Julius Caesar : Themes

Themes

Themes

• Ambition and Power: The central driving force of Julius Caesar is ambition. Julius Caesar is a great general, but his desire for power frightens many citizens of Rome. Cassius and Brutus believe that if Caesar becomes a king, the Roman Republic will be destroyed. Therefore, they decide to kill him. However, in reality, the greed for power in others proves to be more dangerous than Caesar’s own ambition. The play shows that power can blind human judgment, and blind ambition ultimately leads to destruction.
• Betrayal and Loyalty: The most heartbreaking theme of the play is betrayal. Julius Caesar is killed by his dearest friend, Brutus. The line “Et tu, Brute?” becomes the ultimate symbol of friendship betrayed. Brutus believes he is acting for the good of Rome, but his sense of loyalty is misguided. On the other hand, Antony remains truly loyal to Caesar and rouses the people to avenge his death. The play teaches that friendship and loyalty, if misled by false judgment or manipulation, can easily turn into betrayal.
• Fate vs. Free Will: Throughout the play, there are repeated signs of fate’s warning, the Soothsayer’s prophecy, Calpurnia’s dream, and Caesar’s ghost all foretell impending doom. Yet Caesar, driven by his own free will, ignores them and cannot escape his destiny. Brutus, too, believes he is acting out of his own choice, but in the end, he meets defeat. The play shows that no matter how free humans think they are, they cannot escape what fate has written for them. In the conflict between free will and fate, destiny ultimately prevails.