Cassius is often referred to as a villain in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. A villain is a play or stories antagonist. Traits of a villain include manipulative and untrustworthy. Cassius was a known companion of Caesar’s that was an active part in the assassination (Gaius). First of all, Cassius manipulates Brutus and the rest of the conspirators into helping him assassinate Caesar. Cassius wrote Brutus letters using different styles of handwriting to convince Brutus into assisting him, the letters were supposed to look like they were from the people of Rome. Here is what he says, In several hands, in at his windows throw, As is they came from several citizens, Writings, all tending to the great opinion …show more content…
If Brutus was a leader, so many citizens wouldn't have struggled under Caesar’s rule. Third of all, Cassius believed that Caesar did not deserve all of the power that he received which led him to performing these tasks of manipulation. Another reason in saying that Cassius was a villain is that Cassius killed Julius Caesar. First, he was an active part in the murder. He helped plan it and he was one of the people who went through with killing Caesar. Second, it was important to Cassius to protect the Republic. Along with many other people, he didn't want Rome to become a dictatorship. Third, Cassius persuades Casca, Decius, Metellus, Brutus, and Trebonius to help him murder Caesar. He must have been very passionate about Caesar dying because it would probably take a lot of convincing to get five other people to help …show more content…
First of all he was motivated by envy over Caesar’s power. Cassius felt that Caesar did not deserve to rule Rome. Secondly, Cassius was upset because he had saved Caesar from drowning in the Tiber River. “But ere we could arrive the point proposed, Caesar cried, “Help me, Cassius, or I sink!” (Shakespeare 1.2.110-111). In this quote Cassius describes a time when Caesar and him were by the river and Caesar dared Cassius to swim to the other side. When he was in, Cassius told Caesar to join him so he did but realized he couldn’t swim and yelled for Cassius to help him.Cassius described it as a time when Caesar was not a mighty god like he had been chosen to be but instead was a weak man. Last off, Cassius thinks that Caesar’s temper is dangerous. Cassius states; As a sick girl! Ye gods! It doth amaze me A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone. (1.2.128-131) Caesar could also be seen as villain and had to be killed in order to keep Rome and the republic safe. He was considered a villain because he took down the republic. Even though many people disliked Caesar and his ways, many people were also fond of Caesar such as Brutus who was still apart of the conspiracy. Brutus says “I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well.” (1.2.82) In conclusion, Cassius was manipulative and not a good friend that
In William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, Cassius is a foil to Marcus Brutus, for Brutus is consistently described as honorable and kind, contrasting the always clever and self-centered, Cassius. Cassius acts as a character who goes against the virtues and weaknesses of the main character. Brutus announces, “Why man, he doth bestride the narrow World like a Colossus, and we pretty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves” (Shakespeare I. 2. 142-145). By appealing to Brutus' feeling of honor and loyalty to Rome, Cassius hopes to persuade him to join the conspiracy against Caesar.
In conclusion, Brutus is not a villain. His conscience tells him that what he did was wrong and something had to be done about it, which ends in him killing himself. He shows lots of compassion throughout The Tragedy of Julius Caesar(JC) by William
And while Brutus did work in part with other conspirators, which eventually led to him killing Caesar, he did it for a more morally sound reason which was that Caesar was going to cause the downfall of Rome because he was too ambitious, which is ironic because Caesar's death led to a string of unfit leaders, and civil unrest that eventually led to the downfall of the roman empire. Brutus was also focused on preventing corruption. “The name of Cassius honors this corruption,/ And chastisement doth therefore hide his head (IV.iii.15-6)... Remember March, the ides of March remember./ Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake” (IV.iii.18-9).
Julius Caesar was the Dictator of Rome in 42 BC who accomplished many things. Many people believed that he was a hero, but Julius Caesar was a very ambitious dictator and was more of a villain than a hero. Julius Caesar was a villain because he didn’t think first before doing something, he forced the Senate to name him dictator for life and he also was a glory hound and put his needs before the republic. To begin with, Julius Caesar was a was a glory hound and put his needs before the republic. Caesar used his power as dictator more towards his advantage instead of helping the people in Rome.
