The Role of Women in Julius Caesar - 773 Words

From the expansion days of Ancient Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire, women have always succumbed to living subjacent to the status of their omnipotent and dominant male figures. After leaving her childhood home and the rule of her father, a young Roman girl would then be coerced into the dominion of her husband, often taking a plethora of roles, ranging from lover, caretaker, and best friend. It is often lightheartedly stated that, â€Å"Behind every great man is an even greater woman,† and William Shakespeare exemplifies this concept beautifully in Julius Caesar, in which he effectively used the spouses of the two main characters to add more depth, drama, and literary elements to the play, bringing it to life. Although the only two†¦show more content†¦Through this succinct line, Shakespeare allows the reader to recognize that Portia is not an ordinary woman, rather she is an intense and strong willed woman with deep devotion for her husband. One of Brutusâ₠¬â„¢ most notable characteristics is his stoicism, which is clearly seen through instances regarding Portia, as illustrated through Act II, scene i, when he refuses to confide in Portia about the plans to kill Caesar, and when Brutus utters, â€Å"Why farewell Portia,† in regards to her death (Brutus, IV, iii, 189). Brutus’ stoicism impinges on their relationship, because he confines his secrets from her, and towards her death, he allows the audience to gain insight of his true character: the neglect of private feelings and loyalties in favor of what Brutus believes to be the public good. Brutus thus undermines Portia as the symbol of his private life and manifests on the fact that he puts his public life before his private one. Portia’s death also serves as an example of stoicism because he does not reveal any of the emotion that was brought to him in the light of her suicide. Thus, uncovering that stoicism and honor are put before all else. With a completely different relationship with her husband, Calpurnia’s unending care and worry for her husband proves to be vital to the development of the story. Following the norm brought about by her time, Calpurnia was dominated by her husband, Caesar,Show MoreRelatedThe Role of Women in Julius Caesar Essay820 Words   |  4 PagesEmpire, women have always succumbed to living subjacent to the status of their omnipotent and dominant male figures. After leaving her childhood home and the rule of her father, a young Roman girl would then be coerced into the dominion of her husband, often taking a plethora of roles, ranging from lover, caretaker, and best friend. It is often lightheartedly stated that, â€Å"Behind every great man is an even greater woman,† and William Shakespeare exemplifies this concept beautifully in Julius CaesarRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Antigone And Julius Caesar 1297 Words   |  6 PagesJacobs 12/23/2014 Literature Survey II - Honors Essay: Antigone and Julius Caesar Option 3 The involvement of women is very important in the two stories, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and Antigone by Sophocles. Throughout each story it becomes clear that the ideas and biases surrounding women play an important part in how society views women, and how women see themselves. Readers also see these ideas spread into the minds of women affecting what they do in their life, and how they act. AntigoneRead MoreShakespeares Julius Caesar851 Words   |  4 PagesImagine a world where women were completely subservient to men. 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The tale tells of how after his son, Sextus, raped a beautiful and virtuous women, Lucretia. After she was raped she told her husband what had happened, after that she took her own life, rather than permit even force to excuse for dishonor. Having Lucretia kill herself outraged almost all the Romans. The romans revolted againstRead MoreThe Death Of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare And The Rwandan Genocide1637 Words   |  7 Pages Warnings play a very important role in the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. The omens and nightmares in the play foreshadow the death of Julius Caesar that later resulted to chaos in Rome. The events that lead to the assassination of Julius Caesar are predicted by omens from characters such as his wife Calphurnia, the Soothsayer, Artemidorus and from the environment. Similarly, many warnings in the Rwanda history triggered the genocidal slaughterRead More The role of Women in Julius Ceasar Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesThe role of Women in Julius Ceasar In the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† by William Shakespeare, women play an important role. The women are important factors in foreshadowing and in the development of many of the characters. To look at the role of women in the play we must look deeper in to the roles of the only two women in the play; Calpurnia, wife of Caesar, and Portia, wife of Brutus. Both of these women are key in foreshadowing the murder of Caesar. After Caesar’s murder we do not hearRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Julius Caesar 1008 Words   |  5 PagesJulius Caesar Assignment Tess Macintyre IGCSE English Literature Discuss the contribution made by the two women, Portia and Calpurnia, to the play as a whole. In William Shakespeare’s drama Julius Caesar, Shakespeare’s numerous characters include just two women; Calpurnia and Portia; the wives of Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus respectively. Though the parts are small, they each make important contributions to the play as a whole. Both women in Julius Caesar exist only in the context of their relationshipsRead MoreThe Omen: Forces of Nature Play a Very Important Role in Julius Caesar1127 Words   |  5 PagesForces of nature play a very important role in Julius Caesar. There is much attention paid to omens and nightmares and how they foreshadow Caesars death. The events that lead to the death of Julius Caesar are predicted by omens from multiple characters such as Calpurnia, Caesars wife, the Soothsayer, and a teacher, Artemidorus. The omens in the play were ignored by a majority of the main characters. Even though ignored, these omens appear even after Caesars death to show the guilt-ridden nature