Foreshadow In Julius Caesar
A “Shadow in the Sun”: Green-eyed Baby Brother’s Blues
There is victory in all but Richard Gloucester whose internal battlements still smoke, with their muzzles pointed sunward. Accepting his fate given title of “villain,” (30) Gloucester isolates himself from the “glorious summer” (2) of triumph to release his frustration and self pity - lending the play both voice for foreshadow and basis for thematic growth.
As Gloucester begins his sorrowing, he reflects upon the war, where he was “arms” (6) in arms with his brothers until the victorious end when War “capers nimbly” (12) away to rest. Although Gloucester was there making “dreadful marches” (8) he does not gain any “delight” (8) nor relief as his brothers have. Instead, Gloucester, …show more content…
War is the epitome of man and this, sets the foundation for Gloucester’s jealousy; because he is “cheated of feature” (19) and physically “not shaped” (14) to court chicks and sport tricks. Pent up with rage, Gloucester can not see himself as more than a “shadow” (26) in the “sun”(26) of the manly and preferable King Edward. The “son of York” (2), a beautiful pun on ‘sun,’ whose rays cast a “shadow” of disgruntled and envious Gloucester build on the motif of separatism and isolation. It does not matter that they fought the war together, Gloucester will still be in the dark, hating the “idle pleasures” (31) that King Edward has restored. Ironically, while the idealized image of War - glorified King Edward and Clarence - clearly contrast “weak” (24) Gloucester, in both demeanor and recognition, there are parallels between the two that create tension and reason for the baby brother’s bitterness. Building on the motif of battle, Shakespeare keeps the burning fight lit within Gloucester that shows determination, strength, and “fright” (11) that War also portrays except these characteristics lay beneath Gloucester’s deformity; his ‘War’ is buried in the “deep bosom” (4) of his ugliness. Although Gloucester has the drive and determination, he simply “cannot prove a lover” (28) because nobody, including himself,
There is victory in all but Richard Gloucester whose internal battlements still smoke, with their muzzles pointed sunward. Accepting his fate given title of “villain,” (30) Gloucester isolates himself from the “glorious summer” (2) of triumph to release his frustration and self pity - lending the play both voice for foreshadow and basis for thematic growth.
As Gloucester begins his sorrowing, he reflects upon the war, where he was “arms” (6) in arms with his brothers until the victorious end when War “capers nimbly” (12) away to rest. Although Gloucester was there making “dreadful marches” (8) he does not gain any “delight” (8) nor relief as his brothers have. Instead, Gloucester, …show more content…
War is the epitome of man and this, sets the foundation for Gloucester’s jealousy; because he is “cheated of feature” (19) and physically “not shaped” (14) to court chicks and sport tricks. Pent up with rage, Gloucester can not see himself as more than a “shadow” (26) in the “sun”(26) of the manly and preferable King Edward. The “son of York” (2), a beautiful pun on ‘sun,’ whose rays cast a “shadow” of disgruntled and envious Gloucester build on the motif of separatism and isolation. It does not matter that they fought the war together, Gloucester will still be in the dark, hating the “idle pleasures” (31) that King Edward has restored. Ironically, while the idealized image of War - glorified King Edward and Clarence - clearly contrast “weak” (24) Gloucester, in both demeanor and recognition, there are parallels between the two that create tension and reason for the baby brother’s bitterness. Building on the motif of battle, Shakespeare keeps the burning fight lit within Gloucester that shows determination, strength, and “fright” (11) that War also portrays except these characteristics lay beneath Gloucester’s deformity; his ‘War’ is buried in the “deep bosom” (4) of his ugliness. Although Gloucester has the drive and determination, he simply “cannot prove a lover” (28) because nobody, including himself,