For me, this Shakespearean play is something special in its staging and dialogue, beyond any political or social perspective. It best shows how one can fascinate, excite, and change people's views with words and sentences.

It has such precise and excellent monologues and inner speeches. Especially that of Mark Antony, which changes everything and causes a people's uprising. How much I love the subtlety of this character, both in his actions and thoughts, and in his choice of words depending on the situation and conditions.

What I feel might be repeated in Shakespeare's plays is the understanding that the characters have towards each other. Usually, there are one or two main characters who have a correct understanding of the other characters, such that they tell us in advance that a certain person will act in a certain way or has a certain trait, and in a way, they predict his actions, and this prediction is completely accurate and we witness its happening later. Of course, the very basis of prediction is usually in his work, and sometimes it is really lovely and enjoyable, and even causes an increase in the suspension of the work.

This dialogue of Cassius really attracted me because it is one of the few occasions when Shakespeare indirectly refers to his own era and the writing of this historical narrative:

In what ages and times will this noble act of ours be repeated on stage in countries that have not yet set foot on the ground of existence and in languages that are still unknown.

Oh my,

I am truly at a loss for words when it comes to expressing just how much I adored this!!!

It is simply GRAND beyond measure!

By far, it is my absolute favorite among all of Shakespeare's plays that I have had the pleasure of reading thus far. :)

The story, the characters, the language - everything about it is just so captivating and enchanting.

It has left an indelible mark on my heart and mind, and I find myself constantly thinking about it even after I've finished reading.

I can't wait to explore more of Shakespeare's works and discover what other literary treasures await me.

~3 stars~

TW/CW: suicide, death, violence



***read for school***



Overall, my experience with this book was a bit of a mixed bag. It was good, but not my absolute favorite. It's not really my thing, but I did enjoy it better than Macbeth. Listening to it while reading definitely helped enhance my understanding. However, all the assignments and the upcoming essay I have to write next week about who I think is the most tragical hero, Brutus or Caesar, are quite a burden. To be honest, I don't think it's either of them, so I'll probably have to fabricate my way through the essay.



I found the book to be thought-provoking in certain aspects. Shakespeare did a great job with the writing. However, I wasn't a fan of the fact that Caesar wasn't a more prominent character. He died too early for me to really care about him. In fact, I didn't have much of an emotional connection with any of the characters. Reading it over a long period of time for school might have taken away some of the enjoyment. But on the other hand, discussing it with my classmates did add to the experience. I like this book enough, but I wouldn't re-read it. Nevertheless, I do look forward to exploring more of Shakespeare's works in the future.



Pre-reading thoughts

(November 18, 2020)
I haven't started reading this yet, but I did some research on Caesar and here's a fun fact: He was quite the character. He was kidnapped by pirates and actually asked them to increase the ransom because he thought it was too low! He even threatened to crucify them if they didn't. They initially thought he was joking, but after he was released, he came back and made good on his promise. I already have a strong dislike for him, and I don't even know much about him yet. He sounds completely insufferable.

---

(Nov 9, 2020)
Imagine this: Today is the first day of the quarter. You have all new classes. You log into the online class because Ms. 'Rona has decided to be the main character. Your teacher assigns this book within the first few minutes. You're now forced to read a book you had no intention of reading. You groan because the odds are you won't like it. Because let's face it, school has a tendency to ruin everything.



Anyways, I guess I'll be reading this soon.

Just finished my first (would you believe at 56 years old?) Shakespeare play: Julius Caesar.

As a beginner in this genre, I'm not in the best position to review and critique this work. However, I can definitely share my experience, learning, and thoughts from this encounter. I'm sure there are one or two other Shakespeare novices out there, regardless of age, who might find this useful.

This is not a book to be read at the same pace as a 'normal' novel. I had to read and re-read it slowly, trying to understand the complex language and themes. After some effort, I believe I did, to some extent. After each scene, I referred to my Sparknotes and watched videos on YouTube of academics discussing the play to gain a better understanding.

Julius Caesar is a complex work with many themes and messages. Some of the ones that really hit home for me were treachery, the use of a pre-emptive strike, leadership, and mercurial public opinion. The obvious treachery shown by Brutus, Cassius, and others towards Caesar was shocking. The use of a pre-emptive strike to kill Caesar because he'might' become a dictator is also a modern concept. The play also explores the characteristics of good leadership and how public opinion can be easily swayed.

