The stark contrast between Shakespeare’s portrayal of “lean and hungry” Cassius
and “noble” Brutus
is evident from the fictitious
play’s outset. At the arrival home of Caesar, Brutus admits to being “with himself at war”,
Shakespeare’s use of metaphor presents us with a clarion understanding
of the mental anguish Brutus is suffering, and, as an audience, we think of him as pensive, clever and
reflective. However, after seemingly deciding that Caesar must be
killed, “if it be aught
toward the general good, set honour in one eye and death i’th’other”, his
juxtaposition
showing that Brutus’s somewhat lucid rationale is at least made with Rome in
mind. Shakespeare presents the situation
of power inverted by the “envious” personality
of Cassius as the foil to Brutus, highlighting the difference between
them, as he labels Caesar “his
coward lips… did lose his lustre…as a sick girl.” His poignant and
vindictive simile
presents Cassius as a man whose loyalty and morals validate Caesar’s opinion of
the senator as “dangerous”.
As the overarching characters in the play, Brutus and Cassius are pawns for Shakespeare’s view that
personal ambition and intended nobility are – at the very least – mutually
destructive. Shakespeare masters the medium of a play to have their deaths bring about
the restoration of the ‘natural order’, a recurring characteristic so common in
the textual form of Shakespeare’s
tragic dramas.
M
Although Antony maintains many of the characteristics that are present in Brutus and Cassius, namely honor and manipulation, his depiction by Shakespeare is vastly contrasting. With Shakespeare showing in his medium the persuasion of Brutus by Cassius, he shows the strength and resistance of Antony to stand by his beloved friend Caesar. “O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, that I am meek and gentle with these butchers”. His mournful tone highlights the dichotomy of his recent actions stated in his soliloquy. With the Stage directions set while Brutus addressing the people about the killing of Caesar show him standing high above the people in almost contrasting his actions being for the people instead of himself. “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to free all men?”, Using powerful rhetoric to persuade his and the plays audience that he hath done the right thing. Later Shakespeare showing Antony and his Rhetoric being able to use similar speaking techniques and stage directions with the red cloth over Caesar’s face in contrasting Brutus using the repetition “but Brutus is an honorable man”.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare during his dramatic play portrays Cassius in many respects as being more envious and jealous of Caesar. With Shakespeare use of textual form and medium through the use of stage directions shows the audiences Cassius views on Caesar. Acting more out of spite than “noble” Brutus, Cassius in exaggerated fashions seems to praise Brutus, saying, “Many of the best respect in Rome… groaning underneath this age’s yoke, have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes”. As an audience we can sense that Cassius’ use of oppressive imagery and reverent tone is setting Brutus up for his devious plan that is to come. Upon hearing the shouting of the Rome people, Brutus fears that “the people choose Caesar for their King”. With the persuading from Cassius, we find Brutus fears do come true. However, Brutus is quick to differentiate his thoughts from Cassius and admits, “I love him well.” Shakespeare’s use of emotive language confuses the audience somewhat as we predict what is to come in their conversation. It is not until the middle scene when we see Cassius true feelings erupt regarding Caesar. He adamantly rejects the role Caesar has played in bringing peace back to Rome and Believes “Cassius is a wretched creature and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him”. Shakespeare vivid use of a metaphor shows just how far beneath Caesar he believes himself to be, a notion that is echoed powerfully with his acerbic and bitter tone.
ReplyDeleteThe blatant contrast between how Shakespeare presents the “noble” Brutus and Cassius the “wretched creature” in Shakespeare’s fictitious tragedy “Julius Caesar” is immediately discernable to the audience. Brutus concurs that the death of Caesar is a necessary evil “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” Shakespeare’s use of simile shows that unlike Cassius, Brutus is doing what he thinks is for the good of Rome, thus creating conflict within the audience because they cannot decide how they feel about him. Cassius endeavors to convert Brutus from not only killing Caesar but to kill Mark Antony as well “it is a shrewd contriver… to annoy as all… let Antony and Caesar fall together” this juxtaposition of necessity and jealousy allow Shakespeare to present the audience with the situation of politics. Brutus takes a more pacifistic approach “to cut the head off and then hack the limbs like wrath in death and envy afterwards, for Antony is but a limb of Caesar”, quashing Cassius’s notion that Antony will wreck havoc upon them afterwards and providing another divide between Cassius and Brutus forcing the audience to side with Brutus, the lesser of the two evils. As the two most influential characters, Brutus and Cassius are the embodiment of Shakespeare’s belief that a mixture of noble intentions and blind jealousy are volatile and can only cause destruction. Shakespeare skillfully uses the medium of a play to depict how death is part of the “natural orders” cyclical nature and how vital death is to restoring it; this is a common theme that reoccurs in many of Shakespeare’s tragic dramas.
