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William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” Essay

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Introduction

Plot development, works cited.

Julius Caesar is probably one of the most referenced works by Shakespeare; it depicts actualities drawn upon the events in the Roman Empire. According to Wyke (4), the play explores the dramatic structure of Julius Caesar’s ambition to take to the throne of the Roman Empire. The drama introduces Julius Caesar as a man with unyielding ambition to the throne, having fought for the good of the nation. Although regarded by many pundits as a hero, Julius Caesar is equally facing opposition to ascend to Roman leadership, and there is a hatched conspiracy to assassinate him (Taylor 301). Tragic events permeate the plot and literary scholars refer to Julius Caesar as a tragedy itself.

After a successful war that saw the killing of Pompey, Caesar returns to Rome to proclaim his Kingship. There is pure irony as a community projects itself to have more regard for an individual than a nation. The culminating events are tense; the nation is appalled, and something has to be done to neutralize the situation. Caesar is a national figure although there is clear polarization in the senate to stop his ascendancy. Overall, Caesar seems to have greater opportunities of ascending to Kinship (Wyke 5).

Despite great opportunity that Caesar wields, Cassius is championing forces to halt Caesar’s ascendancy. Cassius aligns his team and convinces Brutus to be part of this plot. The opposition clout against Caesar thinks he will dominate Rome and subsequently institute tyranny under his watch. Brutus is fronted as the best candidate to face off with Caesar in a duel. Brutus is probably aware of the personal sacrifices and the patriotic commitments that Caesar has made to Rome. Brutus ignores calls to challenge Caesar, and affirms that the nation is greater that all individuals (Taylor 303). The conspirators plot to assassinate Caesar was taken aback by Brutus refusal to challenge Caesar. In the end, Caesar is killed thrashing the nation into panic.

Antony steals an opportunity to make a strong statement in a keynote speech during Caesar’s burial. He, particularly, registers his disgust to the traitors for the wrongs they have done both to Caesar and to the nation. His speech, according to Taylor (305), arouses the nation, making the citizens come out to the streets to protest Caesar’s killing. Antony’s remarks further point a finger at Brutus and Cassius who are jointly suspected to have a hand in the King’s assassination (Taylor 304).

Antony, nonetheless, betrays Brutus and Cassius who confide in him to keep their plot secret. Consequently, Brutus and Cassius flee the city while Antony gets the support of Octavius and Lepidus. Brutus and Cassius decide not to go back to Rome for there lays the wrath of the citizens in their actions. However, despite the title of the play, Brutus and Cassius suffice as the tragic characters due to their conspiracy for personal gains that plunge the country into abject civil war and utter desperation.

Julius Caesar is a replica of what happened in the Roman Empire. It is a confirmation of Shakespeare’s tendency to revise history through drama. In addition, it shows how conspiracy plays out in politics, and how death is the reward of all human ills. Brutus and Cassius commit suicide when they are aware that they can no longer subdue Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus whose firm grip on power is unwavering. Antony seems to have a brighter future in the yet to be established Rome. Despite its historic overtones, Julius Caesar is a tragedy of grand proportions.

Taylor, Myron. “Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and the Irony of History.” Shakespeare Quarterly 24.3 (1973): 301–308. Print.

Wyke, Maria. Julius Caesar in western culture . Oxford, England: Blackwell, 2006. Print.

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Julius Caesar

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Though the play is titled The Tragedy of Julius Caesar , much of the play’s action follows the emotional conflict experienced by Brutus. To what extent can Brutus be considered the tragic hero of the play?

What role do omens and prophecies play in Julius Caesar ? What is the consequence of ignoring them?

Hubris, or excessive pride, is a tragic flaw exhibited by dramatic heroes dating back to antiquity. Caesar is proud to the point of arrogance and negligence. To what extent is pride responsible for his downfall?

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Julius Caesar Essay | Essay on Julius Caesar for Students and Children in English

February 12, 2024 by Prasanna

Julius Caesar Essay:  Julius Caesar was Roman General and statesman who is widely known for his notable role in the events which led to the fall of the Roman Empire. He was a celebrated politician and can also be termed as a successful one. His most outstanding achievement was the invasion of Britain. However, Caesar’s acts were almost always against the decisions of the Senate, and despite his crucial successes, he was soon requested to step down.

