I've transcribed the portion of Caesar that I plan to focus on for this post here:
Act III, Scene ii
Enter Brutus and Cassius with the plebeians.
Plebeians. We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!
Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar's death
1. Pleb. I will hear Brutus speak.
2. Pleb. I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons,
When severally we hear them rendered.
[Exit Cassius with some of the Plebeians. Brutus goes into the pulpit.]
3. Pleb. The noble Brutus is ascended; silence!
Bru. Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause,
and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine
honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you
may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and awake
your senses, that you may the better judge. If there
be any in this assembly, and dear friend of Caesar's, to
him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than
his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose
against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I lov'd
Caesar less, but that I lov'd Rome more. had you
rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that
Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? As Caesar lov'd
me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice
at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was
ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy
for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for his
ambition Who is here so base that would be a bond-
man? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who
is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any,
speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile
that will not love his country? if any, speak, for him
have I offended. I pause for a reply.
All. None, Brutus, none.
Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no
more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The
question of his death is enroll'd in the Capitol: his glory
not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his
offenses enforc'd, for which he suffer'd death.
Enter Mark Antony [and others] with Caesar's body.
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who,
though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the
benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth, as
which of you shall not? With this I depart, that, as I
slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the
same dagger for myself, when it shall please my
country to need my death.
All. Live, Brutus, live, live!
1. Pleb. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
2. Pleb. Give him a statue with his ancestors.
3. Pleb. Let him be Caesar.
4. Pleb. Caesar's better parts
shall be crown'd in Brutus.
1. Pleb. We'll bring him to his house
With shouts and clamors.
Bru. My countrymen--
2. Pleb. Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
1. Pleb. Peace ho!
The portion after this is fairly important to the play as well, but I'll just summarize it:
Mark Antony rolls in and essentially incites the crowd (in an extremely clever manner via rhetoric) to violence. Also, he manages to turn the Roman public against the conspirators who slew Julius Caesar. Mark Antony's speech is that famous one with the often-cited line, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!"
The reason I've chosen Shakespeare to observe in this post (aside from the aforementioned badassery) is that it's interesting how Shakespeare's own observations can be linked to some of the readings we've done in class. The more obvious one is perhaps Habermas' argument regarding the public and private sphere and their evolution through time.
Shakespeare -- and by extension, his play -- is great for this argument because he and it touches all three portions of Habermas' argument. First, we have the ancient world's version of the public and private spheres. Then Shakespeare's own time (basically the dawn of the 17th century), which features the step from the second style of public v. private -- with Kings/Queens personifying the public sphere -- into the third style of public v. private spheres found in the Renaissance.
The second, and probably less obvious reference to our readings, is where Stracham & Kendall posit how peoples' preconceived notions are notoriously difficult to crack.
Just for reference, a quick synopsis of Brutus' speech to the Roman public:
Brutus approaches the crowd, who are pretty pissed that the conspirators killed off Caesar. Brutus explains that it had to be done, and that him and Caesar were bros, therefore it hurt him to do this. Indeed, this is true, as seen in Brutus' struggle with conscience featured earlier in the play, during a soliloquy.
He goes on to say that Caesar's transforming Rome from a Republic to an Empire (or Monarchy) was a dick move. And that it couldn't stand. Eventually, the crowd is won over and exclaim that they'll honor Brutus. The part I highlighted in red is perhaps the most poignant. The crowd wants Brutus to take Caesar's place!
The irony of this is unbelievable. The crowd wants Brutus to become the very thing he fought so hard against. I thought it immensely interesting that Shakespeare's observations of peoples' preconceived notions (made in the very early 17th century) echo that of an argument and studies done in the 21st century.
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