The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was first performed in 1599 and it continues to be reinterpreted by theater directors up to this day. Touching on themes like tyranny, power, and betrayal, this play also shows us that the word is much more powerful than the sword. During a key moment in William Shakespeare’s version of Caesar’s downfall, the Roman general Marc Antony manages to turn around public opinion using nothing but the power of his speech.
What Is William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar About?
Based on true historical events, Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar details the downfall of the Roman general of the same name. And while Shakespeare, whom many believe to be the greatest playwright of all time, does take some dramatic liberties when it comes to the (re)telling of Caesar’s downfall, the plot stays close to the true story. Shakespeare’s play begins with Caesar’s triumphant return to his home city Rome after yet another victorious war. Some of Rome’s senators are far from pleased, however.
In their eyes, the famous warrior and politician has become way too powerful for their liking. Fearing that the famous general would crown himself Emperor of Rome, they start conspiring against him. As a first step, they use fake documents to convince Brutus, one of Caesar’s closest friends, to join their cause. But Caesar is far from unaware of the danger breeding in his closest circles. He has received several warnings about a plot against his life, and his wife repeatedly tries to convince him to stay at home.
Being more concerned about his image as a fearless warrior than his personal safety, Julius Caesar decides to go to the Capitol nevertheless. However, he quickly comes to regret that choice. Having made his way to the senate against all warnings, his worst fears become a reality when a mob of conspirators overpowers him and stabs him to death. To make matters even more tragic (and stage-worthy), it is his friend Brutus who gives him the final blow. Heartbroken over the betrayal, Julius Caesar dies from his many wounds, turning his death into one of the most famous assassinations in human history. Now, let’s look at three key moments of the play in a little more detail.
Key Moment 1: The Prophecy & Caesar’s Refusal to Listen
According to Shakespeare’s version of Julius Caesar’s murder, the famous general was far from unaware of the impending danger. In fact, he received a fair number of warnings. This already becomes evident in the first scene of the play. Upon his arrival in Rome, Caesar is interrupted by a soothsayer who tells him to beware of the ides of March. Given that the ides of March (the full moon in the Roman calendar) were a day traditionally used for settling debts, this should have been reason enough for Caesar to be extra-cautious.
But it seems that his recent successes on the battlefield have made the Roman general feel invincible. As a man who has looked death in the eye on numerous occasions, Caesar seems to be highly confident in his ability to beat his enemies in battle. Or maybe he simply does not want the people around him to see him as fearful or weak?
On the morning of the full moon, Caesar wakes up with a strong sense of foreboding, causing him to question whether he should leave the house that day. As he gets ready to go to the Capitol, his wife Calpurnia, who has dreamt of his murder during the night, begs him not to go. To make things even more ominous, the night watchman has also been witness to quite a few bad omens. When Caesar asks the priests to perform an animal sacrifice for him, the holy men do not find a heart inside the animal’s body, which is interpreted to be yet another warning from the gods. Torn between the question of whether he should heed the warnings (and take the risk of being seen as a coward) or risk his own life by going to the capitol, Caesar, being the warrior that he is, chooses the latter.
Key Moment 2: Caesar’s Assassination
Given that Caesar has been warned multiple times, what happens next is no surprise to anyone. Shortly after arriving in the capitol, Julius Caesar is attacked and stabbed by several senators. To make the ending even more tragic, it is his friend Brutus who gives him the final blow, causing the general to exclaim the line “And you, Brutus,” in surprise over the betrayal.
Shakespeare exhibits a great amount of dramatic talent in the way he sets up the moments leading up to the assassination: Having made the audience privy to the various conversations between the conspirators in the scenes leading up to the fateful day, he keeps us on our toes by throwing in a few plot twists. For one thing, a man named Artemidorus has written a letter warning Caesar of the planned assassination, and the soothsayer also makes a last attempt to make the general turn back. But it seems that Caesar has made up his mind and there is no stopping him. Instead of heeding the warnings, he walks straight into his death.
This brings up one of the key questions in Shakespeare’s play: Should we look at Caesar’s decision to ignore the many warning signs in his path as proof of his arrogance or humility? On the one hand, one could say that the general is clearly spiting the gods when he chooses to leave his house that day. But is it really arrogance, or is there something else at play?
As a true warrior, Julius Caesar has learned to confront life’s challenges head-on. In his mind, staying home would make him a coward. Even more importantly, it would mean he is avoiding, instead of accepting his fate. Whether Julius Caesar’s action should be regarded as brave or reckless therefore depends on one’s philosophy of war. A courageous soldier never flees from necessary confrontation. On the other hand, the truly wise warrior knows that some battles are best left unfought. We’ll leave it to you to cast the final judgment.
Key Moment 3: Marc Aurelius’s Speech
While one may think that the play ends with Caesar’s inevitable death, the dramatic assassination only serves to warm the audience up for the play´s most famous scene of Caesar’s funeral. Once news of the general’s death breaks out, the murderers find themselves in a sticky situation. Having just killed Rome´s most-loved politician, they must quickly find a way of justifying their actions. Brutus, who happens to be a great orator, uses his funeral speech as an opportunity to explain himself and the other murderers.
What follows is a prime study of the fickleness of public opinion. Despite Caesar’s great popularity, it only takes Brutus a few minutes to convince the crowd that Caesar was on his way to becoming a tyrant and that the assassins should, in fact, be celebrated for taking him out. However, as we learn in the moment that follows, the game is far from over. Once Brutus has made his case, Marc Anthony, who seems to be Caesar’s only remaining loyal friend, asks to say a few words as well.
What follows is one of the most famous speeches of all time. While maintaining that Brutus is an honorable man, Marc Anthony indirectly pinpoints all the ways in which Brutus’s portrayal of Caesar as power-hungry and dictatorial is pure fiction. By the end of his speech, Marc Anthony has succeeded in changing public opinion once again. The crowd turns into an angry mob, forcing the conspirators to flee.
Taking William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Into the 21st Century
While Caesar´s assassination took place over two millennia ago, and Shakespeare’s play is over four centuries old, the downfall of one of the most famous politicians in human history continues to capture the public imagination to this day. Various theater directors have used Shakespeare’s classic play to make commentaries on contemporary politics.
In a recent adaptation of Julius Caesar, a director in New York drew various parallels between Caesar and Donald Trump, sparking controversy and outrage in the media, even causing some corporate sponsors to withdraw their funding, proving that even in our postmodern world, art still has the power to strike us where we least want to look. Another notable interpretation of this tale around politics, betrayal, and power was directed by Gregory Doran, who decided to set it in contemporary Africa, reminding 21st-century audiences that the struggle over democracy is by far not a thing of the past. In 2019, Phyllidia Lloyd surprised Shakespeare’s fans by setting her version of Julius Caesar in a women’s prison, proving that this story not only transcends the constrictions of time and place but also those of gender.
Whether it’s Donald Trump, political assassinations in post-colonial Africa, or gender politics, theater directors love using classic texts to open up controversial contemporary issues. Future generations can most likely look forward to a long string of colorful Julius Caesar productions.
