greatness, “'Ye gods, it doth amaze me / A man of such a feeble temper should / So get the start of the majestic world.” Cassius’ soliloquy exposes his deceit and manipulation, “Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see Thy honourable metal may be wrought from that it is disposed.” His play on words showing his belief that he will be able to manipulate Brutus; honourable “mettle,” as if it were heated metal being changed into something new and finally target Caesar with his own loved companion. There is an element of personal jealousy in Cassius. It is evident in his metaphorical language:, 'Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world / Like a Colossus and we petty men' His simile of ‘Colossus’ also produces imagery of the flawed Caesar. Cassius represents Caesar as a tyrant. Cassius takes it personally and will act on the matter. Therefore, through a variety of literary techniques, embedded in various character convictions and opposing views, Shakespeare is able to blur…

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Language is a dangerous weapon in the arsenal of someone who knows how to use it. While Cassius may be no Hitler, he is good at getting his way, and for now he wants Caesar dead and that makes him very dangerous indeed. This is real danger even today; people buy into rhetoric without considering where it comes from and what the consequences of it might be. This is a very disturbing thought, one that is more than likely to make a few readers share Caesar’s suspicion of Cassius and other quick…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cassies Conspires

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare, there are a few characters with great soliloquies, who have an extremely dramatic effect on the plot of the story. One of those characters happens to be Cassius, Caesar’s enemy. During Act I, scene ii, Cassius starts plotting against Caesar, as he is now the new leader of Rome. Although Cassius is the one going against Caesar, he manipulates Brutus, Caesar’s…

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "Fear him not, Caesar, he's not dangerous; / He is a noble Roman, and well given" (I.ii.196-197). Antony explains to Caesar that Cassius is not a person to be feared, but, a noble man who is trustworthy. Cassius might not be considered noble for some of his acts, but his motives behind them makes him a noble Roman, for he wants the best for the common public and doesn't want a tyrant ruling over Rome.…

    • 758 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Is Julius Caesar Bad

    • 642 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Julius Caesar in the play "The tragedy of Julius Caesar" was a in line to be the next ruler of Ancient Rome. Caesar becomes drunk in power as most people would when there are roughly a million people adoring you. The people of Ancient Rome truly liked Caesar, in fact in Act 1 Scene 1, a commoner says "..we are taking holiday for Caesar's arrival.." In this act the reader gets a sense on how much the people like Caesar. However it is also shown to the reader how much noblemen do not like or trust Caesar to be a good leader. Throughout Act 1 and 2 Cassius is trying to convince Brutus, one of Caesar's good friends, to help them murder Caesar so he could take the crown. Brutus and his followers believe they are doing a service to the people. That in some way sacrificing Caesar is for the better good. However this being said Caesar's death was not a sacrifice it was a butchery, there is no need to go out and kill someone.…

    • 642 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jealousy In Julius Caesar

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The character Cassius in the tragedy of Julius Caesar by Shakespeare constantly reflects palpable jealousy. In Act I Scene II, Cassius claims “I was born free as Caesar; so were you:/We both have fed as well, and we both/Endure the winter’s cold as well as he…”(Shakespeare, lines 5-7); and feels king Caesar does not deserve superiority over him. In this scene, Cassius is pointing out to Brutus that he and Cassius deserve the power to lead Rome more than Caesar. In order to prove these points, Cassius shares three stories with Brutus in his speech: one of when he and Caesar had a swimming contest; another when he saw Caesar sickly and frail after a fever; and lastly one where Caesar again is portrayed as a weak and sickly man. In the monologue by Cassius directed at Brutus, Cassius uses paradox, self-heroic word choice and similes throughout three separate stories to give examples of Caesar’s weaknesses. Cassius’ main goal becomes to portray Caesar as any other man; and to rationalize killing the king to gain power for (what he…

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Throughout world history there have been many memorable figures and substantial events to enlighten our past as well as diminish it. To begin, Julius Caesar, Roman general and politician, lived from about 100 to 44 B.C. One of the greatest military leaders in Roman history, he conquered land now known as present day France and Belgium, which originally went by the name of Gaul (Applebee 689). Marcus Brutus, a perpetual dictator, lived from about 85 to 42 B.C. (Biography.com). Mario, or originally known as “Jumpman”, is a fictional Italian plumber that was born/created in 1981 (Newman). Bowser, the leader of the Koopa Kingdom was born/created in 1985. He’s Mario’s arch enemy and is always kidnapping the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach, in an attempt to rule the Mushroom Kingdom (Sartin). A former Roman ruler, Pompey, is defeated by Caesar in 48 B.C. Pompey was then murdered a year after being defeated (Shakespeare 1. 1. 39). To reevaluate, Caesar is returning home to Rome in triumph after defeating Pompey’s sons in Munda, Spain during the Battle of Munda. The townsman are celebrating in the Feast of Lupercal taking…

    • 2716 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tragic Hero Archetype

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What the citizens of Rome saw was only the persona he cultivated to appear humble. But Brutus says of Caesar, “I have not known when his [Caesar’s] affections swayed/ More than his reason,” (II, i, l 19 - 21). Although Brutus is afraid of what Caesar may become if he were to gain more power, he knows that Caesar is not abusing it as of that point. His arrogance is plain to see, but Caesar still makes reasonable decisions based on what is best for the people of Rome and not himself and doesn’t hold any biases. This would suggest that Caesar does in fact follow a moral code and strives to actually be a good person, which is a characteristic of the Shakespearean tragic hero. Cassius and the other senators created the conspiracy mainly because of envy of him acting like he is not human like them because of his power and ambition instead of fear of what the citizens of Rome might suffer if he were to gain more…

