Marriage Relationships in Julius Caesar

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Marriage Relationships in Julius Caesar

The relationship between Brutus and Portia is of a loving one. Portia speaks to Brutus gently calling him, 'my dear lord' and `gentle' this actually shows that Portia respects and honors Brutus. Brutus also replies her gently and expresses his love for her in the lines `render me worthy of this noble wife' and `as dear to me as are the ruddy drops/that visits my sad heart'. In these lines, Brutus says that Portia is as dear to him as the blood in his heart. This shows that they have mutual respect as well as love.

While the love between Portia and Brutus is equally reciprocated, we can see and contrast Calphurnia's love for Caesar this way. Portias' concern for Brutus originates from her love for her husband. Calphurnia`s love for Caesar, on the other hand, is because of her concern for Caesar. Calphurnia speaks to Caesar in an authoritative tone, almost commanding. Calphurnia lacks the gentleness that Portia has when both of them are talking to their husbands. Calphurnia also do not use any terms of endearment, she only emphasizes her concern for his safety. Caesar also answers Calphurnia in the same tone, which she uses with a tinge of strong-headedness, which can be seen when he refuses her pleas for him to stay at home.

The conversation between the two couple took place when they are both alone. But we can see that Calphurnia still speaks to Caesar with some fear, speaking in riddles such as `when beggars die, there are no comets seen; /The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.' Hinting of Caesar's possible death indirectly, as if she was afraid of incurring his wrath. Caesar replies her quickly while all the time opp...

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... closer. They have mutual love, respect and dependence and both parties make an effort to conform to the others' opinion and requests. Whereas, in the conversation between Calphurnia and Caesar, their replies to each other are tinged with strong-headedness and selfish thoughts. Calphurnias' love and concern for Caesar is also not reciprocated in the same manner. They do not use terms of endearment to address each other as do Portia and Brutus.

Works Cited and Consulted:

Bowden, William R. "The Mind of Brutus." Shakespeare Quarterly. 17 (1966): 57.

Hunter, G.K. "Shakespeare and the Traditions of Tragedy." Wells, Stanley, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994.

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Elements of Literature. Ed. Edwina McMahon et al. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1997.

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