Power And Corruption In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

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Julius Caesar was a Roman tyrant Emperor, who took complete control over the Roman Republic. Conspirators set up an elaborate scheme to kill Julius Caesar, either for their own personal gain, or to restore the Roman Republic. Many of Caesar's good friends betray him for the “Good of the Republic” when they’re either power lusting, or wanting to restore a Republic that will never be the same. Julius Caesar’s actions throughout the play are very suspicious, and may have lead to his eventual demise.

Cassius makes a point of Caesar not being a capable leader, not even being able to save himself. In “Act 1 Scene 2” Cassius tells Brutus “ Caesar cried, “Help me, Cassius, or I will sink!” And just as Aeneas, the hero who founded Rome, emerged from the fires of Troy with his elderly father Anchises on his shoulder, so I emerged from the Tiber carrying the tired Caesar”. This shows that Caesar as a person is weak, and isn’t capable of leading one of the largest Empires on earth single handedly. When Caesar is offered a small crown at his anointing day, he faints in front of the crowd,further solidifying his weakness as a ruler. Caesar, as a weak person, would eventually fall …show more content…
The senators wanted to avoid the Roman Republic from being ruled by one person. They believe if Caesar would be in power for too long, he’ll grow corrupt and take all of Rome’s wealth for himself. The Senators planned that by killing Caesar, they would bring back the Roman Republic, but instead they brought the end of the Republic. “Act 1 Scene 2” Cassius tells Brutus how much of a threat Caesar is to Rome. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about how we will find our dishonorable graves”. This shows that Caesar’s ambition is unmatched, and he will stop at nothing to obtain power for
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