“The opening scene of “Julius Caesar” strikes the keynote of the whole action.” – Elucidate. 

Answer

“The opening scene of “Julius Caesar” strikes the key note of the whole action.” Elucidate. (2019, 2016) ✪✪✪

“Julius Caesar” (1599) is one of the most remarkable historical plays by Shakespeare (1564–1616). Act I, Scene i starts the whole conflict. It shows Rome’s streets, noise, and division. Two tribunes scold the cheering workers. The crowd loves Caesar’s parade and triumph. The tribunes fear Caesar’s fast rise. They plan to pluck his “growing feathers.” So, the scene sets the tone, themes, and mood. It announces a power struggle, rhetoric, and public sway. It prepares the path to murder and war.

Crowd and Power: The scene shows a fickle Roman crowd. They cheered Pompey before; now they cheer Caesar. Politics depends on the public mood and memory. This fickleness drives later turns and riots. Antony later wins them by expert speech. He starts, 

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”

Reason loses; emotion rules the square. Thus Act I, Scene i warns clearly. Crowd love can crown or kill any leader.

Class and Language: The cobbler jokes with rude puns. Marullus misses the clever wordplay and fumes. Shakespeare contrasts classes through speech and tone. The tribunes see workers as tools only. The cobbler’s wit shows street voices matter. Later, words will steer Rome’s destiny. Casca admits, 

“For mine own part, it was Greek to me.”

Thus, it is proven that language can unite or divide citizens. Misread words can cause mistrust, fear, and rash acts, ultimately leading to downfall.

Agency and Fate: The tribunes try to thin the crowds. They hope to clip Caesar’s early wings. They act as if choice can change history. Soon, Cassius argues for human agency too. He tells Brutus, 

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”

Thus, the play weighs fate against choice. The opening scene sets the stage for this profound debate. Rome stands between omens and human plans. Both forces will clash till Philippi