From a historical perspective, it was interesting to read about the young Augustus fighting with Mark Antony. Shakespeare used Plutarch as his major source, and many scholars believe this play is one of his more historically accurate efforts.

Overall, it was a worthwhile experience. I would appreciate some recommendations from Shakespeare fans for my next venture, something a little easier perhaps. I'm off to Verona in February, and I understand there are a couple of plays set there, so maybe one of them. I'm open to suggestions. I think I'll now watch the entire play to see if I can understand and appreciate it even more. This review is open to criticism from those who know more about Shakespeare, and I welcome the opportunity to learn more about him and his work.

3 Stars (really 4 stars – but marked down because I had to work too hard)

The first time I recall reading this, I was leaning against a convenient wall. I was reading while waiting for a fencing class to commence. Well, actually, I was waiting for someone to unlock the hall and cupboards. One of the instructors, upon spotting the book, opined that there would be a great deal of sword fighting within its pages - but there isn't. There are a couple of suicides and the murder of Caesar, and that's about it. Though if you were directing, you could add a bit more. But unlike, say, Hamlet, it's no fight fest.

It is delightfully balanced with (ahem, spoiler alert?) the death of Caesar just before the middle. Exit Hubris pursued by Nemesis. No, it's not so much about sword fighting as it is about persuasion, ambition, and the ideals that can lead us into disaster (cough, cough, et tu Brutus). I wonder what the audience made of it in the last years of Queen Elizabeth. Did they think to leave in power those who are in power? That murder resolves no political differences? That there will always be work for gravediggers? Who knows. Perhaps it's best not to take the disposable pop culture of another era too seriously.

ANTONY
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men--
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
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.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

“Awake your senses, that you may the better judge.” This powerful line sets the stage for a deeper exploration of "Julius Caesar". If your only encounter with this play was in high school, it's time for a fresh look. It is far more profound and complex than what most high school readings can capture. I gave it a 4-star rating compared to other Shakespeare works, not literature as a whole, as the Bard is truly in a class of his own.

The introduction by Douglas Trevor is spectacular. It is insightful, interesting, and easy to follow, making it one of the best intros I've read for a Shakespeare play. Don't skip it! Shakespeare begins the play with thoughtful and subtle character development. To truly appreciate this piece, you must pay attention to what he does in the first act. The careful exposition is some of the most complex in the canon. And when Act 3 arrives, watch out! Act 3:2 contains the famous contrasting funeral orations about the recently assassinated Caesar and is the highlight of the text.

Brutus delivers a logical and straightforward appeal to the Romans about why he slew Caesar. However, Marc Antony's speech is a whopping emotional barn burner that beautifully manipulates the common rabble. Shakespeare's use of irony in this scene is gripping. The assassin, a killer, delivers the most honest dialogue, while Marc Antony is a deceitful puppet master. In even more delicious irony, Cassius, who manipulated Brutus into joining the conspiracy, fears the manipulative Marc Antony and tries to convince Brutus not to trust him. The reason is simple: Cassius knows his own kind.

Marc Antony's "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" speech is perhaps one of the greatest pieces of rhetoric in English. It's a joy to read. Using all three rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos), Antony masterfully manipulates and directs the actions of the citizenry while repeatedly stating he's doing the opposite. You can't help but admire the guy and the artistry of Shakespeare on display. I believe it also offers insights into how Shakespeare viewed humanity and our foolish natures. How easily reason can leave us and how easily emotion is used to control.

"Julius Caesar" is really a play about Brutus, and he is indeed the noblest man in the text. His reasons for taking down Caesar, his personal business dealings, his obvious love for his wife, and even his treatment of his servants all testify to his being an "honorable man". Marc Antony, on the other hand, manipulates the masses, betrays and gossips about his allies, and seeks power for the wrong reasons. Shakespeare is making a statement here about the shallowness of relying on one's public words. They tell us little about the truth of the individual.

The Pelican editions of Shakespeare contain simple yet informative essays, "Theatrical World" and "The Texts of Shakespeare", which preface every play in this series. They are worth reading. As for the Pelican Shakespeare series, it's one of my two favorite editions. The scholarly research is usually top-notch, and the editions themselves look good aesthetically. It looks and feels like a play, complimenting the text's contents admirably. The series was recently reedited and has the latest scholarship on Shakespeare and his time period. Well priced and well worth it.

