Friendships in 'Julius Ceasar'

Essay by SilencedHigh School, 12th grade May 2006

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There are many friendships and partnerships in the play "Julius Caesar" by Shakespeare. Some of these are true friendships where love and loyalty can be seen, but there are others were talk goes on behind their backs and it is nothing more than an un-loyal alliance. This essay will explore the friendship between; Caesar and Brutus, Caesar and Antony, Brutus and Cassius, and Antony and Octavius. It will also look at the partner relationship of Caesar and Calphurnia, and Brutus and Portia.

The friendship of Brutus and Caesar is a true friendship. Brutus loves Caesar very much and we can see this in various parts of the play. He did not want to kill Caesar. Even before he had joined the conspirators, and after, Brutus is sleepless and has long hours at night were he is tormented at the thought of killing a loved friend of his. He decides to join the conspirators only because he cares much for the good of the people of Rome, but once Civil War breaks out he regrets it even more and speaks this clearly to Cassius.

Brutus weeps for Caesar many times after the murder. Even when he explains why he killed him to the crowd, he still speaks well of him and weeps at the loss of a good friend. Brutus was a noble man, possibly the noblest in the play, and he loved Caesar very much, but his love for Rome was far greater and he feared that Caesar would be a Tyrant when given power. Caesar also loved Brutus very much. Wee see this on numerous occasions in the play. The most obvious show of love for Brutus is in Caesar's last seconds of life when he sees Brutus pull his sword out to stab him, at this...