LEC052007. Anagha Nair. Crtical Significance of the Ides of March in Julius Caesar
Anagha Nair
Dr. Joseph Koyippally
LEC 5104
13 January 2021
CRITICAL
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE IDES OF MARCH IN
JULIUS CAESAR
The Ides of March
corresponding to the 15th March in the Roman calendar is marked as
the day of the assassination of Julius Caesar. Caesar was killed by
conspirators- his friends- for fear of Caesar becoming a dictator once he is
crowned the king. “The Ides of March is considered to be pivotal in Roman
history as the death of Caesar contributed to the transition from the
historical period known as the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire.” (The
Literary Significance)
In the starting of the play
when Caesar comes to address the jubilant crowd celebrating the victory of
their hero, a soothsayer warns Caesar. However the soothsayer whose voice
Caesar himself says is shriller than the voice of the crowd is not taken
seriously.
CAESAR.
What man is that?
[…]
CAESAR.
He is a dreamer; let us leave him:-pass (I. ii. 18-24)
The soothsayer becomes a victim and a witness of
Caesar’s hubris a second time in Act III Scene I when Caesar tells the
soothsayer that the fifteenth of March has come implying the soothsayer’s
prediction gone wrong, to which the soothsayer replies, “Ay, Caesar; but not
gone.” (III.i.2)
Caesar
who enters the senate is brutally stabbed and killed by the conspirators,
marking the fulfillment of the soothsayer’s prediction. The conspiracy to kill
Caesar was first plotted by Cassius Longinus and Marcus Brutus fearing Caesar’s
growing power and to the eventual rise of Caesar to the level of a dictator
especially after his victory against Pompey. As Nicholas Horsfall says in his
article “The Ides of March: Some New Problems”, the conspirators chose
fifteenth of March as they wanted to finish off Caesar soon, before he gains
the support and sentiments of the citizens of Rome (pp 0-1).
Shakespeare
has employed pagan myths and beliefs in the play to portray an overly
superstitious Roman society. To warn Caesar about the impending tragedy
Shakespeare uses the character of the soothsayer. This clearly portrays a
society with deep rooted superstitions. Though Caesar is overpowered by his
pride when the soothsayer approaches him, Caesar is presented as a
superstitious person in the play- like during the feast of Lupercal. There are
also mentions that Caesar has gone to see a soothsayer a month before the ides,
who too warns Caesar about a possible tragedy within the next thirty days.
Ides
of March was marked by Romans as the day for settling debts and was also known
for many religious observances. Due to its association with the assassination
of Julius Caesar, the Ides of March has come to symbolize betrayal.
Shakespeare’s mastery of the language has in a way forever darkened an
otherwise normal day on Roman calendar.
Works
Cited
Primary
source
Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. M.G Publishers, 2015.
Secondary
sources
Horsfall, Nicholas. “The
Ides of March: Some New Problems.” Greece & Rome, vol. 21, no.
2, 1974, pp. 191–199. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/642733.
Accessed 11 Jan. 2021.
“The Literary Significance of The Ides
of March.” The Indian Express, 15 March
2020, https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/the-literary-significance-of-ides-of-march-6315265/. Accessed on 11 Jan 2021.
Article was good with enough references. Paragraphs were connected which helps in a smooth reading.
ReplyDeleteGood writing. Paragraphs are well structured but final paragraph could have been better. Arguments are supported and MLA style is strictly followed.
ReplyDeleteVery good writing. Beginning of the final paragraph was a bit deviating the continuity of the essay. You put reference at the end of first three paragraphs, which improves credibility, but it's excess might affect the uniqueness of your writing. Take care of that. It was a very good essay, indeed.
ReplyDeleteGood writing. Topic sentences are also strong but I was expecting more from you
ReplyDeleteWell written.Smooth flow of arguments.
ReplyDeleteNice way of presentation with suitable arguments and references. Well-written.
ReplyDeleteThe essay is well written and the introduction gives a clear idea about the thesis statement. The Literary Significance had to be enclosed within double quotes in the in-text citation. The abbreviation pp. is not required in the in-text citation. Shakespeare's name has not been mentioned in the in-text citations of the quotes from the play. The use of a comma in the 2nd sentence of the 2nd para and last line of the 4th para, would have given the sentences more clarity. The resources used, support the arguments in the essay well.
ReplyDeleteThe essay is written well and it has a proper structure. But the last paragraph is too short. It could have been better by the addition of certain relevant sentences that can conclude the essay more effectively. MLA style is strictly followed throughout the essay. Only the first letter of the content words should have been italicized in the title.
ReplyDeleteGood control over the language. The resources have been used very well to develop your idea.Title need not be completely capitalized unless recommended. In the in text citation period should follow after the parantheses, also, Shakespeare’s name needs to be included in the paranthesis.There was a deviation in the in text citation regarding specifying the page number.The conclusion part could have been developed more.
ReplyDelete