YouTube kanalımda Shakespeare'in hayatı hakkında ayrıntılı bilgi edinebilirsiniz. Ayrıca, mutlaka okunması gereken kitapları ve kronolojik okuma sırası da burada yer almaktadır: https://youtu.be/rGxh2RVjmNU

Bugün, 42 kitaplık Shakespeare serüvenimin tam da yarısına geldim ve Julius Caesar hakkında araştırma yapmak istedim. Latince Caesar, Yunanca "Kaisar" demek ve Kayseri şehri de "Sezar kenti" anlamına gelmektedir. Ancak, Julius Caesar, Ramazan'da çemenli Kayseri pastırması yemeyi çok seven bir diktatör müydü?

Şimdi, bir düşünelim. Ninja Kaplumbağalar'daki Michelangelo, Splinter ustasını öldürseydi nasıl olurdu? Peki, Scooby Doo sahibi ve biricik dostu Shaggy'yi öldürse? Hatta Pikachu da Ash'i öldürse? Ya da Dostoyevski'nin Suç ve Ceza kitabındaki Razumihin dostu Raskolnikov'u öldürseydi nasıl olurdu? Raskolnikov baltasını o tefeci kadına saplayabilir miydi?

Hepimiz Julius Caesar'ın Brutus tarafından ihanete uğramasını ve "Sen de mi Brutus?" cümlesini duymuşuzdur. Ayrıca, How I Met Your Mother dizisinin The Broath bölümünde Barney'in Julius Caesar tiplemesiyle elindeki ninja bıçağını Brotus'a atmasıyla Roma tarihine meydan okuduğunu da biliyoruz. Ancak, neden Caesar ile Brutus'un dostluğu sona ermiştir?

"Brutus Sezar'ı geçmişte veya bugün yaptıklarından dolayı değil, gelecekte yapabileceği şeyler için mahkum eder." (s. 38)

Charlie Chaplin'in Şarlo Diktatör filminin sonunda Chaplin, Hitler tiplemesiyle birlikte bir diktatör olmak istemediğini ve dünyaya barış, kurtuluş, özgürlük getirmek istediğini söylemiştir. The Lobster filminde başrol David karakteri ve yanında gezdirdiği kadın, Léa Seydoux'u o mezara gömerken belki de faşizmin yok oluşunu bir ütopya olarak görmek istiyordu. Yaşar Kemal'in Filler Sultanı ile Kırmızı Sakallı Topal Karınca kitabındaki karıncaların istediği gibi belki de yeryüzündeki bütün karıncalar birleşip barış, kurtuluş, özgürlük diye bağırırsa Caesarlar da düşebilecekti.

Ancak, Brutus da bu kitabın içerisinde tam olarak bu vaatleri dile getirmiştir:

"Bağıralım, 'barış, kurtuluş, özgürlük' diye." (s. 57)

O zaman, biz hangi tarafta olacağız? Barış, kurtuluş ve özgürlük nidaları atan devrimci fakat ilerinin zalimi olabilecek Brutus tarafında mı yoksa geçmişiyle bugün yaptıklarından dolayı değil de gelecekte yapacağı şeylerden korkulduğu için suikaste uğrayan Caesar tarafında mı?

Sanırım ki 20 adet Shakespeare kitabı okuduktan sonra kendime kattığım en büyük şey siyah beyaz yargılar vermekten kaçınmak oldu. Shakespeare'in de amacı zaten buydu. O da yaşamı bütün kaosuyla, doğal seçilim süreçleriyle, insanlar arasındaki çıkmaz sorunlarıyla birlikte değerlendirip kesin taraflar tutmaktan kaçınmıştı. Kesin çözümler yerine bizim soru sormamızı ve çözümler üretmemizi istemişti. Nasıl ki, Dostoyevski erken dönem eserlerinde İnsancıklar, Öteki ve Beyaz Geceler gibi kitaplarında açık uçlu sonuçlar kullanıp okuru kendisiyle başbaşa bırakmak istemişse, Shakespeare'in de amacı yüzyıllar boyunca insanları kendi çözümleriyle başbaşa bırakabilmek olmuştu.

