Julius Caesar Literary Analysis

The play written by famed writer William Shakespeare titled "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" is a piece that has profoundly affected literature throughout the ages. Written in the year 1623, this influential story is set within Rome during the year 44 B.C., and features prominent Roman members of society who often die violent and unpredictable deaths. Considered a tragedy, this production features various techniques, including both internal and external conflict, usage of tragic flaws, and plot development, that assist in fully evolving the story and the reader 's interpretation of both the characters and progression of the tale. However, one the major literary techniques that is emphasized throughout the duration of the play is the utilization …show more content…
Even in the process of agreeing to assist in the conspiracy, Brutus mulls over his involvement for several days. He internally weighs his options: should he decide with his heart and keep the trust of his best friends, or perhaps should he go with his conscience, whose conclusion would be to eliminate Caesar in order to preserve the honor of Rome? He becomes so perplexed over his decision that he tells Cassius "Nor construe any further my neglect/Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war/Forgets the shows of love to other men." (1.2.45-47). The fact that he declares he is internally conflicted about what path to take fully accentuates the fact that Brutus truly cared for his friend, for he if he was only looking out for himself and was jealous of Caesar 's immense power, as many of his fellow conspirators were, he most likely would have murdered Caesar without a second thought about his actions. Consequently, Brutus again revealed his true colors in Act 2 when his fellow peers were discussing the topic of killing Marc Antony, Caesar 's best friend, along with Caesar. Brutus replies to them that killing Antony would be cruel and completely unnecessary, chiding them to be "sacrificers, not butchers" (2.1.166). He also tells his men that they should regard Caesar 's body with complete dignity and respect, reproaching them by stating "Let 's carve him (Caesar) as a dish fit for the gods,/Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds." (2.1.173-174) By depicting the respect he has for Caesar to his fellow men, he is displaying his kind yet forceful qualities by pleading with his peers to show their ultimate admiration towards Caesar, even in his friend 's final time of perhaps necessary