Theme Of Power In Julius Caesar

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“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” Abraham Lincoln proclaimed this while speaking about how people use power for both good and evil. Power puts a leader in the position to either corrupt their character or improve on it. In Shakespeare’s, Julius Caesar, there are many major themes. Many characters find their normal personalities sabotaged when they have power, while the other major theme in this essay is how those who are effective orators can easily change the minds of a crowd.
The first major theme seen throughout Julius Caesar is on how easily a crowd can be swayed by an effective speaker. From the beginning, persuading and convincing was used to flip the ordinary minds of Rome. …show more content…

Like in the example in the paragraph above, Portia earns power by learning about Brutus’s plans to murder Caesar. She couldn’t keep his secret and shared his plans with other. Her power would eventually kill her in the end when she swallowed hot coals to keep her mouth shut (4.4.152-156). Another example of this takes place when Caesar ignores the warnings and omens of the conspirators plans to kill him because he feels he has so much power nothing can touch him. His first warning came from Calpurnia, who had a dream that said, “...my statue, which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts, did run pure blood, and many lusty Romans came smiling and did bathe their hands in it”(2.2.76-79). This dream Calpurnia had was a omen of Caesar’s death, and the people of Rome gladly washed their hands in his blood. Then moments before his assassination Artemidorus tried to warn Caesar of the plans with a letter, but Caesar refused to read it saying he will deal with whatever pertains to himself last (3.1.6-9). This arrogance of feeling as much power as a god, would be the end for Julius Caesar. Cassius would also let power corrupt him. After killing Caesar, Cassius used his power, and take bribes for positions(4.3.79-82). Both Cassius and Brutus let the power get to their heads, even when Brutus claimed to murder Caesar

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