JULIUS CAESAR
BASIC INFORMATION
Writer
William
Shakespeare
Year
written
1599
Form
Play
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
Written during the English Renaissance 1599
Its intention was to entertain people Providing compelling dichotomy of ideas (Freewill vs fate, public vs private, good vs evil) to instigate
conversation
During Queen Elizabeths monarchy, in Elizabethan England
Produced 70 years after Niccolo Machiavellis The Prince Shakespeare had full knowledge of its existence
Shakespeare criticised the pragmatic values explored in The Prince, favouring idealistic values
Idealistic values were favoured due to the need to appeal to the monarchy Reflected in the idea of fate vs freewill
Shakespeare also punishes idealism through Julius Caesars assassination However he punishes Brutus and Cassius for their betrayal of loyalty The
chain of being is disrupted
TECHNIQUES
Technique
Meaning
Effect
Foreshadowing of Caesars
assassination Pathetic fallacy of
rain and thunder, bad omens from
the soothsayer, vision of Caesars
corpse
Brutuss tragedy He and his wife
dies
Soothsayer says: Beware the ides of March
Characterisation of Cassius
Depicts Caesars death as a fateful
However, it can be avoided through using
freewill
Shakespeare depicts Brutus as a tragic
figure
Acting in the best interest of the Roman
people
Is punished through fate for his violent
crimes
Cassius is a manifestation of
Machiavellians ideas
Open interpretation to fate or freewill Could Caesar
have prevented his death
Caesar is punished for his idealism, which could have
led to the establishment of a dictatorship
A reflection of Shakespeare punishing those who
commit evil
Depicts idealistic values Those who commit heinous
crimes will suffer
Shakespeare had full knowledge of The Princes
existence
Dichotomy of public and private
His character is enabled by pragmatism,
disregarding what is considered morally
acceptable
Uses Cassius to punish the pragmatic ideologies
explored by Machiavelli Committing evil to acquire
your goals
Private: Doing what is best for the
individual
Public: Doing what is best for the people
Brutus is divided between private and
public self Chooses public because that is
what he believes is morally acceptable
Shakespeare uses the dichotomy of public and private
self to portray Brutuss tragedy
Used to reinforce the idea that Brutus is morally good,
but was driven to commit evil and is being punished by
fate
Essentially public/private is used to portray tragedy
QUOTES
Quote
Meaning
Effect
He has a lean and hungry look, he
thinks too much, such men are
dangerous - Caesar
It portrays the Machiavellian Cassius as a
villain, who will only do harm
Describes those who follow Machiavellian
ideologies as needy for power, and are
willing to plot their way into rule
Depicts how Shakespeare uses the characterisation of
Cassius to criticise Machiavellian ideologies as evil
He was the noblest roman of them
all Antony
It highlights the tragedy of Brutus
Acting for the best interests, but inevitably
committing an act of evil and being
punished
Depicts how Shakespeare sympathises with the
idealism in Brutus, and thus Caesar
They were both noble men who were corrupted by their
circumstance both were morally good
Depicts the internal conflict between public
and private self
Also reinforces his tragedy
Poor Brutus, at war with himself
Depicts the moral conflict regarding the assassination
of Caesar
Would it be an act of good or evil?
Inevitably it remains an act of evil, and thus Brutus is
punished
THE PRINCE
BASIC INFORMATION
Writer
Niccolo Machiavelli
Year
written
1513
Form
Treatise (Discussion of
idea)
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
Written in 1513 in war-torn Italy
During the emergence of the renaissance Invoked freedom of expression, catalysing the development of The Prince
Contemporaries at the time were idealistic, similar to Shakespeare
Through The Prince, Machiavelli provided a pragmatic approach to leadership He was a radical thinker
His treatise was meant to guide the new leader of Italy to unify the state Lorenzo Piero de Medici
The majority of the treatise was informative, whereas the latter chapters were appealing to the Medicis favour
The Prince was without a doubt a pragmatic approach to leadership Invoked ruthlessness and deception Contrasted with Shakespeares idealism
TECHNIQUES
Technique
Meaning
Effect
Unequivocal exposition
High modality diction
Unlike Shakespeares dichotomous exploration of
ideas, Machiavelli dictates his ideologies
He uses words such as must not, should not
A reflection of the pragmatic ideologies explored by
Machiavelli in The Prince
Public: Appearing virtuous to the people
Private: Act ruthless in private to ensure integrity of
leadership
Depicts the need for the coexistence of both to
guarantee a stable rulership
Shakespeare uses the dichotomy of public/private to
depict the tragedy of Brutus
Machiavelli uses it to guide Lorenzo on how to maintain
stable leadership, by employing deception to garner the
favour of the people, yet allowing him to act ruthless
Dichotomy of public and
private self
Self-reinforcing dichotomy One must act virtuous in
public, but in private
ruthless
Antithesis between ideas highlights their need for
coexistence
It is a reflection of the persuasive nature of the treatise
Machiavelli wanted to persuade Lorenzo to rule
according to The Prince
Personification of fate as a
woman
Machiavelli depicts fate as a woman, who can be
beaten or seduced, to allow the exercise of free will
Unlike Shakespeare who has an open interpretation to
fate or freewill (favours fate b/c of Cassius and Brutus
Fate is like a woman, who can be seduced and
beaten
being punished)
It is an unequivocal exposition that fate can be limited
through the exercise of freewill
QUOTES
Quote
Meaning
Effect
Fate is like a woman, who can be
seduced and beaten
Fate can be controlled through the
exercise of freewill
Reflects the pragmatic and unequivocal approach
Machiavelli takes to The Prince It isnt open like
Shakespeare
One must act virtuous in public, but in
private ruthless
Employs the symbiotic relationship
between public and private self Both are
important
An example of pragmatism Employing of
deception to obtain leadership
Everyone sees what you appear to be,
few experience what you really are
Refer to above
Antithesis between public and private
Refer to above
Never attempt to win by force what can
be won by deception
It instigates the need for deception, which
itself is an act of evil
Highlights the pragmatic approach taken by
Machiavelli
Contrasts Shakespeares idealism, which punishes
immoral behaviour characterisation of Cassius