Caesar, driven with political and military authority, disregarded the Senate every time. The elites soon were discontented towards his social reforms. Caesar was finally assassinated by a group of senators. The most crucial literary representation of Caesar was in the play called “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Julius Caesar for Students and Kids in English

We are providing students with essay samples on an extended essay of 500 words and a short piece of 150 words on the topic Julius Caesar.

Long Essay on Julius Caesar 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Julius Caesar is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Historical Background:

Julius Caesar was a notable Roman statesman who eventually became one of the most crucial politicians of the Roman Empire before it’s decline. He, along with Crassus and Pompey, formed a political alliance called The First Triumvirate which dominated the empire for years.

However, Caesar’s glorious wins in battles and his invasion of Britain soon became a threat to Pompey. Caesar was asked by the Senate to step down, but he didn’t comply with the decision. This led to high opposition from the Senate and eventually resulted in a conspiracy against Caesar and his assassination.

William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

The notable play, “The tragedy of Julius Caesar” written by William Shakespeare is a canon of English literature. The play was performed for the first time in the year 1599.

The play is centred around the Roman statesman Julius Caesar and his eventual assassination. Though the play is named Julius Caesar, it mostly centres around Brutus. It depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus, one of the closest friends of Caesar and a Roman Senator who gets involved in the conspiracy to murder Caesar.

The play begins with the return of Caesar from a victorious conquest by defeating Pompey and the beginning of a conspiracy against him among the senators. The Roman senators led by Cassius are seen to forge several documents and convince Brutus that Julius needs to assassinated to save Rome and its people.

Later, the senators approach Caesar with a fake petition regarding an issue involving Metellus Cimber’s banished brother. As Caesar rejects the plea, he is stabbed by the others, the last stab being of Brutus.

The death of Caesar gives rise to a series of civil wars in the Roman Empire. Brutus tries to pacify the crowd with his oration, but Mark Antony soon turns the public against the assassins. Brutus and Cassius unite to battle against Mark Antony and Octavian Caesar. However, they both meet with the unfortunate and untimely death. The play ends with Antony paying his tribute to Brutus as he was the only noble soul in Rome who stabbed Caesar only because he was made to believe that it was for the greater good of the empire.

Protagonist Debate:

Critics of Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar have often found themselves in never-ending dilemma regarding who is the protagonist of the story. Some believe that neither Caesar nor Brutus are the protagonists of the play since Caesar dies right at the beginning in Act Three, Scene One. Others believe Caesar to be the axial character of the play, around whom the entire story runs. There also critics who like to think that it is indeed Brutus who is the protagonist as the whole play centres around his moral dilemma and ends with his noble death.

The larger message of Julius Caesar-

The characters of Caesar and Brutus are quite identical in the play. Both of them are driven by passion and intuition. They have high philosophical knowledge that makes them respectable. However, Caesar is a man driven by virtue, while Brutus is driven mostly by impulsive passion.

Short Essay on Julius Caesar 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Julius Caesar is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Julius Caesar was a notable Roman statesman and politician who had risen in power during 60 BC. He became a crucial political as well as military leader and achieved a great deal for the Roman Empire.

He was responsible for the glorious invasion of Britain and also the defeat of the authoritarian Pompey. However, Caesar soon met striking oppositions from the Roman Senate. When he didn’t agree to comply with the Senate’s decision of removing him from an authority, he was assassinated by his senate members led by Cassius and also his closest ally Brutus.

William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar centres around this moral dilemma of Brutus whether he should join hands with the Senate to murder his friend. The play continues with the rising civil wars after Caesar’s death, Cassius and Brutus’s battle against Antonio and their eventual death. The play gives us a larger message of how passion and arrogance can often lead a man to the wrong path.

