Julius Caesar: Power's Corruption
Uploaded by lilly_flower14 on Jun 05, 2000
Brutus, Cassius, Caesar, and the other Senators held the power to do things others could not. With this authority came their ability to use poor judgement. In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Julius Caesar the theme Power Corrupts is arrayed thoroughly. Murder, treason, and ethical/moral corruption were three prevalent themes that proved the overall topic of Power Corrupts.
In Julius Caesar corruption led to dangerous outcomes, such as death. "Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar!" (Shakespeare 3.1.77). The last words of noble Caesar could be heard, as Brutus, the last of the conspirators, took a plunge at Caesar with his knife. Caesar laying there on the senate floor, illustrated the murderous intentions of the senators. "Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!/Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets" (Shakespeare 3.1. 78-79). The sounds of the pompous conspirators could be heard about the streets. Caesar was dead and they were proud of it. Would this have taken place if the conspirators were not of high rank, such as senators? Probably not. Simple townspeople did not have the power, and could not even bare to think of murdering someone as noble as Caesar. Cassius and the other Senators had the power to, and did commit murder. Brutus though, did not think of it as murder. "People and senators, be affrighted./ Fly not; standstill’ ambition’s debt has been paid" (Shakespeare 3.1.82-83). Brutus announces this so he could convince the people as well as himself that what he had done was not murder, but justice for Rome. Brutus had pure intentions and whether the other senators did or not does not make a difference. Power was abused, murder was committed, and corruption had taken place.
There were many forms of corruption caused by power in this play, one of which was treason. If even a single whisper of assassinating someone with a high rank was heard, you were thrown in jail. An example of this would be when Cassius and the other conspirators discussed their plan to kill Caesar and Mark Antony:
Decius, well urged. I think it is not meet,
Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,
Should outlive Caesar: we shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and you know, his means,
If he improve them, may well stretch so far
As to annoy us all; which to prevent,
Let Antony and Caesar fall together. (Shakespeare 2.1.155-161)
In this situation Cassius had a conversation about killing Mark Antony as well as Caesar. This was...