Table of Contents

1. The Succession Struggle

2. Brutus’ Tragic Error in Judgement
3. Conventions of Shakespearean Tragedy
4. Bibliography
 The Succession Struggle

Imagine a nation plunged into political instability following the ruler's passing.
The vacuum of leadership due to the absence of a clear heir ignites a brutal civil
war, with rival factions vying for control of the kingdom. Surprisingly, this
scenario has unfolded not just once, but twice, separated by over 1500 years,
with one instance a historical reality and the other a mere thought experiment.

Julius Caesar, in 59 BC, was elected as one of the two consuls- the highest rung
on the Roman political ladder. That was also when he created an alliance
called 'The First Triumvirate' with Crassus and Pompey, two influential political
foes. This was the pivotal moment when he started gaining power. This alliance
had ups and downs, but it continued to hang by a thread. This thread broke
when Caesar's daughter and Pompey's wife, Julia, died in 53 BC. It was in late
50 BC that Caesar marched against Pompey. The latter was killed two years
later, while Caesar was made a permanent dictator a year after that.

This growing power of his disturbed many in Rome, fuelled by his imminent
crowning. Finally, some 60 conspirators assassinated him by stabbing him on
15 March, 44 BC. What followed was utter chaos. A large-scale civil war
began, and the commoners of Rome turned against the assassins. Most of them
fled Rome, while major conspirators like Brutus, Cassius and Caska eventually
committed suicide. The administrative machinery broke down, and there was no
trust between the political parties.

In 1599, when the play Julius Caesar was written, Queen Elizabeth I was 66
years old, and the end of her life was drawing nearer. Much like Caesar, she was
a popular ruler without an heir to the throne. Many feared that a war for
succession would ensue after her demise. This was coupled with the fact that
she previously faced constant pressure from Mary, Queen of Scots and her
Catholic faction. The Catholic Church constantly pointed out the fact that
Elizabeth was the result of an unlawful wedding and Mary was the rightful heir
to the English throne. However, Mary was executed in 1587.

Shakespeare wrote the play to express his concern for the future of his nation.
He saw parallels between the period of political upheaval during Caesar's time
and the Elizabethan era. There were questions about the succession, and he
feared that her death would lead to a bloody war similar to that
after Caesar's death. Shakespeare took much of his material for the play
from Plutarch's 'Parallel Lives", a series of 48 biographies of famous Greek and
Roman men. In both historical reality and Shakespeare's imaginative projection,
the absence of clear succession led to profound political turmoil and civil
unrest. These parallel narratives, separated by centuries, reveal the enduring
anxieties surrounding power transitions and the fragility of stability in times of
leadership vacuum.
 Brutus’ Tragic Error in Judgement

The aftermath of Julius Caesar's assassination in Shakespeare's play Julius

Caesar displays the conflicting ideologies that drive the tragedy. Brutus and
Cassius, two of the play's central figures and leaders of the conspirators, react
differently to the presence of Mark Antony after the assassination. The contrast
between strong idealism and pragmatic scepticism shows Brutus' fatal flaw- his
misplaced idealism. It also sets the stage for the eventual downfall of the
Republic of Rome.

Brutus, a nobleman working for the good of Rome, believes in the righteousness
of the killing and the nobility of the conspirators. He innocently believes that
logic will prevail, which can be seen when he allows Antony to speak
at Caesar's funeral, assuming a fair explanation of their actions would sway the
public. He genuinely believes in Antony's proposal of support and friendship,
showcasing his unwavering faith in the power of truth and persuasion.
His naivete is further displayed after Antony delivers his speech at the funeral.
He trusts in the logic of their actions and believes the people will see the truth.

Cassius, on the other hand, is immediately suspicious of Antony.

He recognises Antony's manipulative potential and ulterior motives and warns
Brutus of it. Cassius senses the presence of a dangerous adversary under the facade
of friendship. Brutus, however, pays no heed to him. Cassius understands the
power of emotions and the potential for Antony to sway the crowd. After the
funeral, he recognises the need to manage the emotions of the Roman public.

Brutus' decision to allow Antony is a turning point in the play. It displays his
tragic flaw: his misplaced idealism. It affects his objectivity over others and
makes him assume good intentions where there are none. Cassius, however,
understands the complexities of human motivations and the dangers of
unchecked emotion. His suspicion, however, is ultimately ignored.

I believe that Brutus was definitely too easily convinced by Mark Antony's offer
of friendship and support. His misplaced trust is caused by his belief in reason
and logic, which makes him overlook the human element. He assumes that by
presenting their actions as noble, the people will understand and support their
cause. However, he fails to recognize the emotional impact
of Caesar's assassination and the persuasive power of Antony. While Brutus
possesses noble intentions, his inability to adapt to the realities of the situation
proves disastrous. The second triumvirate consisting of Antony, Octavius and
Lepidus eventually prevailed, while Brutus and Cassius committed suicide after
facing defeat.

