Julius Caesar

Seizure of Power
    Throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, most of the main characters seek power, for many different reasons. Varying from wanting to rule Rome, to simply keeping a balance of power. Seeing how power constantly appears throughout the play, it naturally has some effects on the people in control of it or those trying to control it. Power causes various struggles throughout the story, especially between Brutus and Antony as well as Antony, Octavius and Lepidus. Power works as a drive to harm and manipulate others, resulting in Brutus, Antony, Lepidus and Octavius manipulating, injuring or killing their peers, friends and even family. This recurring theme appears often throughout the play, demonstrating that when there is a struggle for power, people will be manipulated and hurt as a result.
    Manipulation occurs as a result of a struggle for power, this is predominantly seen between the characters Antony and Brutus when they give their remembrance speeches at Caesar’s funeral. Antony constantly attempts to manipulate his audience by painting Brutus as a liar, sarcastically repeating, “For Brutus is an honorable man” (3.2.91), after restating anything that Brutus had spoken. Antony subtly repeats this line throughout his speech in order to emphasize to his audience Brutus’ so-called lies, in order to manipulate them so they would be against Brutus. Towards the end of the funeral scene, Antony once again manipulates his audience against Brutus, however, this time he manipulates their emotions, by proclaiming, “He hath left you all his walks, his private arbors, and new-planted orchards, on this side Tiber. He hath left them you, and to your heirs forever” (3.2.261). Through this, Antony makes his audience even angrier at Brutus for Caesar’s death by reading part of Caesar’s will. By reading certain pieces of said will, which explain what Caesar would give to his people and what he had to offer as a ruler, Antony portrays Brutus and...