An Analysis Of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Submitted By blakester334354
Words: 319
Pages: 2

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar has many variations compared to Plutarch’s account, but they help develop characters and add reason to many events that unfold throughout the play. The first difference involves Julius Caesar; he is made out to be a tyrant who neglects the feeling of others and their opinions, but this is not made as evident in Plutarch’s recollection. Reason being, is that it provides the reader with an antagonist, which is a critical to any story that involves triumph. As Caesar is made to be an antagonist, he added Portia to help make Brutus seem like the protagonist, which is the next difference. Shakespeare used the addition of Portia to help develop Brutus’s good side, and this is made very evident when Portia and him are fighting and he says, “You are my true and honorable wife/ As dear to me as are the ruddy drops,” which gives the reader the sense that Brutus’s cares about his wife and is a respectable man (2.1.312-13). The final difference is the addition of Antony’s speech after Caesars murder. This was added because this speech changes the entire mood of the play along with paradigms on certain characters. As of now, Caesar is made to be the antagonist and Brutus the protagonist, but with this speech it brings about the true nature of Brutus and swaps him from a good to bad character and puts Antony in the hero position. Not only is the added speech a twist in the story but also it puts true reason behind the plebian’splebeian’s rampage