Discuss how Shakespeare presents Caesar to the audience at different points up to the assassination
In this essay I will be talking about the play “Julius Caesar” or sometimes referred to as “The tragedy of Brutus.” Shakespeare used the great historian Plutarch, who wrote books like “Lives of Noble Greeks and Romans” and wrote about Brutus, Cassius and of course Caesar. He is used for parts like when Caesar had a fit in Spain and who was involved in the actual conspiracy. Although Plutarch’s writings are very close to this play, Shakespeare has added parts to present Caesar as the character Shakespeare imagined. Plutach is not on the whole, sympathetic to Caesar in his writings: he speaks of Caesars pride, which made him act though he was a god and of “The covetous desire he had to be called king” In the play however, Shakespeare ignores most of this. ... Shakespeare ignores the want to be a king as in the play Caesar first declines the crown then when he is persuaded to go to the senate by Decius it is not clear whether he is tempted by the promise of a crown or afraid of being laughed at if he stays at home. The crown being Plutach’s idea and laughed at being Shakespeare’s. In the Second scene of the first act, Caesar is found in the streets like an eminent king. Shakespeare, although Caesar looks reputable in this scene, has put him next to a scene where all they talk about is the fact that Caesar has just come back and being is celebrated for slaying another favoured man called Pompey and his sons.