Julius Caesar story
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. It is one of four plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history, the others being Coriolanus, Titus Andronicus, and Antony and Cleopatra. Set in Rome in 44 BC, the play depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus as he joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming dictator of Rome. Following Caesar's death, Rome is thrust into a period of civil war, and the republic the conspirators sought to preserve is lost forever.
17 total · 3 choice · 7 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| choosing between conflicting loyalties | choice | Brutus and his co-conspirators choose to be loyal to their Republican ideal instead of to their leader and once-friend Julius Caesar |
| democracy vs. autocracy | choice | Brutus and others lamented the loss of the Roman Republic when Caesar made himself emperor for life. |
| sacrifice for one's beliefs | choice | Brutus and his co-conspirators risked everything for the sake of their Republican ideals, and in the end paid with their lives |
| betrayal | major | Brutus betrayed and killed his long friend and once beloved leader Caesar, to the latter's infamous surprise |
| civil war | major | Rome was thrust into a period of civil war following Caesar's assassination and Brutus lead his legions to Philippi, Greece, where he was defeated. |
| honorable suicide | major | Brutus committed suicide rather than let himself be taken prisoner and brought to Rome in chains, as did Porcia, Cassius and, Titinius |
| political assassination | major | the killing of Caesar is one of the most famous political assassinations |
| suicide | major | Brutus committed suicide rather than let himself be taken prisoner and brought to Rome in chains, as did Porcia, Cassius and, Titinius |
| taking the law into one's own hands | major | in killing Caesar, Brutus and others took the law as they saw it into their own hands as Caesar controlled the judiciary |
| treason | major | Brutus and others committed treason in killing their military leader, Caesar. |