Fate vs. Free Will in Julius Caesar - 933 Words

In William Shakespeares play, Julius Caesar, two interesting forces, fate and free will, are shown competing for prominence over the other. Fate was exemplified in the many prophecies and omens the characters viewed throughout the play. Free will was the characters abilities to overcome and defeat their fate. Many characters have struggles with the power of their free will overcoming their fate, namely Caesar, Cassius, and Brutus. Although in the end all three of those characters succumb to their fate, Shakespeare shows that there is a delicate equilibrium between the two forces. Of the three men, Caesars fate seemed most obvious to him and to the reader. However, Caesar used his free will in many instances to in large part ignore his†¦show more content†¦This stance is what required Cassius to go through so much effort to persuade Brutus to join the conspirators. He was forced to write fake letters so that Brutus could see a reason to act on Caesar becoming emperor. He also died through a form of apathy brought about by what he thought was his fate. The ghost of Caesar had visited him twice and had affected his rationalization that he told Volumnius I know my hour is come (V. v. 19). Through all three of these characters, Shakespeare has made a point to show that indifference towards fate leads towards permanent consequences, death. In Cassius situation, he was strong until that final point came, where he accepted his final fate. Brutus was never very strong with using his free will, but in the end accepted his fate much the same as Cassius. Caesar was never very strong in using his free will, but chose a nobler route to defying his fate. Thus Caesar declares: It seems to meÂ…it will come (II. ii. 35Ââ€"37). In other words, Caesar recognizes that certain events lie beyond human control; to crouch in fear of them is to enter a paralysis equal to, if not worse than, death. It is to surrender any capacity for freedom and agency that one might actuall y possess. Using all three of their deaths as an example, it seems Shakespeare was showing that free will must be used vigilantly, and if one was to let their guard down, fate will overcome all efforts ofShow MoreRelatedJulius Caesar : Fate Vs. Free1298 Words   |  6 Pagesicons. Others might say Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs because they were different as apples and oranges, yet they had much in common because they both created and dreamed of the idea of a personal computer. But is it possible that fate vs. free will spark an idea in peoples’ brains? Maybe. This essay will be focusing on that relationship and balance in one famous piece of work. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar proved that fate and free will maintain a tug-of-war situationRead MoreFate vs. Free Will Julius Caesar Essay844 Words   |  4 Pagesthe play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare there are two forces at work fate and freewill and throughout the play they are both f ighting for control over man. Fate was shown in the many prophecies and omens that the characters viewed throughout the entire play. Free will as defined in the play is the ability to overcome fate. Although in the end all three of the characters succumbed to their fate, Shakespeare shows again that there is a delicate balance between fate and human free will. Read MoreEssay about Fate vs. Free Will in Julius Caesar922 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, two interesting forces, fate and free will, are shown competing for prominence over the other. Fate was exemplified in the many prophecies and omens the characters viewed throughout the play. Free will was the characters abilities to overcome and defeat their fate. Many characters have struggles with the power of their free will overcoming their fate, namely Caesar, Cassius, and Brutus. Although in the end all three of those characters succumb to their fate, ShakespeareRead MoreFate vs Free Will in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare693 Words   |  3 Pagesleads to their fate being a horrific downfall. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare exposes the conflicting ideas that exist between fate and free will by showing the relationship between Caesar, Brutus, and their wives, and how the decisions Cassius makes effect his fate. Conflicting ideas existed betwee n the spouses and as well as the decisions Cassius make and how they affect him. Fate gives Brutus a chance to change his decision that he made of his own free will about killing Caesar by having PortiaRead MoreThemes Of William Shakespeare s Julius Caesar 2063 Words   |  9 Pages Theme, Mood and Conflict in Julius Caesar Savannah Baine â€Å"Come I to speak at Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me. But Brutus says that he was too ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man .† Mark Antony (Act 3,Scene 2,Line 85). â€Å"Julius Caesar† by William Shakespeare, is a classic play depicting the death of Caesar and the chaos that ensues afterwards. One theme in this play is fate vs. free will, the mood is serious and calm, while the conflictsRead MoreCauses Of The Bloodless Revolution1053 Words   |  5 Pagesparties, influenced by religion, caused a divide in the state and tension levels rose. The problem started with King Charles II trying to overstep Parliament to spread his own agenda, and when rumors of a plan to assassinate the king, such as Julius Caesars fate, anti-Catholic violence spread in the streets (Jabzy). When his Catholic brother, James II, took command of the throne, he inherited all the religious and political issues Charles was dealing with, setting him up with a bad hand to manage. ProblemRead MoreA Raisin in the Sun vs. Julius Caesar2295 Words   |  10 PagesKyla Beecher Ms. Hilliard English 2 Honors 4 January 2013 Traditional vs. Modern Drama In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun themes, symbols, and characters can be compared. Both A Raisin in the Sun and Julius Caesar were written for the stage; therefore their characters become more obvious and more thoroughly portrayed than in a book, for example. Even though, these works were written by far different authors and in different centuries their similaritiesRead Moresummary of lion and jewel3215 Words   |  13 PagesTHEMES Power and authority Women in society Masculinity Colonialism Culture vs. progress Change Old versus young    Julius Caesar SUMMARY This play is one that contains political intrigue and drama. It opens with a group of commoners celebrating Julius Caesars triumphant return to Rome. This is met with scorn by some Tribunes, who tell them to leave the area. This is the premise to scenes that reveal an ambitious Caesar who is beloved by Roman citizens, but is the envy of many of his friends. ItRead More William Faulkners Use of Shakespeare Essay5388 Words   |  22 PagesReivers. A number of dominant themes and emphases are common to both writers, including the imaginative use of historical materials, the incorporation of both tragic and comic views of life, and the paradoxical tension between fate (in Faulkner’s case, determinism) and free will. Moreover, both writers exhibit a fascination for experimental form and language, flouting conventional rules to create new narrative structures and delighting in neologisms, puns, and other forms of word play. Finally,Read MoreAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 Pagesutopia Genre/Style: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · sermons, diaries personal narratives captivity narratives jeremiads written in plain style Effect: ï‚ · ï‚ · instructive reinforces authority of the Bible and church Historical Context: ï‚ · ï‚ · a person s fate is determined by God all people are corrupt and must be saved by Christ Rationalism / Age of Enlightenment period of American Literature - 1750-1800 Content: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · national mission and American character democratic utopia use of reason history