Skip to main content

What is significance of the final speaker in Julius Caesar?

Octavius speaks the final words in Julius Caesar.He and Mark Antony praise Brutus’s memory and plan to give him “all respect and rites of burial.” Though they mourn Brutus’s death, they also celebrate their victory: “let's away, / To part the glories of this happy day.” Octavius is Julius Caesar’s nephew and adopted son. The irony at the play’s conclusion is that another Caesar is set to lead Rome. Brutus’s aim was to keep...

Octavius speaks the final words in Julius Caesar. He and Mark Antony praise Brutus’s memory and plan to give him “all respect and rites of burial.” Though they mourn Brutus’s death, they also celebrate their victory: “let's away, / To part the glories of this happy day.” Octavius is Julius Caesar’s nephew and adopted son. The irony at the play’s conclusion is that another Caesar is set to lead Rome. Brutus’s aim was to keep Rome a republic, but killing the would-be emperor merely caused a civil war and put another Caesar in power. Octavius, or Augustus Caesar, would be the first in a long line of emperors.


Julius Caesar ends on a peaceful note, with Antony and especially Octavius coming across as fair-minded rulers, but it also foreshadows the trouble in the later play Antony and Cleopatra. Antony dismisses Lepidus, one third of the triumvirate, as “a slight unmeritable man,” and Octavius does not always follow the elder Antony’s orders. In Antony and Cleopatra, Octavius plays the role that Antony plays in Julius Caesar: he is the young and calculating upstart who defeats his elders. Just as Antony beats Cassius and Brutus at the political game, Octavius succeeds where Antony fails.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the probability that a cross between parents who are both homozygous recessive for trait will have offspring that are homozygous recessive...

In the question, both parents are homozygous recessive for a trait. Therefore, the only genes present in each parent's genotype would be two copies of the recessive gene.  If these parents decide to have offspring, 100% of their children will inherit two recessive alleles and will express the recessive trait. An example of this can be demonstrated with the sickle cell anemia allele. If both parents have sickle cell anemia, then all of their offspring... In the question, both parents are homozygous recessive for a trait. Therefore, the only genes present in each parent's genotype would be two copies of the recessive gene.  If these parents decide to have offspring, 100% of their children will inherit two recessive alleles and will express the recessive trait. An example of this can be demonstrated with the sickle cell anemia allele. If both parents have sickle cell anemia, then all of their offspring will have the disease phenotype. The disease phenotype of sickle cell anemia re...
Post a Comment
Read more