Kurosawa'nın Yojimbo filminin devamı niteliğindeki Sanjuro filminde de bir konuyu insan öldürmeden, en az kayıpla çözmenin yolları aranmıştı. Ancak, maalesef ki insanın doğasında her zaman bulunan av-avcı rolleri açığa çıkmıştı. Sanjuro da Brutus gibi olanlara dayanmaya çalışıp en sonunda ortalığı dağıtanlardan olmuştu.

Bütün bunları dememin sebebi, Caesar isminin hem Kayseri'ye hem edebiyat dünyasına hem de dizilere ve sinemaya etki etmiş olmasından dolayıdır. İşin ilginci ise genelde tarihte diktatörlerin hatırlanmasına rağmen bu kitabın "Sen de mi Brutus?" cümlesiyle hatırlanmasıdır. Eğer bir gün size bir dostunuz kazık atmışsa, sizi satmışsa ve sizin arkanızdan iş çevirmişse kullanabileceğiniz bu cümleyi dostluk ilişkilerinizle ve seçim yaptığınız partilerin hiyerarşileriyle de düşünmenizi tavsiye ederim.

**Title: The Beauty of [Book Title]**

The book [Book Title] is a true masterpiece that takes readers on an unforgettable journey. The story is filled with rich characters, each with their own unique personalities and struggles. The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, painting a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

The plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. It explores themes such as love, loss, and redemption, making it a deeply emotional and thought-provoking read.

The cover of the book, as shown in the image , is also very eye-catching. It gives a hint of the mystery and excitement that lies within the pages.

Overall, [Book Title] is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story. It will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and a desire to read more by the same author.

Even you, Brutus
Then let Caesar fall

How you have condensed that eternal sentence into its seven words, the sting of betrayal and the weight of treachery
A number of Roman nobles plot to assassinate Julius



And they persuade Brutus, their influential leader, to join them for the sake of the common good of Rome; and indeed, the emperor is slain in the Senate; he falls beneath the guise of Pompey, whom he himself will kill one day
The plotters justify his assassination as being for: liberation from his imperialism, dictatorship, and excessive ambition
Mark Antony then delivers his speech, making it clear that Caesar was slain by treachery, and thus the civil war begins

Julius is a very effective hero as he only appears in four scenes of the tragedy that bears his name, and Shakespeare does not sympathize with him but rather highlights his pride and narrow-mindedness; and he goes to great lengths to show the good intentions of the plotters and meets his end in the middle of the play

Many assert that the tragedy is the tragedy of Brutus and he is the true hero of the play, for he is the noble Roman who falls into a fierce inner conflict after being convinced by the lofty motives of the plotters, and this leads his country to civil war; and it leads him to a tragic fate

Julius Caesar is considered by critics to be the weakest link in Shakespeare's Roman historical trilogy..
But it was the first of Shakespeare's plays that I studied in its entirety in Old English;
Therefore, its conflicts were engraved in my mind and I found myself torn with Brutus in his great human losing struggle; which may be repeated with each of us at some stage of our miserable lives
But let us try to avoid justifying our cruelty; to avoid hearing that most painful sentence
Et tu Brute?

Definitely, this is my favorite among the history plays that I’ve read so far. It has truly captured my attention and interest. However, I am genuinely frustrated by what Shakespeare does to Antony in the sequel. Lolz. Shakespeare's portrayal of Antony in the sequel seems to deviate from what I had expected. It makes me question his motives and the direction in which he is taking the story. I had grown quite fond of Antony in the earlier part, and to see him being treated in a certain way in the sequel is a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, I still appreciate Shakespeare's ability to create complex and engaging characters, even if I don't always agree with the choices he makes for them.

I was not anticipating reading this play at all, so I was truly surprised when I found it to be a real page turner. The tension remained palpable until the very end, as I constantly yearned to know what would happen next. I can't recall precisely what it was about this play that always made me want to shy away from it. After reading Virgil's Aeneid, I added this play to my to-be-read list, fully expecting it to be difficult, but the opposite occurred. Perhaps it's due to the books I've been perusing lately, which have provided me with sufficient foundation to be able to follow this one now. Mind you, in general, I feel that I'm getting better at reading Shakespeare's plays, although the true test for me will be to read Hamlet again in a few months' time.

