Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known as Julius Caesar, was a play written by the famous William Shakespeare. It was a play that portrayed a conspiracy against the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar, his assassination and the defeat of the conspirators at the Battle of Philippi. Although the title of the play is Julius Caesar, there were many other characters that supplied this story with intrigue and drama. This is especially true when it comes to the trials and tribulations of two main couples in the story.

Portia was married to Brutus, while Calpurnia was married to Caesar himself. Throughout the story, you can easily tell that Portia and Calpurnia both loved their husbands. They deeply cared for their husbands’ safety. You could say that they were even slightly obsessed with their relationships with their husbands. In fact, they went to extremes to prove their bravery and love. These bold acts were also their tactic of influencing their husbands to do what they wanted. For example, Portia is the strong and devoted wife of Brutus. Her most notable moment in the play is when she reveals to her husband that she has wounded herself to demonstrate her strength and courage (Shakespeare2.1.300). Her act proves to Brutus that she is worthy to hear his troubles, and he is about to tell her his plan when they are interrupted by Ligarius. Knowing Brutus's cause is lost to Antony and Octavius, Portia commits suicide in 4.3. Brutus describes her strange death to Cassius, telling him she "swallow’d fire" (155). According to the author of Shakespeare's source, Plutarch, Portia held hot coals in her mouth until she suffocated and ended her short life.

Back in Roman times, the man was traditionally in charge in a marriage. This was true of Caesar and Calpurnia’s marriage. Caesar appeased his wife, but typically was persuaded to do what others wanted him to do. For example, Calpurnia tries to tell Caesar to stay home. He temporarily agrees with her, but...