Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Analysis: Ambiguity, Theatrum Mundi, Stoicism
Posted: August 8, 2011 Filed under: Shakespeare's Tragedies | Tags: ambugity, analysis, antony, augustus, brutus, caesar, cassius, civil war, conspiracy, hero, julius caesar, octavian, octavius, republic, rome, shakespeare, stoicism, theatrum mundi, tragedy, tragic 2 CommentsVideo Version:
It’s the bright day that brings forth the adder
-Julius Caesar
Intro – Julius Caesar is different from other tragedies such as King Lear or Hamlet in that the tragic hero is not immediately clear, though it does have one. It is a more nuanced and ambiguous work, with each character being both good and bad. And while JC is a political commentary, reflecting the worries of civil war and succession in Shakespeare’s own times, it’s also peppered with philosophical reflections. The first time you read it, it may strike you as a “cold” tragedy, as Samuel Johnson said, due to this ambiguity and its less-quotable lines, but ultimately, I found it more enjoyable because of this initial impenetrability.
The Human Fiction 