10 Lines on Julius Caesar Essay in English

1. The play was first performed in 1599. 2. It was first published as a work in 1623. 3. The most famous line of the play is the Latin phrase. “Et tu Brute?” 4. Brutus was assassinated in 44 BC. 5. Shakespeare altered several historical facts in the play. 6. For dramatic effect, he made Capitol the venue of Caesar’s death rather than Curia of Pompey. 7. There is a debate on who the actual protagonist of the play is. 8. In the end, Cassius asks his servant to kill him. 9. Brutus commits suicide. 10. Julius Caesar’s death was a notable event that led to the fall of the Roman empire.

FAQ’s on Julius Caesar Essay

Question 1. Was Brutus an evil character?

Answer: No, Brutus was a man of virtue who was driven by his passion for the wrong path.

Question 2. Who succeeded Caesar?

Answer: Julius was succeeded by his adoptive son Augustus Caesar.

Question 3. What does “Et tu Brute” mean?

Answer: This Latin phrase means, “You too Brutus?”

Question 4. Who was Pompey?

Answer: Pompey was a Roman politician who was first an ally of Caesar and his enemy.

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Essays on Julius Caesar

Table of Contents

About julius caesar’s book:.

Julius Caesar may have been the first of Shakespeare’s plays to be performed at the Globe in 1599 when the playwright wrote it. A pivotal moment in Roman history inspired his argument. The assassination of Caesar by his political allies and supporters. Brutus, a key conspirator, was viewed as either heroic or villainous by Renaissance writers. In a way, Shakespeare’s play keeps the debate going.

One of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, Julius Caesar, is frequently cited in political speeches today. Like Caesar, the aging and heirless Queen Elizabeth I may have been an inspiration for Shakespeare’s portrayal of Elizabethan politics in this play.

Book summary:

The conspirators to kill Caesar manage to convince Caesar’s best friend, Brutus, to help them carry out their plan. On the Ides of March, Brutus and the conspirators kill Caesar to stop him from gaining too much power.

When the conspirators try to return to Rome, Mark Antony fights them and drives them out. Cassius and his brother Brutus both lose and die, leaving Antony as the sole heir apparent to the Roman Empire.

Shakespeare brilliantly illuminates the difficulty of choosing between two loyal friends in his masterpiece Julius Caesar. The author’s lucid depiction of the uglier aspects of human nature in a variety of characters is what keeps readers turning pages.

Julius Caesar quotes:

•     “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.”
•     “But, for mine own part, it was Greek to me.”
•     “Et Tu, Brute?”
•     “A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once. It seems to me most strange that men should fear that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.”
•     “Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!”
•     “Beware the ides of March.”
•     “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars/ But in ourselves.”
•     “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”
•     “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.” 
•     “Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods.”

Essay Structure on Julius Caesar:

Reading Julius Caesar (or any of Shakespeare’s plays) can be like reading a long poem, despite the play’s relatively simple language. In Shakespearean drama, verse (poetry) and prose are used equally.

●       Introduction:

In the introduction, you should discuss the following two primary themes:

• Any prior knowledge that the reader will require to comprehend your essay
• The main points and basic conclusion of your response to the question are outlined in this road map.

The roadmap section of the introduction is often easier to write at the end when you know all of your main points.

Complicated sentences don’t mean you’re writing elaborately. As a result, your inability to convey information clearly or break sentences logically may be revealed. In addition, the likelihood of making grammatical or stylistic errors rises when sentences become overly complex. In the words of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, their writing was not hampered by their use of simple language.

●       Body:

The body paragraphs of your essay are where you provide evidence to back up your thesis statement. The data, content, or events discussed in each body paragraph should support one specific claim you’ve made in your thesis.

Refer to your thesis statement if you’re unsure if a particular point or detail should be included in your body paragraphs. You should include a fact if it helps you prove your point. Leave it out if it doesn’t. It is essential that your essay’s structure is based on your thesis statement, so everything else in the essay must be connected to it.

●       Conclusion:

Often, it’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your essay’s conclusion before you begin writing its main points. Knowing the destination makes it easier to plan a trip. To avoid straying from the main point, ask yourself, “Is this point relevant to my conclusion?” If not, get rid of it!

