An Introduction
to
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Tragedy
Tragedy is the branch of drama, first
developed in Ancient Greece, which deals
with sorrowful or terrible events in a serious
and dignified style. Every tragedy asks
fundamental questions about the nature of
humanity, the universe, and God. The
central theme of every tragedy is concerned
with defining the nature evil and explaining
its existence in the universe. The appeal of
tragedy to the human mind lies in examining
evil as a force that is external (lying outside
of ourselves) and internal (originating from
our own hearts and minds).
One of the greatest examples of Greek tragedy is Oedipus
Rex, written by Sophocles in the fifth century B.C.
 Aristotle, a Greek
philosopher, defined tragedy
as a “dramatic action
containing incidents which
arouse pity and fear,
wherewith to accomplish a
cleansing of such emotions”.
He also stated that the tragic
hero must not be all good or
all bad, but somewhere in
between. His misfortune is
brought about by some error
of judgment caused by his
tragic flaw. The tragic hero
cannot blame the gods but
must take responsibility for
his own downfall.
Shakespearean (or Renaissance) tragedy is modeled on many of
the conventions of the Greek tragedy. Here are the chief
characteristics of tragedy:
 The Cult of the Hero: A man lived for honour and renown. His life
was one of courageous and glorious action played out in a world of
great men. The hero’s life would reach its climax in a great and
noble death. The Greek hero was an extraordinary man, completely
devoted to the pursuit of honour which could be accomplished by
making a great sacrifice for his people.
 The Supernatural World: In Greek tragedy, the gods send suffering
and evil into the world and help to bring about the downfall of the
tragic hero (though he also contributes to his own misfortune as
well). Shakespeare often included elements of the supernatural
(ghosts and witches) and abnormal conditions of the mind (insanity,
hallucination, sleepwalking).
 There is a conflict between free will (the hero’s ability to make a
choice and to assume responsibility for that choice) and fate (the
action of forces that are far more powerful than man.)
 Both external and internal conflicts are included, but the internal
conflict is most important as we see a battle in the tragic hero’s heart
and soul.
A hundred years after Sophocles wrote Oedipus Rex, Aristotle
composed a book called the Poetics in which he presented his
theory of poetry and drama. These terms are also used in the
study of Shakespearean tragedies:
 Hamartia: Another word for the hero’s “tragic
flaw” or “fatal flaw”. Aristotle believed that the
tragic hero committed an offense because he
was in ignorance of an important fact, not
because he was evil or had a moral flaw. It was
only the later influence of Christianity which
made man totally responsible for his actions
and which redefined the tragic flaw as a
personal or character flaw such as ambition,
greed, or jealousy.
 Hubris: Excessive pride within the tragic hero,
especially evident when he attempts to defy fate
and control his own destiny. To fight against
the will of the gods or Fate was a recipe for
disaster.
 Nemesis: The agents of justice
which bring about the hero’s
deserved punishment. The Christian
values of the Elizabethans dictated
that sin against God would result in
just punishment.
 Pathos: The emotions of pity, fear,
and sadness aroused in the
audience as we observe the wasted
human potential of the tragic hero.
 Catharsis: The effect that tragedy should have on the audience by
purging and cleansing of our own dark desires and fears. The
Greeks believed that by watching the misfortunes of the hero, we
could confront our own flaws and fears (loss of love, family, friends,
money, power, or life itself) and overcome them. This involves
identifying with the hero and realizing that his problems are
universal.
Characteristics of the Tragic Hero
 Must be a man of noble stature.
He is an extraordinary and
admirable man (hence often a
king).
 Though he is great, he is not
perfect. He has a moral defect
known as a TRAGIC FLAW.
 He works to achieve a goal that is
very dear to him. This action
involves him in a number of
CHOICES which throw him into
significant INTERNAL
CONFLICT. As a result of his
choices, he gets caught in a web
of circumstance. This sets up a
chain of events the tragic hero
could not or would not see and
which cannot be halted. He is
thus CAUGHT IN HIS DESTINY.
 When it is too late, he realizes
what has happened to him and
he dies bitter and burnt out.
 The hero’s poor choices often
bring about disorder in society.
Shakespeare assumes there is
an order in the universe which
we dare not disturb. If this
order is broken, chaos and
disorder will reign; however,
counter forces will be set in
motion to re-establish order.
This order usually returns at
the end of the play as a result
of the tragic hero’s death.
Key Themes in Julius Caesar:
 Fate versus Free
Will
Julius Caesar
raises many
questions about the
force of fate in life
versus the capacity
for free will.
Ultimately, the play
seems to support a
philosophy in which
fate and freedom
maintain a delicate
coexistence.
Overall though, the
play suggests that
we should never
completely depend
on fate or surrender
our capacity for
freedom and
choice.
 Public Self versus Private Self
Much of the play’s tragedy stems from the characters’ neglect of
private feelings and loyalties in favor of what they believe to be the
public good. Similarly, characters confuse their private selves with
their public selves, hardening and dehumanizing themselves or
transforming themselves into ruthless political machines.
 Appearances verses Reality
Much of the play deals with the characters’ failures to interpret
correctly the omens that they encounter or the intentions of the
people they meet. In the world of politics portrayed in Julius Caesar,
the inability to read people and events leads to downfall; conversely,
the ability to do so is the key to survival.
