Weekend Quote 11: Julius Caesar

From Julius Caesar I learned that Brutus was a loveable and loyal friend. However, it was a bit of ironic that he was sad when his relationship with Cassius grown cold, after what he had done to his other intimate friend: Julius Caesar. Anyway, what Brutus said about friendship is deserves our reflection, because it is so true….

When love begins to sicken and decay, It useth an enforced ceremony. There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Make gallant show and promise of their mettle.

Be careful if one of your friends suddenly changes his/her behavior! :)

This Weekend Quote is hosted by Half-Filled Attic. Feel free to join. You can:

• Give the context of the quote
• Give your opinion whether you agree or disagree with it
• Share your experience related to the quote
• Share similar quotes you remember
• Or anything else. Just have fun with the quote.

Back To The Classics Challenge 2012 – Wrap Up

This is my wrap up for Back To The Classics Challenge 2012 hosted by Sarah.

Any 19th Century Classic -- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Any 20th Century Classic -- Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Reread a classic of your choice -- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

A Classic Play -- A Midsummer Night's Dream -- by William Shakespeare

Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction -- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Classic Romance -- Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Read a Classic that has been translated from its original language to your language -- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (translated to Bahasa Indonesia)

Classic Award Winner -- Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Pulitzer)

Read a Classic set in a Country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime -- Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

I wrote this post as soon as I have finished all the readings (this is the first challenge I have completed this year), there are many others I still have to complete.. :(

And I’d like to thank Sarah for this challenge, it’s been fun, although I haven’t got the chance to hop to each of other participants posts.

Pearl in The Scarlet Letter: Character Thursday (37)

Little Pearl is one of the most interesting characters I have featured here in Character Thursday. First, she was just a little girl—around seven years old—however she played a major role in The Scarlet Letter. She was Hester Pryne’s daughter, a child that born from adultery.

Just after I finished the book, I realized that Pearl’s most important role is as a mere symbol. Pearl was a product of her parent’s passionate sins, and Hawthorne often used her to criticize or even to point out the moral essence of this story. Throughout the story, Pearl’s character was often preternatural. She was sometimes described as a nymph or elf, and other mystical creatures. Maybe Hawthorne did use her as a symbol, instead of creating a true character, but I prefer to see her as a child.

To me, Pearl’s life from the beginning was not an ordinary one, especially at that era. She grew up without a father, and from her childhood, she was constantly encircled with hatred and loneliness. She lived with her mother in a secluded cottage, and whenever they were strolling on the street, people avoided them. I imagine Pearl often heard how people talked to Hester in condescending tones, without any respect. Pearl might have caught their scrutinizing eyes upon her mother, or—perhaps—even their slightly disgusting looks on her and her mother.

Moreover, Little Pearl did not have any friends to play with. She used to play by herself or with her imagining friends. Children of her age (got examples from their parents) used to throw pebbles to Pearl and her mother while they were passing by neighbors’ houses. In short, those treatments affected Little Pearl much more than Hester. I believe those conditions built the evil or wicked temperament in Pearl. While you were surrounded by negative atmosphere, the same sense will root in your soul too.

However, beyond that, I think Hester’s love had an effect too to Little Pearl. With their solitude life, they had been depending to one another, and they pour their loves to one another, because they had no one else. This soften Pearl’s hear, that sometimes when she was in good mood, she could appear as a little loveable angel. And look what she did when some children were throwing pebbles to Hester, she defended her mother by chasing those bigger kids out of their way. Ha!

And when they left New England, stayed away from negative influences of Puritan’s unfair system, Pearl could finally live a happy normal life. Good for Pearl!

Julius Caesar – Final Review

“Beware the ides of March.” If only Julius Caesar had believed in this prophecy, Shakespeare might have never written this tragedy….

Roman history is one of my favorite interests. I have read several historical fictions with Roman history theme, but so far I have never read about Julius Caesar, or his assassination in particular. Reading this favorite subject of mine as a play, only increased my excitement! This is the second Shakespeare’s play I have ever read, and unlike my first encounter (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), I enjoyed Julius Caesar a lot. Maybe it’s because of the theme, but maybe I fit more with tragedy than comedy.

Gaius Julius Caesar was one of the most successful rulers of Rome; and this play depicted the era of his dictatorship in Rome—while Rome was actually still a Republic. This condition created political envies among senators and aristocracy in the Senate, because Senate was practically muted by Caesar. Caius Cassius was one of the unsatisfied senators. He persuaded a noble man among them who were a close friend to Caesar: Brutus, to join his group of Conspirator. Brutus was so naïve that he was persuaded and agreed to murder Caesar.

