Envy Leads to Bloodshed in Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Human nature causes people to behave in extreme ways; for example, the envy of another’s power may result in bloodshed. The ancient Romans had three men, the triumvirate, rule the people. The triumvirate in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar consisted of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Marcus Crassus; however, after the deaths of Pompey and Crassus Julius Caesar became the sole ruler of Rome. Caesar belonged to the Populists Party and ruled for the commoners, which angered the other senators. Marcus Brutus, the leader of the conspirators, believed he needed to kill Caesar before he became emperor for the good of the people. He says, “And therefore think of him as a serpent’s egg Which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell.” (Act II. sc i. Lines 32-35). The conspirators believed Caesar was too ambitious and would cause the downfall of Rome. The assassination of Julius Caesar was not justified because Caesar helped the people, did not kill his enemies, and was not ambitious.

The commoners of Rome loved Caesar because he helped and supported them. At the very beginning of the play, the people celebrate on the streets for Caesar’s great victory; they adored him. The senators and triumvirate governs the Romans; Cassius fears that Caesar would rise and the senators would lose their respect and status. Cassius begins plotting Caesar’s assassination and wants to replace him with Brutus. Nevertheless, Cassius could not erase Caesar’s honorable works for the people. Marcus Antonius, a loyal supporter of Caesar, reminds the people, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept” (III. ii. 92). Antony wins back the people’s favor for Caesar and tells the people that they should not be prais...

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...tus and Cassius assume the worst of Caesar; whether or not Caesar would give into his hubris would never be known.

Shakespeare portrays the significant role of man’s greed and envy through his historical play. Julius Caesar was loved because of major conquests and love for his people. He helps the people when he was alive and after his death. As a man in power, he had many enemies but never wasted bloodshed based on suspicions. Brutus tells the Romans that Caesar’s ambition was the cause of his death; however, Caesar was not ambitious, but had hubris. Brutus believes he was thinking on behalf of Rome’s common good. The conspirators focus on Caesar’s hubris; therefore, forgot all the good that he had achieved. Caesar’s assassination cannot be justified because Brutus and Cassius kill him too soon to see if he would be a poor ruler like they believed.