Hsc Mod C Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Hsc Mod C Julius Caesar Essay Composers of texts present a biased attitude to the events, personalities or situations represented. In various texts such as Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar† and Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†, the composers bias is evident even though conflicting perspectives towards the personality are presented. Although conflicting perspectives are present in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar†, the composers bias is still evident. Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar† is a play which reflected the anxiety of England over succession of leadership. When the play was written in 1599, intense censorship prevailed and Shakespeare chose Caesar’s story in order to convey significant ideas and messages to the Elizabethan audience about the importance of strong leadership. Shakespeare’s biased attitude is evident throughout the course of the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as perspectives of Caesar differs greatly. The representation of multiple conflicting perspectives in â€Å"Julius Caesar† does not ensure that the text remains unbiased in its portrayal of personalities. Conflicting perspectives are used in â€Å"Julius Caesar† to build dramatic tension, within the group of conspirators as well as those who oppose them. In the beginning, Shakespeare manipulates us to take on the conspirators’ view of Caesar as an egomaniac dictator whom is ruthless, cunning and overall intolerable. This view is depicted in Act I Scene II of the play whereby Flavius and Murellus are killed for breaking up celebrations on Caesar becoming king â€Å"Murellus and Flavius, for pulling scarves of Caesars images, are put to silence. Fare you well†. Caesars arrogance and egotistical nature can be seen through his language which is autocratic and imperative throughout the play â€Å"For always I am Caesar†. Shakespeare depicts Caesar in an unflattering light to a certain extent to reiterate the importance of strong leadership to the Elizabethan audience. Shakespeare’s bias is further presented in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as he moulds us to value Caesar, and we later perceive him as a successful and deserving leader. This is shown after the assassination, as Caesar remains omnipotent throughout the rest of the play whereby Brutus sees his ghost on several occasions. This notion is further heightened as both Cassius and Brutus die with their last words being concerned with Caesar â€Å"Caesar, thou art revenged†. In turn, this further illustrates that the composers biased attitude is evident in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as we are given multiple perceptions on the one personality. Therefore it is evident that even though different perspectives towards the personality are manifested, Shakespeare’s bias is still evident. In the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† individuals are driven by different ambitions and motivations including those of freedom, idealism and honour. Both Brutus and Cassius see the need for Caesar’s death but are driven by different motivations and perspectives on the political situation at the time. Cassius hates Caesar and his hatred towards him is caused in part for the power given to someone he sees as his physical and intellectual inferior, which is shown through persuasive rhetorical questions â€Å"Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed/ That he has grown so great? † His hatred is trigged by his own lack of success infuriated by perceptions that a man so physically feeble should â€Å"bear the palm alone†. Cassius hatred towards Caesar and his perception of him being a Tyrant is further heightened through the use of visual imagery â€Å" he doth bestride the narrow world/ Like a Colossus, and we petty men/ Walk under his huge legs and peep about/ To find ourselves dishonorable graves†. Unlike Cassius, Brutus is an honorable, self –righteous and noble man whose motivation for Caesars death is driven for the love of Rome as well as his concern that Rome would become a dictatorship ruled by a single corrupted individual, rather than the malice, greed and envy that Cassius carries. Brutus’s motivations behind the death of Caesar is clearly evident in his speech after the assassination. Throughout his speech, Brutus relies on reason and logical rationale and syllogisms to explain the reasons behind the assassination â€Å"If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free man? /as he was ambitious, I slew him†. These strong and emotive words demonstrate Brutus strong love for Rome. Thus it can be said that, although Shakespeare presents various perceptions towards Julius Caesar, the composer’s bias is not negated. In comparison to the perceptions both Cassius and Brutus have towards Caesar, is the perspectives of Antony and Caesar of himself. Antony looked at Caesar as a friend, a role model as well as a kind and deserving leader. This notion is exemplified through the use of emotive language â€Å"O mighty Caesar! /most noble blood of all this world/ the noblest man/ That ever lived in the tide of times†. Furthermore, the use of descriptive and connotative language throughout Antony’s funeral eulogy such as â€Å"sweet Caesar† paints Caesar as a victim to an appalling and monstrous crime. His disgust and pity towards the conspirators is also clearly illustrated throughout the eulogy. He describes the conspirators as â€Å"butchers† and, again in a soliloquy, cries â€Å"havoc and let slip the dogs of war†, which reiterates Antony’s deep loathing of the conspirators actions towards Caesar. On the other hand, Caesar perceives himself as invincible as well as a grand and confident leader. Self promoting imagery which relates to constancy, â€Å"But I am as constant as the northern star† as well as Godlike, monumental power, â€Å"Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus? † exemplifies his steady and firm nature of being a ruler. His confidence of being a successful leader which has been aroused by his social status is heightened throughout the imperative words â€Å"For always I am Caesar†. This therefore illustrates the many perceptions presented to the one personality in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar†. Hence it is evident, that the text â€Å"Julius Caesar† remains biased even though there are conflicting perspectives presented. Leunig’s sardonic cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† is another example of conflicting perspectives. The cartoon is in the form of a newspaper report in which shocking facts and statistics about the conditions in the war in Iraq are just beneath the image in which John Howard and George Bush are leaning forward, smiling and shaking hands in front of an immaculate fireplace. There are two very obvious perspectives being presented about the coalitions in the cartoon. The first perspective being their own views on themselves. In regards to the war in Iraq, both John Howard and George Bush believe they are doing an exceptional job. This view is motivated as the coalitions look self assured through their smug expressions. Also, the coalitions are overly pleased with themselves and look at one another as successful and righteous. In comparison to Julius Caesar, the Conspirators believed that by killing Caesar, they would be doing Rome and the people of Rome a favour. They strongly believed it was the right thing to do, and if they did not act in such a way, then Rome would have been controlled by a dictator. This notion can be linked to Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† as only in the coalitions opinion that Sadam Hussein is a dictator and therefore must also be killed. The news reporter’s own opinion on the coalitions in Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† is also apparent. This view is motivated through factual information, statistics which are provided, expert opinion present of the shocking reality of the war in Iraq â€Å"Increasing numbers of children in Iraq do not have enough food to eat, and more than a quarter are chronically undernourished, a UN report says†. In comparison to Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar†, the people of Rome go against the conspirators and disagree with the killing of their leader. The removal of Caesar as a king and leader leads to civil strife, anarchy and eventually a war. The composer Leunig has represented the personalities in a negative light in the cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†. His aim is to satirise the coalition and highlight their malice and profound ignorance. Ultimately, there are many texts which portrays conflicting perspectives. These texts include Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as well as Leunig’s sardonic cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†. Therefore is can be concluded that although conflicting perspectives towards the personality are represented the composers’ bias is still evident in various texts.