Essential Questions On The Play 'Julius Caesar'

In Act 1, we learn that Brutus respect Caesar and Caesar respects Brutus. Making this an easy target for Cassius to use Brutus to join the conspirators to kill Caesar. Brutus is loyal to Caesar but we know that Brutus will do anything to keep the people of Rome happy. He was willing to betray his friend in order to save the people of Rome. Although Brutus was assuming that Caesar would betray all his friends because he’s stronger than them; he is at war between betraying Caesar or betraying the people of Rome. Either way Brutus has to pick one and obviously from the context of his soliloquy, readers can tell that Brutus truly honors the citizens. Therefore he ends up betraying his friend (that trust him) and joins the conspirator. Another example

Joining the Conspiracy Lloyd Banks once said “I take things like honor and loyalty seriously. It's more important to me than any materialistic thing or any fame I could have.” In this quote Banks explains that being loyal and honorable is extremely serious and should come before fame and materials. This is very relevant to Julius Caesar Act II, because Brutus has to decide whether to join the conspiracy or to tell Caesar about what Cassius plans to do.

1. When Caesar says that Cassius thinks too much, I agree. Cassius tends to look into the details and over think simple situations. He becomes very meticulous about how the group of the conspirators is organized. Also, while Cassius is the one who originally comes up with the idea of the conspiracy and that he wants Brutus to be in charge, he thinks through the plan, yet does not want to take responsibility. Cassius just about argues with himself, due to too many thoughts running through his mind. He thinks about so vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief, where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this before a willing bondman. Then I know my answer must be made. But I am armed and dangers to me

With Brutus joining the conspiracy it will greatly increase the popularity of the group. The more people that they can get to dislike Caesar the better. Since Brutus is well known and his popularity is high he can influence the people to join and make them think that Caesar is bad for them. If they all gain hatred for the new ruler than the people can easily get him killed so they senators can be back in power. However, Brutus can do things that would be terrible and frowned upon by other citizens, so the conspiracy can use that to their advantage and gain more and more power to defeat Caesar with. This is especially a pro because of just that fact alone. If Brutus can get a whole city on your side then he would be a great addition to the conspiracy.

When commercials from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) come on, there is a reason why it makes viewers cry. The commercial uses sad music and persuasive speech, or rhetoric, to convince people the animals are in danger.

Cassius flatters Brutus by saying that “[he] know[s] that virtue to be in ... Brutus,/ As well as [he does] know [his] outward favor”(Act.I.ii.97-98). Brutus is so immensely honorable that you can literally see it. Cassius lays down this foundation knowing that Brutus would want to cling to this fact. Subconsciously, he won’t go against what he was praised for since it had a positive effect on him and accentuated his feelings about his honor and pride. This pours into guilt, showing that if Brutus doesn’t join this Conspiracy, then he will lose his dignity and

Brutus was very naive and got influenced by Cassius very easily. Cassius was very smart and manipulated Brutus to make him agree with him. Cassius said, “If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, He should not humour me.” (Shakespeare, p.13). Brutus believed that his friend, Caesar had a negative impact on Rome decided to join the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar. Even though Caesar was his friend, Brutus always showed loyalty towards Rome. Brutus' tragic flaw is that he is not good at figuring out other’s intentions, and trusted Cassius. If Brutus never listened to Cassius in the first place, he would not have joined the conspiracy, and might not have had a tragic end.

A conspiracy began to kill Caesar and they sought out Brutus’ support. They needed someone noble, someone the Roman people liked, and someone who could take over, but could still be easily controlled and to not desire to be king. Brutus joined the conspiracy because he believed it was for the good of

Why should Brutus join the conspiracy? Brutus should join the conspiracy because, he does not know whether Caesar will do good or bad things. Brutus does not know if Caesar will turn on him like he did to Pompey. Caesar could be just a disaster waiting to happen. “Caesar is a serpent’s egg waiting to hatch” (Act 2 Scene 1 line 32-35). These are all reasons as to why Brutus should join the conspiracy.

