Behind Ceasers Mask
Thesis: When one tries to live up to their own romantic self-image, it ultimately leads to self-destruction.Shakespeare first demonstrates this fact with his depiction of Caesar. He wants to show us the private side of a public man to remind us that behind the fame, he is, like the rest of us, only human, having the same physical handicaps, hopes, and fears. In public, Caesar is worshipped like a god. However, in private, he is superstitious, deaf, and epileptic. His public image hides his weaknesses from others and from himself. For example, when the Soothsayer tells Caesar to “Beware the Ides of March” (1.2.17), he asks to “…see his face” (1.2.20) and for him to “…speak . . .
Conversely, Caesar proceeds to ask, “What say the augurers?” (2. Caesar thus reveals his two sides: the private self and the fanciful self he would like to become. Caesar goes back and forth from the private individual to the public figure. By hiding behind his public-image, he has adapted it into his personal image, where he can no longer differentiate between the two, and cannot see his true self. Clearly Caesar is a frightened, superstitious man, asking for sacrifices to the gods. Caesar states, “…The things that threaten me/ Ne’er looked but on my back; when they shall see/ The face of Caesar, they are vanishèd” (2. Caesar the private individual is obviously concerned, but Caesar the public figure refuses to acknowledge his fear and dismisses the Soothsayer as “a dreamer” (1. Also, his sense of superiority to his fellow humans prevents him from reasoning clearly. He not only believes himself to be the only Roman who remains constant to their beliefs, but that he is also able to control his own destiny and thus thinks he is stronger than fate. In addition, Caesar wishes to rise above all human emotions to satisfy both his own self-image and his public.
Common topics in this essay:
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