Month: December 2015

Introduction

My main points:

• Hubris
• Confidence
• Betrayal
• Tyranny
• Friendship
• Power

Middle

My theories:

• Hubris lead them both to failure
• They were BOTH tyrants deep down
• They were both subject to betrayal
• BOTH power hungry
• Too much confidence with themselves

Conclusion

My summary paragraph:

• In conclusion I believe that there are many similarities between Julius Caesar and Brutus. One of their main similarities were that they to over confident. Also they both displayed examples of hubris.

• Juilius Caesar starts with a scene of class fighting, the plebeians versus the tribunes. The plebeians are celebrating Caesar’s victory over the sons of Pompey, one of the former leaders of Rome. The tribunes verbally attack the masses for their fickleness in celebrating the defeat of a man who was once their leader.
• Caesar enters Rome accompanied by his supporters and alot of citizens. It is the feast of Luversalia, a day when two men run through the street and strike those they meet with goatskin thongs. Caesar orders Mark Antony to hit his wife Calpurnia  because he thought she needed it to help have a child .
• The soothsayer calls Caesar as he passes and warns him about the ides of March. Caesar ignores the man and dismisses him as a dreamer. Upon seeing Cassius, Caesar informs Antony that he would rather be surrounded by men who are fat and happy than thin men like Cassius. He is worried that Cassius is dangerous because he “thinks too much”. Antony tells him not to worry about Cassius.
• Meanwhile, Brutus and Cassius meet and talk about how much power Caesar has gained. During their conversation they are interrupted three times by cheers from the crowd. Cassius informs Brutus that he is forming a plot against Caesar and wants Brutus to join it. Brutus tells him he cannot commit to anything immediately.Casca soon joins them, and informs them that the cheers they heard were Caesar turning down the crown. According to Casca, Antony offered Caesar a crown three times, and three times he refused it.
• Casca meets with Cicero and tells the orator that there are many strange things happening in Rome that night, such as a lion in the streets and an owl screeching during the day. Cicero tells him that men construe omens the way they see fit. Cassius eventually arrives and learns from Casca that the senators are planning on making Caesar a king the next morning. He starts to tell Casca about the plot to kill Caesar, but Cinna shows up and interrupts him. He hands Cinna some letters to plant anonymously in Brutus’ home and invites Casca to dinner that night in order to convince him to join the conspiracy.
• Personally I believe Brutus is in a bit of a dilema because he loves Caesar like a brother however he loves his Roman Empire as if it were his own life
• Brutus discovers the letters from Cinna, not knowing who wrote them. He reads one of the letters and interprets it as a request to prevent Caesar from seizing power. Brutus attributes the letter to Rome as a whole, saying, “O Rome, I make thee promise”, implying that he will carry out what he perceives as the will of the Roman people.
• Brutus meets with Cassius and the other conspirators and shakes all their hands, agreeing to join their plot. He convinces them to only kill Caesar, and not his most loyal friend Antony, because he does not want them to “seem too bloody” . After the other men leave, Brutus is unable to sleep. His wife Portia finds him awake and begs him to tell her what is troubling him. At first he refuses, but after she stabs herself in the thigh to prove her strength and ability to keep a secret he agrees to inform her.
• Meanwhile, Caesar’s wife had a dream that of a statue of Caesar bleeding from a hundred wounds. Caesar, naturally superstitious, orders the priests to kill an animal and read the entrails to see if he should go to the Senate that day. The priests tell him that the animal did not have a heart, a very bad sign. However, Decius, one of the conspirators, arrives and reinterprets Calpurnia’s dream to mean that all of Rome sucked the reviving blood of Caesar for its benefit. Caesar finally agrees with him that it is laughable to stay home on account of a dream. The other conspirators, including Brutus and Cassius, arrive at his house to escort him to the Senate House.
• On the way to the Senate House Caesar is approached by the same soothsayer that previously warned him about the ides of March. He again refuses to listen to the man and continues. A man calledArtemidorus then comes up to him and tries to give him a letter revealing the entire conspiracy, but Decius cleverly tells Caesar that Trebonius has a suit he would like Caesar to read instead. Caesar refuses to look at what Artemidorus offers him on account of its being personal. He explains, “What touches us ourself shall be last served” .
• The conspirators arrive at the Senate House and Caesar assumes his seat. A man named Metellus kneels before him and petitions to have his banished brother returned to Rome. Caesar refuses, but is surprised when Brutus and then Cassius come forward and plead for the brother as well. However, he continues to refuse to change the sentence even as all of the conspirators gather around him. On Casca’s comment, “Speak hands for me” the group attacks Caesar, stabbing him to death.
• The conspirators, now led by Brutus and Cassius, dip their hands in Caesar’s blood and prepare to run to the streets crying out “peace, freedom, and liberty”. Antony arrives and begs them to let him take the body and give Caesar a public eulogy. Brutus agrees, overriding Cassius’ misgivings about allowing Antony to speak. They move out into the streets of Rome and Cassius and Brutus split up in order to speak to the plebeians.
• Brutus defends his murder of Caesar on the grounds that he was removing a tyrant who was taking away the freedom of all Romans. He ends his speech by asking the crowd if they want him to commit suicide for what he has done, to which they reply, “Live, Brutus!”.
• On the sly Mark Antony uses repetition to sway the crowd again.He states how Caesar turned down the crown three times which means that Brutus’ claim about ambition is false.The crown and mob decide to go after Brutus and the conspirators calling them “traitors” and “scum”.This is similar hubris that Caesar did in the start of the play.
• When they all go to war both Cassius and Brutus commit suicide because of their fear of losing the battle and being dishonoured.