Second blog on Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
(I have chosen two quotes to display the theme I am about to discuss.)
Quote 1: “This Caesar was a tyrant... We are blest that Rome is rid of him.” This quote is spoken by the townspeople in response to Brutus's speech about why he and his fellow conspirators killed Caesar. Despite the fact that Caesar was a well-loved leader as recently as that very morning, the people change their mind very quickly and announce their approval of what has come to pass. They switch from loving Caesar to hating him in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Quote 2: “Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death.” This quote is also spoken by the townspeople. Mark Antony has just given his own speech trying to persuade them that Caesar's assassination was a cruel and unjustifiable murder. By the time he has finished the people are in a rage and ready to exact bloody vengeance on the "traitors". (Speaking of which, I think it is the saddest thing that the poet Cinna gets killed because he shares a name with one of the conspirators. The worst part is, Shakespeare didn't even make that up! It actually happened!)
The theme demonstrated by these two quotes is that people can be very fickle and their loyalties are often easily swayed. The rapid transition from the citizens' approval to fury proves this point. It also shows the effect of a mob mentality on people and how easily people change their minds in order to side with what appears to be the majority.
(I have chosen two quotes to display the theme I am about to discuss.)
Quote 1: “This Caesar was a tyrant... We are blest that Rome is rid of him.”
This quote is spoken by the townspeople in response to Brutus's speech about why he and his fellow conspirators killed Caesar. Despite the fact that Caesar was a well-loved leader as recently as that very morning, the people change their mind very quickly and announce their approval of what has come to pass. They switch from loving Caesar to hating him in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Quote 2: “Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death.”
This quote is also spoken by the townspeople. Mark Antony has just given his own speech trying to persuade them that Caesar's assassination was a cruel and unjustifiable murder. By the time he has finished the people are in a rage and ready to exact bloody vengeance on the "traitors". (Speaking of which, I think it is the saddest thing that the poet Cinna gets killed because he shares a name with one of the conspirators. The worst part is, Shakespeare didn't even make that up! It actually happened!)
The theme demonstrated by these two quotes is that people can be very fickle and their loyalties are often easily swayed. The rapid transition from the citizens' approval to fury proves this point. It also shows the effect of a mob mentality on people and how easily people change their minds in order to side with what appears to be the majority.