\\n  \\n    Book Review\\n  \\n
In 1599, the renowned playwright William Shakespeare introduced his famous tragic play, Julius Caesar. This tragedy delves deep into the profound impact of power and trust among a diverse cast of characters, both those who possess it and those who yearn for it.

The play is replete with several unforgettable lines that offer valuable insights on constructing a network of friends and an army of enemies. Most readers are acquainted with the tale of vengeance and betrayal surrounding Julius Caesar, which serves as the central theme in Shakespeare's work.

It poses thought-provoking questions such as: How can one truly determine when to trust someone? What transpires when hearsay alters a person's perspective? And to whom does one turn when betrayed by someone believed to be trustworthy? These motifs have persisted in literature for hundreds of years.

As one of the original literary masterpieces focusing on these themes, this classic has set a lofty standard for the art of using words rather than physical might to persuade someone to undertake something they might not ordinarily consider.

There are numerous powerful images and passages within the play that merit re-reading, each presenting unique slices of life and hearty challenges for dissection. Among all of Shakespeare's plays, I would rank this one near the top in terms of analysis. It is not only a worthy read but also imparts a modicum of historical knowledge.

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Friends, we want to have a very short talk about "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar", which is also translated into Persian as "Julius Caesar", one of the most important playwrights in the history of British literature.

I made a list of the important works of "Shakespeare" in order, and I intend to complete this list by the end of 1403.

The first play was "Romeo and Juliet", and I expressed my opinion about it.

But the second play on this list is "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar":

In general, it can be said that in this work, which is harder than "Romeo and Juliet" and easier than his other works, "Shakespeare" has proven himself.

In what area? In the area of showing the true face of politicians and rulers.

In the area of showing that the power of dialogue and dialogue writing can help in creating characters much more than the Act.

In the area of showing how destructive the effects of "turbulence" and "Chinese turbulence" can be.

And many other things that I don't think you can understand until you read it.

In "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar", we have about 12 characters, and 5 of them are the main ones.

"The transformation of character" is a serious issue, and "Shakespeare" constructs this issue with the least thickness possible and also makes it fair.

The space of the work is somewhat similar in form to other works of Shakespeare, but different in terms of time and place.

In "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar", we again see the same personal transformations that we see in almost all of Shakespeare's works.

But the time and place are in "ancient Rome" and next to special and relatively important historical characters.

And the concepts... Concepts for which we especially need in this "postmodern" era to "reach meaning, honor, and truth", and these concepts are not only not repetitive but must be called upon for us every day, and we ourselves must not get lost.

In general, "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" by "William Shakespeare" is a desirable and good work, but not to the extent of the five main tragedies (Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet), which in my opinion are more important works of this writer.

If you happen to need proof that Shakespeare was a genius, this play, Julius Caesar, is one of the truly remarkable ones to uphold that assertion.

In my exploration thus far into Shakespeare's plays, I don't recall any of them being as concise in form and yet so powerfully precise in its poetry.

There doesn't seem to be a single wasted word in his retelling of one of the most tragic and pivotal moments in history.

The numerous examples of powerful men making colossal mistakes should serve as a primer for leadership, organizational behavior, power, and responsibility, among other things.

The uber-complex relationship between Brutus and Cassius is both thrilling and heart-wrenching.

However, to be reading this classic right now, at the close of 2020, when we have a leader who is ignoring the democratic process and ideals, refusing to concede defeat, and tenaciously clinging to power - the past seems just a little too close to the present, making it difficult to sleep peacefully after reading Julius Caesar.

It forces us to reflect on the timeless themes of power, ambition, and the consequences of our actions, and how they still resonate in our modern world.

3.5 stars!

I just can't wait to act in this play this spring!!!

It's truly a great story. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

However, it's not my favorite Shakespeare play. There are some other works of his that I prefer more.

But still, this play has its own charm and appeal. The characters are well-developed and the language is beautiful.

I'm really looking forward to bringing this story to life on the stage and sharing it with the audience.

I'm sure it's going to be an amazing experience.

MAGE: Beware of the ides of March.
CAESAR: What?
MAGE: THE IDES OF MARCH.
CAESAR: Oh fuck off.

CAESAR: I don't trust Cassius. I mean he's skinny and he READS.
ANTONIUS: Nah he fine.

*symbolic thunder*
CASSIUS: We should totally stab Caesar. Stab stab.
CASCA: Hell yeah.
CASSIUS: Let's ask Brutus if he's in.