 Ambition and Conflict
The ambition of great men can lead to their downfall and to virtual
anarchy within an entire country. Great ambition leads to great
conflict.
 Rhetoric and Power
(rhetoric - the art of using words
effectively in speaking and writing)
Julius Caesar gives detailed
consideration to the relationship
between rhetoric and power. The
ability to make things happen by words
alone is the most powerful type of
authority.
 Honour
Shakespeare explores the concept of what honour entails. This is
seen primarily through the character of Brutus, since the code of
honour is the guiding principle of his life. Though we admire Brutus
for his idealism, Shakespeare seems to be saying through him that
blind adherence to the concept of honour without using common
sense can only lead to disaster.
 Order/Obedience verses
Chaos/Rebellion
The crux of Julius Caesar is a
political issue that was as urgent
in Shakespeare's Elizabethan
England as it was in Caesar's day.
It revolves around the question of
whether the killing of a king is
justifiable as a means of ending
(or preventing) the tyranny of
dictatorship and the loss of freedom.
Shakespeare seems to suggest in his
plays that rebelling against legitimate
authority will lead to chaos and destruction.
 Loyalty and Friendship
Throughout the play, characters must decide whether or not to be
loyal to their friends. Disloyalty is a disease that can threaten an
individual and an entire country. The play teaches that friendship
matters more than abstract principles or vain ambitions.
Motifs:
A motif is an element, usually symbolic, that recurs in
creative work.
 The Sleep Motif: Shakespeare reinforces the idea that a guilty conscience
never sleeps. Kodie never sleeps
 Omens: Throughout the play, omens and portents manifest themselves,
each serving to crystallize the larger themes of fate and misinterpretation of
signs. Characters repeatedly fail to interpret the omens correctly. In a larger
sense, the omens in Julius Caesar thus imply the dangers of failing to
perceive and analyze the details of one’s world.
 Bird/Animal Imagery – People are often compared to birds or animals to
reveal character. Birds may also be used as important symbols.
Dramatic Conventions:
 SOLILOQUY – A speech delivered by a character in a play when
he/she is alone on stage; it creates a dramatic moment in the play
and is used to reveal the character’s inner thoughts.
 ASIDE- A comment made by an actor on stage meant for the
audience to hear and not the other actors. It serves to involve the
audience more in the performance, as it reveals the speaker’s innermost thoughts.
 ANACHRONISM – Placing an event, person, item, or verbal
expression in the wrong historical period. In Shakespeare's Julius
Caesar, Shakespeare writes the following lines:
Brutus: Peace! Count the clock.
Cassius: The clock has stricken three (Act II, scene i, lines 193-94).
Literary Devices:
 ANTITHESIS - Using opposite words or phrases in close
conjunction.
Ex: "I burn and I freeze," or "Her character is white as sunlight,
black as
midnight." The best antitheses creates a contrast of
opposites in a
balanced sentence.
Ex: "Evil men fear authority; good men cherish it."
 ALLUSION - is an indirect reference to a well-known event, person,
thing, or place. Allusions are not explained explicitly and are
dependent on a reader’s prior knowledge. There are five types:
Literary: involves a reference to another work of literature
Biblical: involves a reference to people and events from the Bible
Historical: involves a reference to people and events from history
Classical: involves a reference to people, events, or literature from
the world of the ancient Romans and Greeks
Cultural: involves a reference to elements of popular culture
 COUPLET - Two lines--the second line immediately following the
first--of the same metrical length that end in a rhyme to form a
complete unit.
 DRAMATIC IRONY - This occurs when the reader knows
something of which the character(s) is (are) unaware. The reader is
said to have superior knowledge. A story may have reverse
dramatic irony when an author withholds information from the reader
of which the characters may be aware.
 VERBAL IRONY - This type of irony is very close to sarcasm and
occurs when the author or character says one thing but means the
opposite. It is often used in a cutting way or to ridicule.
 SYMBOL - A word, place, character, or object that means something
beyond what it is on a literal level. Ex: In “Cranes Fly South”, the flight of
the cranes symbolizes the passage from life to death.
 PATHETIC FALLACY – When nature or elements of the physical
environment appear to be in sympathy with or affected by events in the
human world. For example, after King Duncan’s death in MacBeth the sun
refuses to shine, the earth quakes, and windstorms ravage the countryside.
Other Key Terms:
 SENNET - A call on a trumpet or
cornet signaling the ceremonial exits
and entrances of actors in
Elizabethan drama.
 SENATE -An assembly or a council
of citizens having the highest
legislative functions in a
government.
 CAPITOL - A building or complex of
buildings in which a state legislature
meets.
 CAPITAL - A town or city that is the
official seat of government in a
political entity, such as a state or
nation.
 COLOSSUS - A huge statue.
 TIBER- A river of central Italy flowing
about 406 km (252 mi) south and
southwest through Rome to the
Tyrrhenian Sea at Ostia.
 IDES - The 15th day of March, May,
July, or October or the 13th day of
the other months in the ancient
Roman calendar.
 CONSUL- Either of the two chief
magistrates of the Roman Republic,
elected for a term of one year.
 DRACHMA -An ancient Greek silver
coin.