Download Humanities 3 IV. Skepticism and Self-Knowledge

Humanities 3
IV. Skepticism and Self-Knowledge
Lecture 15
“The Noblest Roman”
Outline
• Historical Background to Julius Caesar
• What’s at Issue in the Play
• The Drama
Friday movie pick: Elizabeth (1989), Elizabeth:
The Golden Age (2007), both starring Cate
Blanchett
Julius Caesar
• The production of Julius Caesar occurs at a moment
in English history when people are growing anxious
about Elizabeth’s reign. The play dramatizes topical
questions: What allegiance is owed to a ruler? How
far must a ruler go before that allegiance is broken?
How are honor and loyalty to be balanced?
• S. is able to address these questions through Julius
Caesar because he is not a lawful king; he has
usurped power. The question of what is permissible
in defense of the republic does not arise in England.
History of the Roman Republic
• Founded in 509 BC, after defeat of last king
• Republic governed by two consuls, elected
annually, and the senate
• Power divided between the patricians (ancient
noble families) and the plebeians (including
property owners who lack noble status)
• Throughout the history of the republic conflict
between the classes is a constant
• Crucial is the power of the army and the generals
who command it; for this reason, the army is not
allowed within the borders of the republic
First Triumvirate
• 59 BC Three generals, Caesar, Pompey and
Crassus make private agreement to share the
consulship
• 53 BC Crassus killed in battle
• 51 BC Caesar conquers Gaul and publishes The
Gallic Wars
• 49 BC Pompey granted dictatorial powers
(supported by “Optimates”= Patricians); Caesar
crosses the Rubicon and marches on Rome;
Pompey flees with Optimates to Egypt
• 48 BC Caesar arrives in Egypt: Pompey killed;
affair with Cleopatra
Roman provinces in 44 BC
Background to Julius Caesar
• 44 BC (actually October 45): Julius Caesar returns
to Rome after quelling a revolt led by the sons of
his former rival Pompey
• He is hailed by some, but other resent the
celebration because triumphs are reserved for
victories over foreign enemies
• February 44: C. named “perpetual dictator”;
offered crown by M. Antony, but C. refuses
• March 15 (the Ides of March): Caesar assassinated
by conspirators
Issues in Julius Caesar
• Caesar has amassed too much personal power and
has taken on the trappings of a king; some want to
make him king
• Other Romans cling to the ideal of the republic,
and see only one way to preserve it: kill Caesar
• The drama of the play centers on the psychology
of Brutus, a noble of unimpeachable character
• Brutus’ choice can be seen as a judgment on the
legitimacy of the act, yet it is an act that will
destroy him. That is the essence of the play as a
tragedy
What are we meant to see?
• The corruptibility of rulers
• The different motives of the main characters
(esp. Cassius and Brutus)
• The fickleness of the people
• The fragility of political order
Caesar above himself
• Flavius: “These growing feathers pluck’d from
Caesar’s wing / Will make him fly an ordinary
pitch, / Who else would soar above the view of
men / And keep us all in servile fearfulness.” (1.1)
• Cassius: “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow
world / Like a Colossus, and we petty men / Walk
under his huge legs and peep about / To find
ourselves dishonourable graves…” (1.2)
Cassius
• Acts from “envy” (see Caesar at I.2.192)
• Believes he can manipulate Brutus:
“Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see
Thy honorable mettle may be wrought
From that it is disposed; therefore it is meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?”
(I.2.308)
Brutus
• Agonizes about the deed:
“Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream.
The genius and the moral instruments
Are then in council, and the state of a man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
The nature of an insurrection.“ (II.1.62)
The Deed and it Aftermath
• The responses of Cassius and Brutus
(III.1.75)
• Speeches of Brutus and Mark Antony (III.2)
• Battle of Phillipi and final judgment on
Brutus (V.5)