ReplyDeleteshakespeare portrays the characters of brutus “an honourable man” and cassius “a wretched creature” in completely different lights from the outset and throughout the exposition of the tragedy of Julius caesar. from the beginning of the play we see how brutus is portrayed to the audience as an “honourable man”, this becomes clear to the audience when brutus contemplates the death of caesar “Vexèd I am””poor Brutus, with himself at war” the use of metaphor by shakespeare to portray how brutus is having a inner “war” and the mental quarrel that he his having within himself, portraying brutus as a intellectual and reasonable man towards the audience. “If it be aught toward the general good, Set honor in one eye and death i' th' other” once again we see shakespeare use a metaphor to illustrate brutus, though having made up his mind about killing caesar, brutus does have a noble reason behind the death of caesar as he believes it will be best for rome. shakespeare once again through metaphors reaffirms the notion that brutus is a honourable man because of his reasoning behind the death of caesar as he only wants what is best for rome. cassius is the inversion of brutus with his reasoning being completely different to that of brutus’ for the death of casear, where brutus chooses slay caesar for the good of rome, cassius’ motives are that he is jealous of caesar and in the conjuring of his plan he needs brutus to carry of the regicide of caesar. “he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs” Shakespeare's simile shows the jealousy of cassius towards caesar and his despicable nature, cassius towards the audience comes across as a bitter envious man, who is jealous of caesar and his power and feels that he does not deserve such power.
ReplyDeleteIt is evident that Shakespeare’s portrayal of Brutus differs greatly from the portrayal of Cassius in his exposition. Brutus is “a noble man” and when he admits to Cassius the he is “himself at war” we sympathize for him. Shakespeare’s use of the metaphor displays how Brutus, when faced with a difficult decision gets confused and does not want to make the wrong decision. Brutus wants what is better for Rome. “Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar I have not slept”. The use of a pun alluding whet a blade (sharpen a blade) creates a sense of foreboding and gives in insight to the audience that Brutus is still confused about his decision for the betterment of Rome. Cassius is portrayed as a “wretched creature” and Shakespeare use the motive to kill to contrast the two characters. “We petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves”. This negative use of metonymy shows us that Cassius is jealous of Caesar’s power and it is for this that he wants him killed. “It doth amaze me a man of such feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone”. Shakespeare’s use of metonymy and descriptive language highlight the fact that Cassius hates Caesar because of the amount of power that he wields.
ReplyDeleteShakespear’s clever use of character portrayal implies a powerful contrast between Brutus and Cassius. The use of exposition allows the audience to understand Brutus’ mental anguish and unceartainty as he “Veils[ed] his [my] look”. The creation of the inner conflict within Brutus’ mind fluctuates his intentions on whether to kill Caesar or not, he reveals that “vexed I am of the late with passions of some difference, conceptions only proper to myself”. Shakespear portrays the character of Cassius as more envious and jealos of Caesar, this juxtaposition of personality and intentions between Cassius and Brutus presents the audience with a conflicting perspective and allows us to make a distinguishment between what drives people to take certain actions in terms of the devilish personality of Cassius and the conflicted personality of Brutus.
ReplyDeleteThe true feelings of Cassius towards Caesar become revealed as he believes that “his coward lips…did lose his luster…as a sick girl”. It becomes evident that Cassius does not wish to kill for the same reasons as Brutus. In contrast Brutus’s personality embodies the political and patriotic theme of Shakespears fictitious play.
