sumarry of julius caesar play

William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is a tragedy as it shows how the hero of the play rises from a humble position to that of popularity, power and prestige but ultimately meets a tragic end due to a flaw in his personality. The play Julius Caesar shows how politicking and intrigues, motivated by jealousy, of close friends of a noble person may lead to the tragic end of the hero. The tragedy Julius Caesar dramatises how the blind trust in the persuasive words of close friends proved to be fatal for Caesar.

The beginning of the play indicates about some unnatural happenings. There has been a great turbulence and commotion on the Earth and in the sky that night. Caesar's wife Calpurnia dreams the previous night of a few things which she considers to be ill omens like a lioness giving birth to her young ones in the streets. Graves opening up out of which dead bodies come out. Terrible warriors are seen fighting in the clouds. Calpurnia interprets these happenings in her nightmare negatively. She anticipates that something wrong is going to happen in the life of Julius Caesar and pleads him not to go to the Senate.

At this moment, Decius Brutus, Caesar's close friend, arrives in the scene and persuades Caesar to proceed towards the Senate. He skilfully interprets the dreams of Calpurnia in positive terms and wins over the confidence of Caesar. Brutus triggers Caesar's vanity that if he does not go to the Senate, the senators may change their decision to make him the king of Rome. This prompts Caesar to move towards the Senate. This scene poses as the only example describing Caesar as an ambitious man.

The scene now takes place in the Capitol. The conspirators plan that Cimber whose brother has been banished from Rome on charges of treason, will make humble submission before Caesar to repeal the verdict on his brother. Accordingly, Cimber carries out the plan. On making submission to Caesar by Cinder, Caesar refuses to repeal the verdict as it will lead to violation of the law of the land. Thereupon, Brutus and Cassius, both the conspirators, also plead on behalf of Cimber. Julius Caesar says that he is like the northern star and so will not change his decision regarding the banishment of Cimber's brother. At this stage, the conspirators begin to stab Caesar. Brutus, the best friend of Caesar, also joins the conspirators. The conspirators shout 'Liberty, freedom and enfranchisement'. The dead body of Caesar falls down below the statue of Pompey.

At this moment, Mark Antony arrives in the scene. He is extremely shocked to see Julius Caesar dead. Brutus says that they have killed Caesar in the larger interest of Rome. They have tried to save the people of Rome from the tyranny of the ambitious Caesar. Mark Antony understands the conspiracy and starts flattering the conspirators. The conspirators grant permission to Mark Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral. The conspirators ask him not to blame them in his speech. Brutus plans that first he will speak to the public and will justify the murder of Caesar.

Next, the scene of action shifts to the market place where a lot of people have assembled to hear Brutus. Brutus justifies the murder of Caesar in the larger interest of Rome. According to Brutus, Caesar had become too much ambitious. Hence, people standing there approve this act of murder. After the speech of Brutus, Mark Antony is told to address the public on condition that he will not in any way put blame on the conspirators.

In the beginning Mark Antony refers to Brutus and the other conspirators as honourable men. But very soon he gives a twist to his speech. He is able to convince people that Caesar has been murdered by these traitors out of jealousy. He is able to convince the mass that Caesar has never been ambitious because he thrice declined the throne offered to him. Mark Antony also reads out the will of Caesar only to reveal how he loved his people. Caesar proposed in his will to give seventy five silver coins to every citizen of Rome. This is enough to ignite the hearts of the people. Understanding the conspiracy behind the entire plot, the mass mourns the death of Caesar. Finally, the people of Rome rise in revolt against the traitors.