Julius Caesar’s Human Error

Many people regard William Shakespeare as one of the most renowned playwrights in the English language. In Shakespeare's work The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, an important character, as he also believes of himself, named Julius Caesar is looking to gain more power in Rome. There are several subtle hints that Shakespeare includes in this work to demonstrate Caesar's arrogance and thirst for power ultimately leads to his assassination. Julius Caesar's arrogance is demonstrated in several instances in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. In one case Caesar said, but I am as constant as the Northern Star, / of whose true-fixed and resting quality / there is no fellow in the firmament(3, 1, 60-63).

Like these lines state, Caesar believes that there is nobody as mighty as himself and nobody can move him from this position. This ego Caesar possesses is fairly evident in this statement he made; he believed that nobody could be like him. There is only one Northern Star, just as Caesar is saying of himself. During this time in Rome, there is a class system in place that is followed by the masses. Julius Caesar is an individual who practices the use of a class system in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. A prime example of this is when the soothsayer attempts to warn Caesar of what is going to happen on the Ides of March. Caesar brushes it off saying, He is a dreamer; let us leave him(1, 2, 24). If someone such as Mark Antony would have said the same thing as the soothsayer, Caesar would have listened to him because they are of a similar class. Caesar's belief of the class system just further proves his arrogance, which is one of his major flaws that become part of his demise.

Julius Caesar is actively trying to acquire more power in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. He always ensures that the uneducated commoners can't see through his thickly veiled motives. More highly educated individuals, such as Marcus Brutus and the other conspirators, can see his true motives and that is why they assassinate him. Brutus describes what he believes is going to happen if Caesar gets more power; the outcome is unfavorable for Rome. Caesar already saw the Senate as his when he said, What is now amiss / that Caesar and his Senate must redress?(3, 1, 32-33). Caesar likes being in charge of a small group of people, so what is to stop him from wanting all the power in Rome? The conspirators see this and take action on Caesar's thirst for power, which indirectly causes his assassination. Arrogance and power are two dangerous things to possess. Julius Caesar has both. Believing that you are above everyone is a bad idea especially when you must share power. Eventually, Caesar will want all the power in Rome. These two things are what ultimately lead to Caesar being assassinated.

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