BRUTUS (close to tears): I think we should stab Caesar.
CASSIUS: Oi dude, so I've been thinking and we should totally just stab Caesar.
BRUTUS: I literally just said that.
CASSIUS: Maybe we could also stab Antonius. He's kinda really into Caesar and I think that's weird.
BRUTUS: Nah, it'll be fine.
CASSIUS: If you say so.
BRUTUS: It's time to go. Remember to act all natural. Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.

CAESAR: My wife had a dream that I would literally die today so I'm staying home lol.
DECIUS: Well that's fine and all but did you know that they were going to crown you today, but if you really don't want to come I'm sure they'll find someone else, no biggie.
CAESAR: Oh well then... BYE BITCH. Oh brutus, did not see you there. What's up my friend, want a drink?
BRUTUS (on the verge of tears): Yeah haha friends, drink yeah haha.

ARTEMIDORUS (writing letter): Dear C, everyone is out to stab you. So maybe go home. Love, A.
CAESAR: This won't stop me cause I can't read.

CAESAR: Wait, isn't today the ides of march? What did that one guy say about that again?
CAESAR: *gets stabbed*
CAESAR (remembers he knows Latin): Et tu Brute? *dies*

CASSIUS: You know, actually we've done him a favor.
BRUTUS: Yeah, now he won't have to be afraid of death anymore. We're great friends. Also, random thought: Let's bathe in his blood.

PEOPLE: Why did you stab him.
BRUTUS: Cause he sucked.
ANTONIUS: You suck.
PEOPLE: Sick burn dude. You're so right.

CASSIUS: Hey Brutus babe, how's it hanging.
BRUTUS: I hate you.
CASSIUS: NO-ONE LOVES ME. WHY DON'T YOU JUST STAB ME LIKE YOU STABBED CAESAR YOU MEANIE.
BRUTUS: Drama much?

ANTONIUS: Let's stab everyone who stabbed Caesar.
EVERYONE WHO STABBED CAESAR: Not if we stab ourselves first lol.

END.

This play starts off quite engaging with the mysterious warning from the MAGE about the ides of March. Caesar's dismissive attitude towards it sets the stage for the upcoming events. The conversation between Caesar and his companions, especially his mistrust of Cassius, adds to the tension. The decision to stab Caesar by Cassius and his cohorts, along with Brutus' reluctant agreement, builds the anticipation. The events leading up to Caesar's death, including his wife's dream and Decius' persuasion, are well-developed. However, after the stabbing, the play seems to lose some of its momentum. The actions and dialogues of the characters become a bit less captivating, and the play drags on a bit. But overall, it still presents an interesting take on the classic story of Caesar's assassination.

My tenth grade teacher truly butchered this play. However, it wasn't in the same style as Caesar's death. That kind of treatment was reserved for my eleventh grade English teacher's handling of poor Macbeth, with an abundance of daggers and bloodshed. Sadly, I don't have a suitable literary reference to describe how Julius Caesar was killed by a teacher.

Supposedly, the teacher was having an affair with at least one guy on the football team. Moreover, by the end of the year, she was showing signs of being pregnant. So perhaps she had other distractions on her mind. In later years, I would come to realize that she was just as bad at giving a tip to someone for delivering a pizza to her as she was at teaching literature.

It's quite astonishing how a teacher's personal life can have such an impact on their professional performance. In this case, it seems that her actions and distractions led to a less than ideal teaching experience for her students. It makes one wonder if teachers should be more accountable for their personal conduct and how it might affect their ability to educate.

Undoubtedly, although the play is titled "Julius Caesar" and is about his assassination, the main hero is Brutus. The main conflict is built on suspicions of Julius Caesar's usurpation of power. To prevent this, a conspiracy was hatched, in which Caesar's loyal friend, Brutus, participated. The play does not end with Caesar's death.

Brutus explains to the people the motives for his participation in the assassination:

"...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. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply."

In the play, Antony, for manipulative purposes, casts doubt on Caesar's ambition:

"When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man."

After reading the will, according to which the property is transferred to the people of Rome, and telling about Caesar's amazement at seeing Brutus, his favorite, with a knife, Antony directs the anger of the crowd against the Republicans. When everyone leaves, he says with satisfaction:

"ANTONY. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!"