With this play, what truly astonishes me is how little Julius Caesar is actually on stage. He does have one scene, but in the others, his presence is more like that of a minor character. Then it dawned on me that maybe the focus of the play isn't Julius Caesar himself but rather the politics. The central theme is of people banding together to prevent Caesar from becoming a tyrannical ruler. At one point, I might not have blamed them, as my initial understanding of Julius Caesar was that he was a despot. However, I know from other things I've read that I was wrong about this. Also, in the play, there is no certainty that Caesar is hungry for power; all this concern stems from other characters, mainly Cassius and Brutus and their cohorts.

Moreover, I had thought that the drama was entirely fictional, not realizing that Shakespeare based it on Plutarch's account. So, it roughly follows the events that are truly recorded. This includes the characters; I would have never guessed that both Cassius and Brutus are real people and were actually involved in the assassination of Julius Caesar. It's the poetry that makes it seem like fiction to me, so uncovering this added another layer to my reading experience, blurring the line between fiction and fact. When I finished reading it, I immediately wanted to read it all over again.

Et tu Brutus. Then fall Caesar.

These words, whether actually spoken by Julius Caesar or not, are filled with profound meaning, just like the rest of Shakespeare's remarkable play. Even though Cicero is speaking Greek and for the unfortunate Casca, "but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me."

For readers more than four centuries later, the Bard still speaks directly to us about pride and arrogance, hope and despair, and the struggle of one man, Brutus, against his conscience as he tries to justify what he thought was a righteous murder. However, this is Shakespeare, and the murder of a monarch never goes well.

Brutus was foolish not to also kill Antony, to let Antony speak after him, and to meet Antony on the battlefield at Philippi. In my opinion, this is one of Shakespeare's most straightforward narratives, one that many Americans and Europeans learned in school. The epic performances of Charlton Heston and Marlon Brando, both playing Antony and haranguing the crowd with "Brutus is an honorable man," still haunt us today.

When we think of the dreams and innocence that died when Kennedy was assassinated, we can begin to approach the pathos that Shakespeare captures in this moment. Truly, it is worth reading again and again.

Fino's Reviews of Shakespeare and Shakespearean Criticism

Comedies

The Comedy of Errors (1592 - 1593)

The Taming of the Shrew (1593 - 1594)

The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594 - 1595)

Love's Labour's Lost (1594 - 1595)

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595 - 1596)

The Merchant of Venice (1596 - 1597)

Much Ado About Nothing (1598 - 1599)

As You Like It (1599 - 1600)

Twelfth Night (1599 - 1600)

The Merry Wives of Windsor (1600 - 1601)

All's Well That Ends Well (1602 - 1603)

Measure for Measure (1604 - 1605)

Cymbeline (1609 - 1610)

A Winter's Tale (1610 - 1611)

The Tempest (1611 - 1612)

Two Noble Kinsmen (1612 - 1613)

Histories

Henry VI Part I (1589 - 1590)

Henry VI Part II (1590 - 1591)

Henry VI Part III (1590 - 1591)

Richard III (1593 - 1594)

Richard II (1595 - 1596)

King John (1596 - 1597)

Edward III (1596 - 1597)

Henry IV Part I (1597 - 1598)

Henry IV Part II (1597 - 1598)

Henry V (1598 - 1599)

Henry VIII (1612 - 1612)

Tragedies

Titus Andronicus (1592 - 1593)

Romeo and Juliet (1594 - 1595)

Julius Caesar (1599 - 1600)

Hamlet (1600 - 1601)

Troilus and Cressida (1601 - 1602)

Othello (1604 - 1605)

King Lear (1605 - 1606)

Macbeth (1605 - 1606)

Anthony and Cleopatra (1606 - 1607)

Coriolanus (1607 - 1608)

Timon of Athens (1607 - 1608)

Pericles (1608 - 1609)

Shakespearean Criticism

The Wheel of Fire by Wilson Knight

A Natural Perspective by Northrop Frye

Shakespeare After All by Marjorie Garber

Shakespeare's Roman Plays and Their Background by M W MacCallum

Shakespearean Criticism 1919 - 1935 compiled by Anne Ridler

Shakespearean Tragedy by A.C. Bradley

Shakespeare's Sexual Comedy by Hugh M. Richmond

Shakespeare: The Comedies by R.P. Draper

Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics by Stephen Greenblatt

1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro

Collections of Shakespeare

Venus and Adonis, the Rape of Lucrece and Other Poems

Shakespeare's Sonnets and a Lover's Complaint

The Complete Oxford Shakespeare