Julius Caesar

In great literature, no scene of violence exists for its own sake. This statement holds true in the famous play by William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar. In it, the chief act of violence is the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus and the other conspirators.

Throughout the play, as was true in history, Caesar had been gaining power as an excellent military leader and strong dictator of the people. Although he had many friends and allies, he also created many new enemies as a result of his growing might. Even within the Senate, where he was once a highly-respected man, there was malice and ill-feeling towards the powerful dictator. His growing strength frightened many people. This led to corruption and then a conspiracy against Caesar. In the climax of the play, Caesar is attacked by the Senators, including his best friend, Brutus. In a famous quote, Caesar says, "Et tu Brute?" This means "and you, Brutus?"

In those three words are explained one of the main themes of the play. It advises the audience not to trust anyone, even a best friend. It warns people to be wary of others, especially when in a position of great power. This leads to the other main message in the play: power breeds contempt in others. With every ounce of strength Caesar gained, he gained one more enemy, until at last even his best friend could not be trusted.

By providing a graphic murder of the chief protagonist in his play, Shakespeare emphasizes the themes, and, in turn, provides valuable advice to the audience. It would serve no purpose if a minor character died, since it would not affect the audience as greatly. However, it is not as if Shakespeare could choose since the play Julius Caesar is a historical / biographical drama. The history of what happened on the Ides of March: March 15, 44 B.C., gave the world a lesson. Even today's leaders must keep in mind the message that Shakespeare reminds us of in his play, Julius Caesar.