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Honorable or not? Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare was a tragedy consisting many events. The tragedy of Julius Caesar began in Rome when the people of Rome are taking a holiday to celebrate the triumphant return of Julius Caesar. Two tribunes’ names Marullis and Flavious try to shame the people of Rome for their fickle behavior for one minute praising Pompey and now praising Caesar. Julius Caesar is a highly successful leader of Rome whose popularity seems to model a dictatorship. Although Caesar is loved and supported by the citizens some begin to grow worry of his increase in power through out Rome. Soon these worried citizens conspire to assassinate Caesar before he becomes king thus returning their republic government into a monarchy. These worried citizens consisted of two main characters Brutus and Cassius. Brutus ends up joining this conspiracy in killing Caesar because he strongly believes in keeping Rome a government ruled by the people. In addition to that, during the celebration, of Caesar is warned by the Soothsayer to “beware the Ides of March” The next…

    • 613 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cassius admits that Caesar is treated like a god and recalls events of Caesar’s physical weakness. Caesar was a powerful man who planned to become the supreme ruler of the Roman Empire in order to solve the many economic, political and military problems the empire was against. While, there were people that feared such a powerful man because this dictator threatened his/her position. Cassius voices his reason for Caesar being unfit to rule, Cassius says, “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” (Shakespeare, I, i, 139-141). Saying that it is not his/her fate to blame, but that is his/her own fault that they have not done anything to make them great. Cassius blames his and Brutus’s lack of will to grant Caesar to power. Cassius and Brutus’s jealously of Caesar makes it unjustifiable to kill him. In her article, Alice Shalvi argues, “Shakespeare implicitly condemns the conspiracy, then, on two scores: firstly, because it inevitably involves moral corruption even in the best and noblest of men and, secondly, because murder is always no matter in what…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Julius Caesar Paper

    • 1812 Words
    • 8 Pages

    When Caesar says about Cassius, "He thinks too much, such men are dangerous,"(I.II.195) he is implying that Cassius is smart and can think for himself. This makes Cassius a danger to Caesar’s rule and therefore a danger to Rome. This renders Cassius a danger for the empire because he will not just do whatever Caesar tells him to do. Cassius can challenge and threaten Caesar's powers, unlike the people of lower intelligence who are sworn to the cult of blind obedience, represented by the all famous saying “see no evil, hear no evil”. These people are just the perfect commands executors just because they do not know what to do otherwise. A quality educated populous is the enemy of any ruler.…

    • 1812 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cassius

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Breaking the bond of trust in a relationship and deceiving another person are considered as forms of betrayal. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, betrayal can be regarded as the foundation of the whole story and throughout the play between other characters. Due to the anger of Cassius, the entire play deals with the betrayal of Caesar by Cassius; there are occurrences of this treachery before and after his death.…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, there were two honorable men who were great persuaders that manipulated the sheep's' (plebeians) mind. Those two orators were Brutus and Antony, and Antony who comes out on top in the end. Brutus and the conspirators first kill Caesar by stabbing him and then explaining to the Romans their reason for doing such 'good' deed. Brutus gets the attention of every Roman in the town and asks them to hear him out before acting and spilling more blood. To start out with, Brutus’s speech was formal and more directed to the Romans. In his introduction he starts with “Romans, countrymen, and lovers! (13)” He used this to join everyone together and later help him justify Caesar’s death. Throughout his whole speech, he kept calling Caesar ambitious to make it seem like he was only thinking about himself. Then, Brutus delivers a passionate speech involving ethos in which he affirms his position as an honorable and loving friend of Caesar who loved him more than any man in Rome, but only killed him because he loved Rome more. He employs logos and reasons with the crowd that Caesar had grown too powerful and ambitious and if not stopped, would turn the plebs into slaves. Also, Brutus says that he would rather kill Caesar and bear shame before Caesar enslaved the plebs and that Brutus expects the plebs to do the same exact thing if they were put into Brutus's situation. Even though Brutus went first, swayed the sheep's mind, and had a clear advantage over Antony, he still lost in the end.…

    • 511 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cassius Monologues

    • 1227 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Cassius used two different monologues to convince Brutus to help him assassinate Caesar. In the first monologue, Cassius used ethos to change his reputation and make Caesar seem weak and in the second monologue, Cassius used pathos and logos to convince Brutus of Caesar’s ambition and convince Brutus that it was his duty to stop it; both monologues convinced Brutus of different things but together they persuaded Brutus to join Cassius. The first monologue was used to show Brutus that Cassius was the better man and the second monologue was used to show just how much Caesar needed to be stopped. In the end, Brutus was swayed and ended up assisting Cassius with his plot against Caesar.…

    • 1227 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Julius Caesar Composition

    • 600 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In “Julius Caesar” Cassius is willing to do anything to make Brutus the ruler and convince Brutus to help him kill Caesar. For example, Cassius tells Brutus that people are talking about him and says “I have heard where many of the best respect in Rome, speaking Brutus”(I, II, 58-60). It shows that the people of Rome want Brutus to be the ruler of Rome. This shows that Cassius want Brutus to be…

    • 600 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays