Julius Caesar by Shakespeare

Shakespeare develops tension in the lead up to Caesars death in a number of different ways.

In act one scene 1, Shakespeare creates tension when Marrullus accuses and insults the Roman crowd of forgetting their true hero Pompey; on line 33 he says "you Blocks, you Stones, you worse than senseless things! " this would have made some of the Roman crowd angry maybe at Caesar. The soothsayer in act 1 scene 2 line 17 tells Caesar to "Bewared the ides of March", although Caesar was too arrogant to listen to the soothsayer, this would have created tension in the Elizabethan audience as they believed strongly in superstition.Cassius is a jealous character; he was jealous and envious of Caesars power, for example when Caesar was ill in Spain, line scene 1 line128 he was "as a sick girl" Cassius believes the head of the Roman empire should not be weak like Caesar who is regarded so highly "like a colossus" in line 136 or line 129 "Feeble temper" and that Caesar is leading Rome alone, line 130 "bear the palm alone". Cassius starts to form a conspiracy to kill Caesar, saying he is a cruel ruler, in scene 3 line 103 "why should Caesar be a tyrant then? The settings are important during the next part of the scene, because Cassius and Casca are outside Pompeys theatre at night when there is an evil storm, this would have made the Elizabethan scared audience, as night was considered with evil. Cinna enters the scene and suggests that Brutus would make the conspiracy noble, line142 "but win the noble Brutus to our party", Cassius and Cinna agree.At the start of act 2, Brutus is thinking about killing Caesar, even though Caesar has done nothing wrong, or shown any sign of ambition epically after he refused the crown three times .

But Brutus feels that Caesar may change his mind and become too powerful, line 13 "how this may change his nature" . Although Brutus does not have any personal reason to kill Caesar, line 11 "I know no personal cause to spurn at him", but he believes his death will be for the good of Rome, line 12 "but for the general".Brutus believes that Cesar will climb "Young ambitions ladder" line 22 a metaphor meaning that when Cesar gradually gets more and more power he will climb higher up the ladder he will become too powerful and may use his power for other reasons than the good of Rome. There is evidence for this in line 30-31 "That he is augmented would run to these extremities".

When Brutus received the letter he reminds himself, line 40 "Is not tomorrow, boy, the ides of March", but more importantly is Cassius letter which has reinforced Brutus' intentions.Brutus is introduced to the other conspirators and Decius says in line 155 "Shall no man else man else be touched, but only Cesar? ". Cassius disagrees with this and thinks Mark Anthony should also be killed line, 156-157 "I think it is not meet, Mark Anthony so well beloved of Cesar should outlive Cesar. " this is a very tense part of the play.

Then Brutus says the conspiracy will become too bloody, line 162 "Our cause will seem too bloody" even though Cassius fears Anthony, line 184 "Yet I fear him" he changes his mind so Brutus will still be a part of the conspiracy.There is a lot of tension when Calphurnia tells Cesar of her dream, in which many evil things happen, scene 2 line 21 "Drizzled blood upon the capital". Although Cesar was about to be convinced not to go to the senate, Decius interrupts Calphurnias' dream, line 83 "This dream is all amiss interpreted". In scene 3 the letter from Artemidorus reads to Cesar beware of Brutus, Cassius, Trebonius, Metellus Cimder, Decius in lines 1-5 "Caesar,beware or Brutus...

Cassius... Casca..

. Cinna... Trebonius..

. Metelles Cimber...Decius cimber.

.. Caius Ligarius". At the start of Act 3 Cassius fears the conspiracy has been discovered, line 17 "I fear our purpose is discovered" even though Caesar has been warned three times of the danger that lies in front of him yet he is going to the Senate, Caesar is then killed in Act 3 Scene 1 line 79 "Et tu brute? Then fall Caesar! ". The use of the soothsayer in Act 1 was very effective, it adds tension to the play, but it also keeps the audience interested and curious as to what is going to happen to Caesar.

Shakespeare introduces the soothsayer at the end of act 2, this is very successful because he is speaking to Portia who has knowledge of the conspiracy and she is told to increase her fears, and this would have had the audience on the edge of their seats. The tension between Cassius and Caesar is useful because Shakespeare builds up Cassius' jealousy into a conspiracy and murder. Shakespeare makes his play scandalous when he uses Brutus, Caesars best friend to turn against him, and plot to kill him.The play has a lot of tension, when the conspirators are getting ready to kill Caesar, the letter from Artemidorus and Calphurnias dream almost reveals the conspiracy.

It is my opinion that the letter is the most tense part of the play because Caesar could have had all the conspirators tried and killed, it made me feel nervous on Caesars behalf, and is a very effective part of the play. Shakespeare uses different locations and setting to scare and worry the Elizabethan audience, for example he uses a storm to portray evil that is being planned by the conspirators.