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Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is a historical tragedy play written by William Shakespeare. It first appeared in print in the First Folio in 1623. The text in this collection is considered the most authoritative version and is used by production houses to base their script and dialogues.

Historians, however, have concluded that Julius Caesar was first performed in 1599, based on a mention in the diary of Thomas Platter the Younger and the fact that it was not listed among Shakespeare’s works in 1598. It was most likely to be performed at the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare worked as a playwright.

The play is titled The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, though it deviates from history in several places. The setting is the Elizabethan era, as there are mentions of clothing and items that weren’t a part of Rome from that period. Julius Caesar has an array of characters. Caesar and Brutus are the main characters. The famous phrase, 'Et Tu, Brute?', is from this play. It’s when Caesar is stabbed to death by his conspirators and is horrified to find his friend, Brutus, as one of them.

More About the Play

The play is divided into three acts. It opens with grand celebrations for Julius Caesar’s return after he defeats Pompey’s sons. Caesar is killed towards the middle of the play. Then comes the battle between Brutus and Cassius. The play ends with Anthony giving Brutus a tribute as one of the noblest Romans for being the only person to act and do what’s good for Rome and not for himself.

While the play has been famous with the audience for centuries, critics have something different to say. They wonder if Caesar is the hero or Brutus since Caesar is killed halfway through, and the rest focuses on Brutus. However, Julius Caesar calls himself the Northern Star, thus hinting that his role is pivotal in changing the events of history.

The play also shows the differences between Caesar and Brutus. Caesar is instinctive and a philosopher, while Brutus is more passionate in nature and prone to making wrong decisions. That said, there’s a difference between Brutus and other conspirators like Cassius. While Brutus is motivated by patriotism and honor, Cassius and others oppose Caesar in envy. This is presented through Anthony in the last scene, where he talks about Brutus and his contribution to the kingdom.