He states that Brutus is just as noble and worthy as Caesar. (Act 1, scene ii). He says that Brutus cannot see what everyone else does and recognize his worthiness. Cassius and the other senators do not want Caesar to be king because they would lose all their power. Cassius is slowly luring Brutus in to do his dirty work. He builds Brutus’s confidence up to make him thing that killing Caesar is the right thing to do. Cassius is basically playing with Brutus’s head because he knows Brutus will listen. So, Brutus joins the conspirators in killing Caesar. Cassius tells Brutus that it is for the good of Rome, and that he is saving them from a dictatorship. Cassius is going for Brutus’s weakest point, his care and concern for Rome. He knows that if Brutus believes the people distrust Caesar, then he will be convinced that Caesar must be thwarted. Brutus knew that if Caesar was crowned, he would never have a chance, and he was power hungry. This is what ultimately leads to the tragedy of Julius Caesar. After Brutus kills Caesar off, he starts to feel guilty for killing his friend, thus creating an internal conflict. Brutus was so confident that the plan would go exactly as planned that he fell apart when they encountered problems. If Brutus and the other conspirators had taken more time to think things through, they probably would have been more prepared for the situation that was handed to them.

By his rhetoric, Cassius is able to make Brutus join the conspirators so that Cassius’ personal fear of Caesar becoming king will not play out.

Marcus Brutus was a very well thought out man. Brutus declares to himself that his role in the conspiracy is to save Rome. He says to the people that, "If then that friend demands why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more."(Act 3, scene 2, lines 19-21). If Brutus was not in the plot of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the whole plot would've fallen apart. Since Brutus "...loved Rome more."(Act 3, scene 2 and line 21), he decided to be a part of the conspiracy. Cassius and the rest of the conspirators would probably not have continued on without Brutus because they would have no "insurance" afterwards. The people would think that there was no reason for Caesar's death and most likely beheaded all the conspirators. These are the reasons why Brutus was needed

Without Cassius’ persuasive abilities, Brutus would not have been able to join in on the plan and work his magic with the plebeians. He exploits Brutus’ greatest weakness, his love for Rome. Cassius exploits this by writing letters as if they were written by a Romans who were unhappy with caesar’s rule. He did this to appeal to Brutus in such a way that he could not refuse. It was an excellent move on Cassius’ part because he knows that Brutus could never refuse the word of the people. Cassius suggests that these letters should be “throw[n] [at Brutus’] window; set this up with wax upon old Brutus’ statue” (1.3.145-146). Cassius proves to Brutus that Caesar is weak. He tells him a story of when they went swimming in the Tiber and Caesar started drowning, begging like a little girl for Cassius to save him. Cassius says that “Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought fromt hat it is disposed; therefore it is meet that noble minds keep ever with their likes” (1.2.308-311). Even Brutus who was the most pragmatic man is susceptible to Cassius’ flattery and manipulation. No one is “so firm that cannot be seduced” (1.2.312). Cassius is the only character who can convince and seduce Brutus to join the plan, he is the only character who can appeal to Brutus’ ego. He flatters him and his reputation which appeals to pathos. He convinces him that Caesar is not a good fit to be king, which appeals to logos. He writes letter from the Roman’s to reveal how much they do not want Caesar in the position of power, which appeals to ethos. Cassius is such a skillful speaker that he appeals to all and can make himself appear honorable and

There have been many rulers in history who have been betrayed by those they trust, but The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare,1959) still holds a special place in Western literature as one of the most enigmatic human beings to ever exist. Powerful men like Julius Caesar shaped the life and times of the late Roman Republic, just before Rome would officially become the Roman Empire on the crowning of Augustus as the first Roman emperor. Julius Caesar was a powerful general who expanded Rome's power and who was beloved by the people for his generous charity after his successful conquests. Despite knowing the story of Julius Caesar to some extent, most 16th/17th century English would not have ever visited Rome, nor would know what the Roman Republic was like, which presented a unique opportunity to William Shakespeare to create a play unlike any other he had created before. (Shakespeare Julius Caesar, 1599) Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is a reimagining of Rome from a Elizabethan point of view, and despite some inaccuracies, the play depicts an enlightening view on Roman life, and the life of the Roman general, Julius Caesar.