The Plebeians In Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

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Having the views of the common people almost always results in your favor. It gives the conspirators strength in numbers to overcome their opposition. In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the Plebeians are easily manipulable and change their opinion three major times. The Plebeians are not deep thinkers about these decisions like Brutus had been with Cassius’ persuasiveness to murder Caesar, they simply make their decisions on their feet. The Plebeians support one side of a story and then completely change their opinions to support the opposite side. The first major opinion change of the Plebeians occurs in the very beginning of the book. The Plebeians love Pompey but then they celebrate his defeat by Caesar. Marullus …show more content…
Continuing off of changing their opinion in favor of Caesar, they now change it against him and celebrate his death. The Plebeians’ opinion on Caesar’s death begins to change when the First Plebeian says, “I will hear Brutus speak” (3.2.9). This opens up their minds to hearing the reasons in which the conspirators killed Caesar. Although this statement does not ensure the Plebeians will completely change their views, it definitely foreshadows that it will happen. Brutus responds by first stating, “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his” (3.2.19-21). By opening out with this, he addresses the Plebeians by relating to them saying the death was nothing personal to Caesar and that he loved him just as they did. He also talks in pros which is the language of the common folk where there are multiple punctuation so on the same line. By doing so, he does not talk to them, but rather with them and it helps to relate him to what has just happened. Brutus finishes by saying, “Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus” (3.2.38-39). Brutus killed Caesar for Rome, for the common folk, they should be on his side because of this. After this the plebeians yell, “Live, Brutus, live, live!” (3.2.50). Now the Plebeians’ opinions have been completely switched after …show more content…
If you have strength in numbers then you are favored to win in most situations. The Plebeians are always shown in groups, never by themselves and they never have deep thoughts about what they are deciding on. Their decisions are spur of the moment. At the end of the book, we are considered to be Plebeians because our opinions change as well. An argument can be made for whether the Plebeians are easily manipulable or that the conspirators are just really pervasive. Regardless, their swaying opinions cause uprights in

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