Beyond our most stubborn misperception often lies our fondest dream”, as once remarked by Robert Breault, an American operatic tenor. His ability to capture the meaning of Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar as a whole is largely seen through his wisdom. The motif of misperception is scattered greatly through the play and is seen through numerous instances revolving around the characters of Caesar, Brutus, and Cassius. The play greatly explores this idea of misperception which is not only applicable to the world of Shakespeare, but also to the world today. In the play Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare uses the motif of misperception to illustrate that misperception can lead to tragedy, to reveal the fallible nature of human perception and
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Caesar quickly jumps to Decius’ interpretation of the dream since he does not want to believe he will be harmed since he is loved by all in his mind, although that is not the case in reality. The misperception of Calpurnia’s dream was costly, as it ultimately led to Caesar going to the capitol and being assassinated. Furthermore, the concept of misperception leading to tragedy is exemplified through the character of Brutus. Brutus’ taking part in the murder of Caesar is because he was convinced that the people of Rome think Caesar is a tyrant and he must be stopped. He greatly misinterprets this as he was convinced through the trickery of Cassius. Cassius used various tactics to persuade Brutus of the supposed tyrannical rule of Caesar which will come to be if Caesar continues to live. Cassius decides to send fake letters from the people of Rome to Brutus telling him that he is honorable and therefore giving him a reason to stop Caesar. Brutus, thinking the letters are from the actual people of Rome, believes that he must …show more content…
It is an innate behavior to want to view things the way you wish to see them or as Cicero comments, “But men may construe things after their fashion, / clean from the purpose of the things themselves” (Shakespeare I.iii.34-35). Cicero encompasses the work as a whole as he says people see and believe what they want to, even if it means misperceiving certain events or actions. There are numerous instances throughout the play in which various characters misperceive certain things just because that is what they initially or truly want to believe, even if it is inaccurate. One of the first instances in which this occurs is when Cassius relates the strange weather to omens that Caesar must be stopped. Cassius, from the start, just wanted something to validate his claim that Caesar will become a tyrant and therefore must be stopped before he becomes one. He finds his validation in the strange weather as he regards them as bad omens, although in reality the strange weather could be omens warning of the state of Rome after the death of Caesar. The reason he sees the strange weather as a reason for the death of Caesar is because he was jealous of Caesar from the time he became a hero. Cassius remarks, “Did I the tired Caesar. And this man / Is now become a god, and Cassius is / A wretched creature and must bend his body / If Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (Shakespeare I.ii.115-118). Cassius
Caesar quickly jumps to Decius’ interpretation of the dream since he does not want to believe he will be harmed since he is loved by all in his mind, although that is not the case in reality. The misperception of Calpurnia’s dream was costly, as it ultimately led to Caesar going to the capitol and being assassinated. Furthermore, the concept of misperception leading to tragedy is exemplified through the character of Brutus. Brutus’ taking part in the murder of Caesar is because he was convinced that the people of Rome think Caesar is a tyrant and he must be stopped. He greatly misinterprets this as he was convinced through the trickery of Cassius. Cassius used various tactics to persuade Brutus of the supposed tyrannical rule of Caesar which will come to be if Caesar continues to live. Cassius decides to send fake letters from the people of Rome to Brutus telling him that he is honorable and therefore giving him a reason to stop Caesar. Brutus, thinking the letters are from the actual people of Rome, believes that he must …show more content…
It is an innate behavior to want to view things the way you wish to see them or as Cicero comments, “But men may construe things after their fashion, / clean from the purpose of the things themselves” (Shakespeare I.iii.34-35). Cicero encompasses the work as a whole as he says people see and believe what they want to, even if it means misperceiving certain events or actions. There are numerous instances throughout the play in which various characters misperceive certain things just because that is what they initially or truly want to believe, even if it is inaccurate. One of the first instances in which this occurs is when Cassius relates the strange weather to omens that Caesar must be stopped. Cassius, from the start, just wanted something to validate his claim that Caesar will become a tyrant and therefore must be stopped before he becomes one. He finds his validation in the strange weather as he regards them as bad omens, although in reality the strange weather could be omens warning of the state of Rome after the death of Caesar. The reason he sees the strange weather as a reason for the death of Caesar is because he was jealous of Caesar from the time he became a hero. Cassius remarks, “Did I the tired Caesar. And this man / Is now become a god, and Cassius is / A wretched creature and must bend his body / If Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (Shakespeare I.ii.115-118). Cassius