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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

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