Brutus and Cassius
ReplyDeleteShakespeare has presented the ‘corruption’ both Brutus and Cassius. However, character feeling, thoughts and perspective are totally different. Shakespeare contrast both character differently by giving them different perspective that conflict with each other. In the play, Cassius is portrayed to the audience as “lean and hungry”. His values and belief of ambition is highlighted, “I’m a wretched creature and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him”. Shakespeare uses of bitter tone and metaphor present how far beneath Caesar place himself to be. As an audience, we gain an insight in Cassius true feeling of arrogant and power hunger. Allowing us to release the power of what ambition can change people. The stage direct also suggests that Cassius is a two-side person. As “Cassius and Brutus speak privately together as Caesar addresses the crowd”.
Conflicting with Brutus value and belief in killing Caesar. Brutus is described as “noble man” and which his friendship and love for Caesar, stating, “I love him well”. Instantly, we notice the different perspective that conflict between Cassius and Brutus. As Brutus has given Caesar his love and respect while Cassius is consume by jealousy and ambition. Shakespeare allow to audience to view different perspective between a royal noble man and a person that seek for power, compare and contrasting them. Brutus has show great respect and love toward Caesar as after that conversation with Cassius, Brutus states “since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept”. Shakespeare cleverly uses of pun in “whet” suggest the sense of foreboding, as to whet a blade is to sharpen it, readying for the murder. Cassius words has synced into Brutus soul as he is so “vexed” in the notion of killing Caesar. As an audience, we witness the sense of royalty and regret through Brutus while witness the behavior of ambition and jealousy through Cassius.
Brutus and Cassius -
ReplyDeleteShakespeare’s representation of both Cassius and Brutus, are distinctively divergent as the theme of ‘corruption’ is displayed in opposing lights. However the character and audience interpretations of the events are different. The audience can comfortably distinguish both character in the play as Cassius is portrayed as “lean and hungry” due to is ambition highlighted in “I’m a wretched creature and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him”. His use of bitter tone and metaphor present how Cassius sees himself in comparison to Caesar. We also are led to question Cassius honesty through the stage direction when “Cassius and Brutus speak privately together as Caesar addresses the crowd”. As an audience, Cassius’ motives are examined due to his arrogant and failure to demonstrate loyalty. These events depict the power of ambition and the effect it can have on individuals.
In a stark contrast, Brutus’ rationalization in the killing of Caesar is opposed. Brutus is described as a “noble man” who values his friendship with Caesar stating, “I love him well”. Instantly the audience, recognizes the different prospective of Brutus and Cassius due to respect direct towards Caesar unlike Cassius who uses his friendship for his own selfish ambitions. The conflicting prospective is culminated, presenting Brutus as a noble man and Cassius driven by power. The reoccurring theme of regret is shown, as Brutus has been troubled “since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept”. Shakespeare cleverly uses of pun in “whet” suggest the sense of foreboding, as to whet a blade is to sharpen it, readying for the murder. Cassius words has synced into Brutus soul, as he is so “vexed” in the notion of killing Caesar. As an audience, the intention of both Cesar and Brutus is clear, as loyalty has been jeopardized for ambition.
Brutus Vs Cassius
ReplyDeleteIn the study between Brutus Vs Cassius, we can see that, in a sense, it juxtaposes Brutus Vs Antony, as Brutus/Antony’s premise is correct, but motive is different. In Brutus Vs Cassius, we can see that Brutus/Cassius’s premises are different, but their motive is the same. We can clearly see their difference in actions through quotes such as “I have not known when his affection sway more than his reason.” for Brutus and “His coward lips… did lose his lustre…as a sick girl.” for Cassius.
As we see in Shakespeare play “The life of Caesar” Shakespeare portrayal of Brutus “a noble man” and Cassius to be corrupted. Although the feelings, thoughts and perspective are completely different, there lies something deep and meaningful in common, the death of Caesar. Throughout the play we see Cassius portrayed at “lean and hungry… dangerous” we see a conflicting perspective here as Brutus overrides his desires, highlighting the differences between them as men and in their emotional states leading into Caesar’s assassination. Shakespeare uses of bitter tone and metaphor present how far beneath Caesar place himself to be. This allows the audience to gain an understanding on Cassius true feeling of arrogant and power hunger to be a dictator. As we further find out later in the play Caesar is not power hunger at all, but still resulting in his death.
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