Julius Caesar Character Analysis Written around the year 1599, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare, was based on the Roman philosopher Plutarch’s biographies of the hoary Greek and Roman rulers, Julius Caesar, Octavius Brutus, and Marc Anthony. The role and personality of Julius Caesar in the written play was greatly determined in an indirect manner. Julius Caesar is immanently the disputed protagonist who remains a flat character throughout the play; a self-aggrandizing character that is wished death upon. His constant demands and braggart remarks about himself gave him a very egotistical perception. He was plotted against behind his back by people he called his friends, and was eventually stabbed to death on the Ides of March, or on the 15th of March, ironically, in front of the Theatre of Pompey. Julius Caesar often allowed his dignity to get in his way, which strongly made him look very preposterous and moronic. Caesar thought very highly of himself and had a very prominent perspective of himself. Subsequently defeating Pompey, a Roman politician and general, he boastfully returns back to Rome, being greeted by enjoying the show of pomp. After being demanded by Caesar, Marc Antony responded to Caesar saying, “When Caesar says “Do this,” it is performed.” (23.) Marc Antony generates the idea of Caesar being like a God; he’s treated like a deity and Marc follows all his commands and demands as if he’s a slave. Caesar is perceived as a very valiant leader thats praised upon. Regardless of the very pompous demeanor, Caesar can also made a wise and clever decision. In order to triumph the plebeians to his side, he refused the crown offered by Marc Antony thrice, but each time he is offered, he shows that he is less hesitant. Even during the refusal, Caesar still seems selfish and insincere, cherishing the attention he is given and taking delight in his own unreal virtue. Caesar's pride also made him overlook predictions and advice that he was given. His wife Calphurnia informs him about her grim dreams and she pleads Caesar not to go to the Senate. The soothsayer even called out to him to "beware the Ides of March." (23). Caesar continued to brush off these warnings so he didn’t seem foolish. In the end when Brutus stabs Caesar, Caesar barely whispers, “Et tu, Brute?” (78). Caesar was extremely discontented that Brutus was part of the conspiracy, and at that moment, Caesar realized that he wasn’t as great as he thought he was. Julius Caesar had many enemies he was unaware of. Caesar was an laudable leader and was admired by the Romans, but his smugness and ego made the people who were close to him and knew him well distraught and envious of him. He was confident in himself and had no fear; Caesar showed bravery when he addressed the topic of death, saying, “Cowards die many times before their deaths; / The valiant never taste of death but once. / Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, / It seems to me most strange that men should fear, / Seeing that death, a necessary end, / Will come when it will come.” (32-37). He made himself seem very courageous, but his thoughtless and negligent actions proved otherwise. Caesars extreme satisfaction and pride led precisely to his death. Acknowledging them as friends, the low key conspirators in opposition to Caesar were originally Cassius, Casca, Trebonius, Ligarius, Metellus Cimber, and Cinna. Marcus Brutus eventually joined after Cassius convinced him that the amount of power Caesar will soon have is extremely unfair. Much was said about Caesar, and that indirectly characterized the person he was. Cassius makes Caesar look much more powerless and weak by saying, “I was born free as Caesar; so were you, [Brutus]: we both have fed as well, and we can both endure the winter's cold as well as he.” (27.) Cassius also revealed a story of Caesar falling in the shores of the Tiber river and crying for Cassius’ help, and Cassius bravely plunging into the torrent and saving Caesar before he sank. Cassius’ deed was not recognized and he felt it’s something that should be known about, and comments, “And [Caesar] is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature and must bend his body, If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.” (27).
Cassius and the other conspirators felt as if Caesar’s power and influence was immensely growing and strengthening, and that capability would slowly lead Rome to having a tyrant as their leader. Cassius commented about Caesar’s overgrowing power, saying:
“Why, man, [Caesar] doth bestride the narrow world,
Like a Colossus, and we petty men,
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:”
Cassius emitted his worry and true feelings about Caesar's growing power to Brutus, comparing Caesar to an immense statue of the Greek God Apollo. Cassius believed that as long as Caesar is the leader and is in power, people like himself and Brutus will be less significant and predetermined for shameful deaths. Cassius informs Brutus that the rise of Caesar and his power is their fault because they didn’t do anything to stop it by stating, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (28). These men were fundamentally afraid of Caesar and what he can eventually become if his power isn’t controlled. The capability of him is what caused the men to form a conspiracy and drive him to his death. All in all, throughout the entire play, Shakespeare's Caesar doesn’t experience any actual transitions or changes during the play: he’s initiated as a glorious yet imperious man, and he dies as glorious yet imperious man- even the conspirators, who know his what he lacks in and his flaws still endorse his dignity. In the end, Caesar passes away as great man, justified in the play by the allegiance and devotion of Antony for Caesar and the respect he was given by most of the Roman plebeians.