•   The information in your introduction will need to be re-stated in your conclusion to emphasize what you have proven and how you have proven it. Re-read your introduction.
•     ‘This essay considers…’ is an example of an opening statement that sums up your main points.
•     The following summarizes your main findings and why they are important.
•     The final paragraphs of your essay should interestingly re-state your conclusion by drawing on the evidence you’ve presented in the body of the essay.

6 Tips to Consider While Writing An essay about Julius Caesar:

The introduction sets the tone of your essay. It needs to pique the reader’s curiosity and give them an idea of what to expect from the book. About 10–20% of the whole material is devoted to the introduction.

Read The Book Thoroughly

When writing an introduction, ensure the initial sentence piques the reader’s interest and curiosity. The hook is a term used to describe the first sentence in a paragraph. An intriguing question, an unexpected truth, or strong statements emphasizing an issue’s importance are all interesting.

Let’s imagine we’re writing a paper on the history of Braille development (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people)

Find A Compelling Topic

Next, you must provide context for your argument so your reader can grasp it. An introduction might include a history of the issue, an outline of significant academic work or controversies, and an explanation of unfamiliar terminology. You can go into greater depth in the body of your essay if you don’t include it all in the introduction. And next to the introduction, the most important thing you need to write the essay is Julius Caesar essay topics.

You can do a little research or get the one from the book. But be very careful while selecting the title of your writing, as it’s a way for readers to know what you will share in your essay! You can also choose Julius Caesar argumentative essay topics if you have deep knowledge of the story and can write about it in detail!

Create The Outline:

End the start of longer articles by quickly outlining what each section will address. This gives the reader a sense of how your argument will progress and helps them understand the structure of your paper.

Write The Thesis Statement:

Before moving on, you’ll need to develop a thesis statement—the main argument you intend to make. The thesis statement serves as a guiding principle and a declaration of your perspective on the subject matter. Most of the time, it’s just a few paragraphs long. Use various Julius Caesar essay questions to hook the reader’s attention!

Include A Lesson Or Moral

Think about the play’s theatricality when you watch it. In particular, recall the murder scene (and Cassius’s reference to future productions of that scene), the forum’s speeches (particularly Antony’s), and the speeches over the dead conspirators’ bodies. What impact do acting and rhetoric have on the play’s events? What is their relationship to politics? Is the play’s political power a reference to its theatrical production?

Consider the characters of Caesar and Brutus as examples of rigidity in this play. How can a person be so rigid? This rigidity can be seen as either admirable or debilitating. Are rigidity benefits greater than the costs, or is it the other way around?

Conclusion: Proofread Your Work

The last paragraph of an essay is known as the conclusion. It shouldn’t take up more than 10–15% of the total word count.

It’s common for students to be unsure about how to conclude an essay and to treat this portion as an afterthought, yet it’s vitally crucial.

After summarizing your primary points, you should illustrate how they support your thesis statement in the conclusion. The conclusion of an essay:

•     Returning to the fundamental idea
•     Your most important ideas 
•     Demonstrates why your argument is important

A well-written conclusion should end with a memorable or impacting line to create a lasting impression on the reader. Are you facing any issues in the essay writing or composing the Julius Caesar research paper? Our professionals with great writing experience can provide you with the best quality essays and papers!

    i.           What was Julius Caesar’s book called?

To top it all off, Caesar was an accomplished writer and military and political leader. The Gallic Wars Commentarii de Bello Gallico and the Roman Civil War were among his many works of historical scholarship (Commentarii de Bello Civili).

  ii.           Is Julius Caesar a play or a book?

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, a history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare, was originally presented in 1599. It is a tragedy because it chronicles the story of an honorable warrior who misreads people and situations, leading to his death and the violent civil war that consumes his nation.

    iii.           Is Julius Caesar a true story?

Julius Caesar was a Roman politician who proclaimed himself dictator of the Roman Empire. Caesar’s authority as dictator lasted for a little over a year before political opponents notoriously slew him in the year 44 B.C.

iv.           What is the most famous line in Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar got to power through his ambitious political reforms. The man has transformed Rome from a republican state to an empire. You may find countless lines from Julius Caesar, but “Et Tu, Brute?” is extremely famous. 

