Friendship+and+Betrayal

//And when you saw his chariot but appear, // //Have you not made an universal shout, // //That Tiber trembled underneath her banks, // //To hear the replication of your sounds // //Made in her concave shores? // //And do you now put on your best attire? // //And do you now cull out a holiday? // //And do you now strew flowers in his way // //That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone! // //Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, // //Pray to the gods to intermit the plague // //That needs must light on this ingratitude. // · The extract is from Act 1.1. Marullus (a Tribune) is chastising the plebians for celebrating Caesar’s victory over Pompey. 1. This action takes place after Pompey’s defeat, where Caesar went against the First Triumvirate and betrayed the code of conduct he is now returning victorious to Rome. 2. Initially the Plebians had been loyal to Pompey as a ‘universal’ shout would be heard every time Pompey’s chariot would pass. 3. The use of anaphora and rhetorical questions in lines 47-50 are meant to induce guilt in the plebians for being disloyal to Rome and making merry. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. The use of imperatives ‘run’, ‘pray’ also shows the authority of the Tribunes who are evidently against Caesar. Furthermore, there is an allusion to the plague (which had affected the citizens of Elizabethan England) is used by Marullus to induce terror in the superstitious, god-fearing commoners for betraying Rome. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. This extract foreshadows the conflict between Caesar and the Senate, as well as showing the citizens to be fickle-minded in their loyalties.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy honourable metal may be wrought // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That noble minds keep ever with their likes; // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For who so firm that cannot be seduced? // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Caesar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus: // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He should not humour me. I will this night, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In several hands, in at his windows throw, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As if they came from several citizens, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Writings all tending to the great opinion // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at: // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And after this let Caesar seat him sure; // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For we will shake him, or worse days endure. //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">· The extract is from the end of Act 1.2, after Cassius attempts to persuade Brutus that Caesar doesn’t deserve to be crowned Emperor of Rome <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. It is a soliloquy which reveals Cassius’ intention to manipulate Brutus into betraying Caesar by forging letters. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. The motif of ‘noble Brutus’ which runs through the play is mentioned in this extract. It adds a note of dramatic irony as Brutus will actually be supporting an ignoble cause by being disloyal to Caesar. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Shakespeare uses a metaphor ‘metal’- like molten metal that is pliable, so too is Brutus’ will. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. There is also wordplay as ‘mettle’- refers to Brutus’ temperament and spirit, which Cassius is controlling <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. This extract reveals how flattery leads to disloyalty- by making Brutus believe that the citizens of Rome have a ‘great opinion’ of ‘his name’ leads him to convince himself that betraying Caesar is in the interest of the greater good. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. This scene is also the first time that we see tangible evidence of Cassius’ disloyalty towards Caesar.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They are the faction. O conspiracy, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When evils are most free? O, then by day <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hide it in smiles and affability: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For if thou path, thy native semblance on, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not Erebus itself were dim enough <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To hide thee from prevention. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">· This extract is Brutus’ soliloquy from Act 2.1. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. He says these words just before he meets the other conspirators and they prove that Brutus will betray Caesar <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. In this extract, Brutus personifies the conspiracy- this show that the conspirators are one entity and will be loyal to the cause. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Brutus compares the darkness of their deed to Erebus (hell) to show the extent of their sin- going against the head of state was tantamount to disobeying god. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. The setting of night-time adds to the sinister mood which is befitting for conspiracies <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Brutus claims that even the night cannot conceal their heinous purposes under the cloak of darkness- he refers to the deed as ‘monstrous’ to show it is unnatural to go against his friend and head of state <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. The theme of appearance versus reality is highlighted- the conspirators will pretend to be loyal to Caesar by being all ‘smiles and affability’ when in truth they will be betraying on the coronation day.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have, when you have heard what I can say: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And know it now: the senate have concluded <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you shall send them word you will not come, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Apt to be render'd, for someone to say <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Break up the senate till another time, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.' <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Lo, Caesar is afraid'? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pardon me, Caesar; for my dear dear love <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To our proceeding bids me tell you this; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And reason to my love is liable.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">· This extract is from Act 2.2; Decius convinces Caesar to attend his coronation at the Capitol in spite of Calphurnia’s misgivings. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Decius pretends to swear his allegiance to Caesar by indicating his ‘dear, dear love’ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Dramatic irony- the audience knows that Decius is one of the conspirators who will betray Caesar in the next act <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Decius pretends to have Caesar’s best interests at heart but he actually is using a variety of techniques to flatter Caesar- he does so by addressing him as ‘mighty Caesar; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Understands Caesar’s psyche- he cleverly says that if Caesar doesn’t appear for his coronation, people will wonder ‘Lo, Caesar is afraid’- this would put Caesar in a negative light. We know that Caesar wants to present himself as invincible in front of public. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. The speech subtle mocks Calphurnia, who actual is loyal to Caesar <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Also, Decius knows that Caesar is eager for the crown and he plays on Caesar’s insecurities by stating that the senate might change their minds if their leader was superstitious <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7. This speech clearly shows that Deicus is loyal to the conspirators’ cause- assassinate Caesar.