In Scene 1 of Act IV, the triumvirs Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus mark those who should be killed, including Lepidus' brother and Antony's sister's son. They do this without hesitation, as if it were a completely ordinary thing and the people were strangers to them. When Lepidus leaves, Antony remarks:

"ANTONY. This is a slight, unmeritable man, Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit, The three-fold world divided, he should stand One of the three to share it?"

We see how he skillfully directed the anger of the crowd against Brutus. He bargained with Lepidus about the killing of his sister's son in exchange for Lepidus' brother and behind his back calls him a pitiful, unworthy man. He looks like a scoundrel here. Later we learn that a hundred (or seventy according to Brutus' sources) senators were put on the proscription lists and were killed.

Meanwhile, Brutus quarrels with Cassius in the camp because of the latter's bribery:

"BRUTUS. Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touched his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What, shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers, shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes, And sell the mighty space of our large honours For so much trash as may be grasped thus? I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman."

The image of Cassius is quite complex. He has about as many shortcomings as virtues. Shakespeare does not make the Republicans entirely ideal heroes; they are full of contradictions.

Brutus sees Caesar's ghost twice and realizes the inevitability of death. The death of his wife Portia also does not add to his will to live. Nevertheless, he meets his opponents on the battlefield.

After being defeated, he kills himself.

"BRUTUS. Farewell, good Strato. Caesar, now be still: I killed not thee with half so good a will."

His actions forced his enemy Antony to admit:

"ANTONY. This was the noblest Roman of them all: All the conspirators save only he Did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, 'This was a man!'"

Brutus personifies the ideal of a Republican. He is an adherent of Stoic philosophy. For him, the principles of freedom are the most important thing. And although he recognizes Caesar's merits, he goes so far as to kill him because of the possible usurpation of power by him - he loved Rome more than Caesar. Antony, on the other hand, is a skillful politician who wanted to become the second man after Caesar's reign. He is the bitterest enemy of the Republic. But he is smart enough not to admit Brutus' worth. The tragedy of the play is that the struggle against autocracy and for Republican ideals was defeated after Caesar's death.

The party that unfolds on the bustling streets of Rome sets the stage: Julius Caesar's power is rapidly approaching the brink of absolute. The throngs of people adore Caesar, their cheers and adulation echoing through the city. However, the dissenters who linger on the outskirts of this grand celebration find themselves with few viable options to rein in Caesar's growing might.

These diverse perspectives, which are presented right from the opening of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, add a layer of nuance to what might otherwise seem like a simple tale of Brutus's betrayal. It is truly intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable! This is perhaps one of the most renowned of Shakespeare's plays, yet I had never before delved into its pages. There were numerous familiar quotes that leaped out at me (ones that I had heard in passing before, but had not connected to this specific play; as seen below). While I don't necessarily consider it among his very finest works, Shakespeare's unrivaled mastery of language is on full display throughout. I would rate it 4.25 stars.

"Beware the Ides of March." (Soothsayer, Act 1 Scene 2)

"Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars But in ourselves, that we are underlings." (Cassius, Act 1 Scene 2)

"But, for mine own part, it was Greek to me." (Casca, Act 1 Scene 2)

"Cowards die many times before their deaths, The valiant never taste of death but once." (Caesar, Act 2 Scene 2)

"Et tu, Brute?—Then fall, Caesar." (Caesar, Act 3, Scene 1)

"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war." (Antony, Act 3 Scene 1)

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." (Antony, Act 3, Scene 2)

Bros have an unbreakable bond of love and loyalty. However, in a strange turn of events, a group of bros find themselves in a difficult situation. They start to question who among them is the greatest bro. This leads to a heated discussion and ultimately, a decision is made to kill the one they consider the greatest bro.

As soon as the decision is made, chaos ensues. Each bro has their own reasons for thinking a particular bro is the greatest, and they are not willing to back down easily. This results in a full-blown bro war, with each side fighting tooth and nail to prove their point.

The bro war quickly escalates, with weapons being drawn and punches being thrown. The once-loving bros are now enemies, and the situation seems to be spiraling out of control. But deep down, they all know that this is a senseless fight, and they long for the days when they were just hanging out and having fun together as bros.

But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man….

I firmly believe that merely reading Shakespeare's plays fails to do them full justice. They are not simply meant to be read; rather, they are designed to be performed and witnessed in a live performance. However, one also misses out on a great deal if they are not already familiar with the context and the unique Shakespearean language. After all, old Will Shakespeare packs an enormous amount of meaning and depth into every single line.