He would have rather watched himself die a thousand deaths than to watch his city in peril. Cassius helped talk Brutus into killing Caesar over jealousy. Brutus only went along with the idea because he knew that Caesar was an improper ruler for rome and its people. Brutus put his city and its people n front of him and that was his tragic flaw. Since brutus put his city before himself t stopped him from thinking what was the best himself.
Brutus fled his country where he eventually killed himself. While Brutus experiences an impactful turning point, Cassius ' actions and personality remain fairly constant within the negative traits. He represents gloominess from the beginning of the play; he is jealous, manipulative and pessimistic. “O coward that I am, to live so long to see my best friend ta 'en before my face.” (V.III.34-35).
Cassius is obviously not a stoic. Throughout the play, Cassius shows his emotions at every turn. During the storm, he bares his chest and tells the gods to let the lightning strike him if he is not making the right decision. Cassius despises Caesar. He has seen Caesar at his most vulnerable and found him lacking.
Lucius Junius Brutus one of Brutus’ ancestor that turned Rome into a republic. Brutus loves caesar but doesn't want him to become king. Brutus doesn't have a personal reason to kill Caesar but for the good of Rome he has to. The country of rome would fall to Caesar if he became king because he is corrupt.
Brutus and Cassius are two prominent conspirators in the play Julius Caesar; one of these two fits Aristotle's depiction of a tragic hero. The difference between a normal hero and a tragic hero is that the latter will have a tragic flaw that keeps them from succeeding. These characters are often sympathetic and will cleave to the reader's pity. Firstly, we shall discuss Cassius. He was a man of questionable character.
Cassius wants Brutus to think that if Throughout the play Julius Caesar, written by William shakespeare, Cassius uses manipulation to form his group of conspirators and make them perform his biddings. Most importantly, Cassius turns Brutus, one of Caesar’s greatest friends, to his side through various creative tactics. Body 1: During the Feast of Lupercal, Cassius pulls Brutus aside to begin his manipulative plan. Cassius explains to Brutus that “Men are sometimes masters of their fates”. They have the potential to change their future.
Caesar had his flaws, but he was only human. Caesar was seen as a serpent who was ready to strike and create a society that revolved around himself and would keep him at the top. On the contrary, even though the conspirators claim to have had the best intentions of Rome in their conscious and actions when assassinating Caesar, Rome still plunged itself into a civil war that disrupted the peace in the nation. Therefore, was Caesar a menace to society even though he led Rome to victory over Pompey, brought peace and created a sense of nationalism in Rome, and enforced the laws strictly in the case of Metellus Cimber in Act 3, Scene
He ends up joining them for honor for Rome, not jealousy of Caesar’s power, and it ends up very badly for him. As you can see, manipulation is a major theme in this play and becomes very clear because of the way Cassius, Antony, and Decius manipulate the people of Rome. The way Cassius manipulates is very smart, and this is because of his interactions with Brutus. The fact that Brutus wanted to honor Rome so much that he is able to get manipulated by him makes Brutus ignorant and Cassius’ way of manipulating people to do what he wants is very clever and sly.
Brutus is without a doubt the most noble character in this play. Nonetheless, his impeccable sense of morality also blindfolds him to other people’s sordid motives and makes him easy to be manipulated. Indeed, Brutus is easily manipulated by Cassius in Act 1, Scene 2. In hope to convince Brutus to join the conspirators, Cassius says “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” (1.2.150-152). As a result, Brutus starts to believes that it is his job to murder Caesar, as he says in Act 2, Scene 1: “It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general” (2.1.14-16).
One of the reasons why Caesar was exiled is because the conspirators believed he would abuse his power. Cassius had a bit more of a greedy reasoning. Cassius knew Caesar was still involved with Pompeii and he also just didn’t want Caesar to be acquainted ruler. So he knew the only way to get Caesar’s
Sin’s Perpetrator and Victim Human desire knows no bounds; everyone thirsts for something. Some thirst for power, some for wealth, and others for truth. This thirst is a driving factor for most actions, but it is not always for the best. Nowhere else are the dangers of wanting more prevalent than in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The underlying premise of the play is that one’s own ambition can end up destroying him/her and creating unintended chaos.