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Since the Rome of Julius Caesar is portrayed as the pinnacle of civilization, arguments about Rome’s governance are also arguments about what constitutes an ideal government. The entire play centers around Brutus upholding the truth of two moral statements: First, that monarchy is intrinsically tyrannical; and secondly, that killing Caesar , an as-yet-innocent man, is morally acceptable if it prevents Rome from becoming a monarchy. Brutus's strict moral code makes no allowance for self-preservation, however, and so he rejects the killing of Antony , and even allows Antony to address the plebeians —a step that wins Antony mass support and proceeds to Brutus’s and the conspirators’ ultimate demise. Giving in to Cassius on either of his moral points, then, would have prevented Brutus's ruin, but violated his principles. Through Brutus’s moral plight, Shakespeare argues that it’s hardly possible for moral principle and political advancement to coexist; one will inevitably undermine the other.

Brutus’s principled opposition to monarchy is exploited by more politically ambitious characters like Cassius, who are simply hungry for power. One of the central arguments of the play is that, in the context of ancient Rome, kingship is equated with tyranny. When Cassius begins manipulating Brutus in the direction of the conspiracy, he appeals to the “shame” of Rome accepting a king: “Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods! / When went there by an age, since the great flood, / But it was famed with more than with one man?” In this view, it’s not just immoral but “un-Roman” for Rome to be governed by a solitary figure; historically, Rome has been distinguished by its elevation of many worthy men. Cassius uses this argument to sway Brutus not only in the belief that Caesar is too ambitious, but that he, whose “hidden worthiness” rivals Caesar’s alleged godlike status, has a moral obligation to actively oppose it. This reasoning works on Brutus even more effectively than Cassius expects—or wants. Later, in private, Brutus recalls his forebears’ expulsion of the “Tarquin,” Rome’s last king: “Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe? […] O Rome, I make thee promise […] thou receivest / Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus.” Brutus believes that opposing Caesar is not just a matter of current political expediency, but of maintaining an inherently Roman tradition of preserving greater liberty by resisting the pretensions of the ambitious.

This belief also shapes Brutus’s attitudes about the assassination and its aftermath, to Cassius’s frustration. Brutus opposes the idea of killing Caesar’s close confidant, Antony, on the grounds that this would make the conspirators mere butchers. He reasons that because Antony is simply a “limb” of Caesar, killing Caesar is sufficient to stifle any backlash; furthermore, “Our purpose [must be] necessary and not envious […] We shall be called purgers, not murderers.” In other words, in order to remain consistent with their own ethics, the conspirators must do only as much as is necessary to forestall tyranny; going beyond that risks making the conspirators tyrannical themselves. However, Brutus’s restraint ends up backfiring, as Antony quickly stirs up popular support and incites civil war in the aftermath of Caesar’s murder, leading to his eventual victory and Brutus’s own death. So Brutus’s moral principles end up undermining the purposes for which Cassius recruited him for the conspiracy. This suggests that it’s difficult for morality to withstand political ambitions of any kind.

Because historical plays would be understood to offer comment on contemporary matters, it’s reasonable to conclude that Shakespeare was offering a warning to the nobility of his day—not that Queen Elizabeth was a tyrant, but that in the absence of an heir, the aspirations of ambitious nobles were only likely to worsen ongoing trouble. His tragic treatment of Brutus also suggests that, in any political era, those who adhere strictly to principle are likely to be exploited by those who have no such scruples.

Politics and Morality ThemeTracker

Politics and Morality Quotes in Julius Caesar

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.

Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights. Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

But those that understood him smil'd at one another, and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me.

Et tu, Bruté? — Then fall, Caesar!

Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault; And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, — For Brutus is an honorable man; So are they all, all honorable men, — Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man.

Remember March, the ides of March remember: Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What, shall one of us That struck the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers, shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes, And sell the mighty space of our large honours For so much trash as may be grasped thus? I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman.

This was the noblest Roman of all All the conspirators, save only he, Did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought, And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle; and the elements So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, "This was a man."

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