Conventions of Shakespearean Tragedy

Shakespearean tragedies are not simply tales of sorrow; they are meticulously
crafted journeys that explore the depths of human nature and the complexity of
fate and justice. These plays transcend place and time and prompt an
examination of the human condition within the audience. This theatrical
experience is created by adhering to a set of conventions that transform these
tragedies into masterpieces.

Central to the tragedy is a tragic hero, a dominant figure in their state and one
being a member of society's upper class. This character is bound to suffer, and
in the end, his life is the price he must pay. This fate is brought about by
the character's tragic flaw, called 'hamartia' in Greek. This flaw,
like Caesar's arrogance or Macbeth's ambition, is the cause of their downfall.

Another recurring theme is the conflict between good and evil. However, unlike
stories of morals, Shakespeare rarely shows a clear dichotomy. The tragic
heroes are not overly virtuous but often harbour a fatal flaw, and even the
villains may have a twisted sense of justice. It creates a more profound and
engaging impact on the audience, as they are made to evaluate
the characters' choices and their consequences.

The concept of the chain of being is also an essential convention. It is

a hierarchy, prevalent during the Elizabethan era, with God at the top, followed
by angels, humans, animals, plants and minerals. When a tragic hero disturbs
this chain through his actions, it sets off a chain reaction of a series of
events which eventually leads to their tragic death. This disruption is also
manifested as omens and warnings.

The play Julius Caesar displays these conventions brilliantly. It shows two
tragic heroes: Caesar, the leader of Rome about to become a monarch and
Brutus, a Roman nobleman torn between loyalty to Caesar and a potential threat
to the Roman Republic. Caesar’s hamartia is his arrogance and ambition, which
eventually leads to his demise. Meanwhile, Brutus has the tragic flaw of
misplaced idealism, which leads him to believe that Caesar must be eliminated.
The dichotomy of good and evil can also be seen, with Caesar representing the
apparent good, and the conspirators being the force of evil. Once again, it
can be debated whether the conspirators really were wrong in their actions, or if
Caesar did deserve to live. The disruption of the chain of being can be seen, too.
The events of the play are set into motion when Caesar disrupts the established
order by defeating Pompey and his sons. Within a month of Pompey's death,
Caesar himself is assassinated by individuals close to him. This disruption leads
to instability and a breakdown of the social order.
 Bibliography

“Julius Caesar by Shakespeare | History, Overview & Publication |

Study.com.” Study.com, 2023, study.com/learn/lesson/julius-caesar-by-
shakespeare-history-overview-publication.html#:~:text=Why%20did
%20Shakespeare%20write%20Julius,protracted%20and%20bloody
%20civil%20war. Accessed 8 May 2024.

"Julius Caesar." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Apr. 2024,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

“The Downfall of the First Triumvirate | First Triumvirate.” Psu.edu, 2024,

sites.psu.edu/firsttriumvirate/the-demise/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

“Julius Caesar - Roman Ruler, Triumvirate, Gaul | Britannica.” Encyclopædia

Britannica, 2024,
www.britannica.com/biography/Julius-Caesar-Roman-ruler/The-first-
triumvirate-and-the-conquest-of-Gaul. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

“After the Assassination.” Roman History 31 BC - AD 117, Roman History 31

BC - AD 117, 5 June 2018, ancientromanhistory31-14.com/an-end-of-the-
republic/caesars-dictatorship/after-the-assassination/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

“Julius Caesar Assassinated.” Nationalgeographic.org, 2023,

education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/julius-caesar-assassinated/. Accessed
8 May 2024.

“What Inspired Shakespeare?” Shakespeare-Online.com, 2021,

www.shakespeare-online.com/faq/shakespeareinspired.html. Accessed 8
May 2024.
Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Edited by David Daniell, Bloomsbury

Arden Shakespeare, 1998.

"Great Chain of Being." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Mar. 2024,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_chain_of_being. Accessed 5 May 2024.‌

“LibGuides: English Literature: Shakespeare and Poetry: Tragedies.” Cuny.edu,

2023, guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/c.php?g=288391&p=1922616. Accessed 5 May
2024.

“Ed.” No Sweat Shakespeare, 9 Dec. 2020, nosweatshakespeare.com/blog/9-

plot-elements-shakespearean-tragedy/. Accessed 5 May 2024.

“The 9 Elements of a Shakespearean Tragedy.” Edupedia Publications Pvt Ltd,

Edupedia Publications Pvt Ltd, 8 Jan. 2022,
edupediapublications.org/2022/01/08/the-9-elements-of-a-shakespearean-
tragedy/. Accessed 5 May 2024.

“Conventions of Shakespearean tragedy”prompt. ChatGPT, 29 Apr. version,

OpenAI, 2 May 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.

““Conventions of Shakespearean tragedy”prompt. Gemini, 30Apr. version,

Google, 2 May 2024, gemini.google.com/app.