So, this is the renowned play that tells the story of the conspirators who assassinated Julius Caesar, driven by their fear of his ambition to become king. Among the famous lines that this play has given us are: "Et tu, Brutus?" "Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!" "Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once." And "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."

Mark Antony's speech is perhaps the most outstanding moment of the play. Having just learned of Caesar's death, and with the assassins having managed to convince the Roman public that they had saved Rome from a tyrant, Mark Antony delivers his famous speech, which is a masterpiece of mob manipulation. He turns the people against the conspirators and in favor of the slain Caesar.

The conflicts in this play are complex and profound, pitting patriotism against friendship, loyalty against ideals, and always having the taint of self-interest lurking within one's motives. As a tragedy, this is one of those Shakespearean plays where almost everyone meets a tragic end, falling on a sword in one way or another.

Brutus is clearly the protagonist, but in my opinion, Mark Antony steals the show and emerges as the true winner.

"Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world.

Like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs, and peep about to find ourselves dishonourable graves.

Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.

What should be in that Caesar? Why should that name be sounded more than yours?

Write them together, yours is as fair a name. Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well.

Weigh them, it is as heavy. Conjure with them, Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.

Now in the names of all the gods at once, upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he is grown so great?

Age, thou art sham'd! Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!

When went there by an age, since the great flood, but it was fam'd with more than with one man?

When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome, that her wide walks encompass'd but one man?

This powerful speech by Cassius in Act I Scene II of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" presents a scathing critique of Caesar's growing power and the subservience of the people. Cassius compares Caesar to a Colossus, towering over the narrow world and making the rest of them seem like petty men. He argues that men should be the masters of their own fates, not blaming the stars but themselves for being underlings. Cassius questions why Caesar's name should be held in such high regard and challenges Brutus to see that his own name is just as fair, sounds just as good, and weighs just as heavy. He wonders what Caesar has been feeding on to grow so great and laments the loss of noble blood in Rome. Cassius' words are a call to action, urging Brutus and the others to rise up and take control of their own destinies.

The juxtaposition that Shakespeare presents in this historical play, which has a tragic tone and structure in the text, is the two-sided aspects, the private and the public, that coexist in Julius Caesar, the quintessential dictator.

In his private life, the ruler's weaknesses are unobstructed. He is irascible, proud, and vulnerable to superstition. Caesar ignores the voice of fate represented by the Soothsayer, who tries to warn him about the unrest that pervades on the fateful 15th, the Ides of March, the day of his assassination.

But are the personal flaws of Caesar sufficient reason to murder him? Do they truly threaten the hegemony of the Roman Empire? Or are the conspirators motivated by envy, or perhaps misled by their self-imposed sense of justice? Can the tormentor become the victim?

The collision between high idealism and pragmatism, corruption and politics, reason and irrational expectations, and the recurring theme of preordained fate versus free will provides the framework for the characters to unfold Shakespeare's unyielding understanding of the ambiguity - or the twisted nature? - that defines human nature.

Brutus' noble intentions turn out to be nothing more than an unequivocal desire for power and validation. His urge to simplify events ignores the fact that both people and actions are never completely right or wrong; that one should adapt to the countless shades of life, and that one should sometimes suspend judgment.

Cassius' ambition invalidates him as a valid and fair leader, and Marc-Antony's loyalty is merely a dull reflection of the gullibility of the populace, an indistinguishable mass of fervent venerators who can easily be transformed into a barbarous mob.

Only Octavius meets the unspoken requirements to become Julius' successor. With a rather lukewarm temperament, he appears almost impersonal, detached, and oblivious to emotional strife.

Perhaps Shakespeare is suggesting that the popular man, the leader, is just a "Hollow Man", a stuffed creature, whose public image serves to disguise his true personality. What is there to hide about mankind that cannot withstand the gaze of ordinary citizens? Where is his true spirit left to roam?

Shakespeare's version of the downfall of Julius Caesar is a quiet and subversive text, with little room for his usual puns, wordplay, and quick-witted dialogue. The somewhat direct style distinguishes this play from the others I have read, which may be an attempt to create a language that has no barriers to understanding, transcends genre, narrative, context, and challenges preconceived notions about history; and ultimately, about the person who unobtrusively looks back at us in the mirror every morning of our indistinguishable lives.

Words are glowing embers that lead to ourselves, that lead us to simply being.

Caesar's story may be ancient history, but ours, which is his and Shakespeare's, is not.

“Remember us –if at all- not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.”
T.S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men”