The murder scene was great—although I believe the reality was even more horrible than the play’s scene. There were originally around 60 senators who took roles in this assassination, and Caesar died after receiving 23 stabs. What made it more tragic, was Caesar’s last words. He always loved and trusted Brutus, and at first he tried to defend himself despite of his wound; however knowing that Brutus was one of his murderers, he finally surrendered and died. The original murder scene was more brutal I think, because even when Caesar had fell and laid down helplessly, they (60 senators!) continued to stab him. He uttered his last word to Brutus: “Et tu, Bruté?” (You too, Brutus?) before he finally died. This was one of my favorite moments in this tragedy. It was so tragic to know that a person so noble, so honorable that you loved and trusted so much, betrayed you and literally stabbed you. I think for Caesar, the hurt from Brutus’ betrayal was even more than the stabs....

"Et tu, Bruté?"

And what was it all about, actually? Did Roman lower class really suffer at that time under Julius Caesar (the excuse they had given to legitimate the assassination)? No! The first scene in Act I proved that, the workers took a day off and well-dressed to celebrate Caesar’s triumph. So it’s was all about political envies. Cassius was the promoter, but so the rest of the conspirator—well, all except Brutus. Like what Mark Antony later stated:

“This was the noblest Roman of them all.

All the conspirators save only he

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar.

He only in a general honest thought

And common good to all, made one of them.”

Like I have said in Act 5 post, it’s so ironic that Brutus’ (or the Conspirators’) excuse to kill Caesar was to prevent him from transforming the republic into a monarchy, but after that, Rome fell into civil war and finally became a monarchy anyway.

There were also some other ironic misunderstandings or mishaps within the play. When Caesar was on the way to the Senate House, for example, Artemidorus submitted a warning letter—and an exact one—that if Caesar has read it before he arrived at the Senate, well…the story would be altered :), but Caesar refused to read it just because Artemidorus insisted on it. Another irony ‘letters-related’ was false letters Cassius wrote for Brutus. I believe it was those letters that finally convinced Brutus to take action. It was so a child game that you might wonder how a politician could be that naïve (if not stupid) to believe in.

But the biggest ironical scene was perhaps in the battle field when Cassius thought Titinius was captured and murdered by the enemies, while in fact the shouts of joy he heard was of Brutus’ armies who were welcoming Titinius. Cassius just believed what his servant, Pindarus told him, he took it as a truth, and killed himself without re-checking. A politician like Cassius done that, can you believe that? Or, was it merely a guilty feeling?

Another favorite moment of mine was Mark Antony’s oration at Julius Caesar’s funeral. It’s a very clever and wise move from Antony. He knew that he must looked as if he made an allegiance with the conspirator, and he knew he could trusted Brutus on this—once again Brutus made mistake by trusting Antony, poor Brutus…you should never be a politician! So Antony grabbed Brutus’ confidence to perform a funeral oration, and look how he swayed beautifully from praising Brutus and co as noble men to cursing them as brutal murderer of a great man of Julius Caesar! And look how clever he was to tease the citizens by revealing that he had Caesar’s will earlier in the speech, but kept the content only near the end, which convinced the citizens that Caesar was a generous and honorable King who had been murdered by villain conspirators, and that they must take avenge. Well done, Antony!

Five stars I granted to this play, for I was really enjoying every moment of it, and Shakespeare has helped me to vividly imagining the real scenes. Well, I must confess here, that through the play I couldn’t help to imagine the real setting, instead of the play’s setting. I know I should have been concentrating on the play, but I don’t know how my imagination always hops to Rome’s streets, the forum, and even the battle field… :) And at the end, I was thinking….which was the real tragedy in this play? Caesar’s death? Or Brutus’ ? I pick the first, because Caesar was murdered merely because his enemies’ envies, not purely for the sake of Rome; so it was just a political move, not a heroic action. Tragic, yet ironic….

You can also read my thorough analysis of each act: Act I – Act II – Act III – Act IV – Act V

*I read ebook from Gutenberg project*

*with Sparknotes’ No Fear Shakespeare to guide me here and there*

Julius Caesar - Act V

Scene I – The Plains of Philippi

• The two opposite parties met, and after exchanged words and mocks, they began the battle.
• Cassius told Messala that bad signs had appeared in his camp that Cassius perceived as omens.
• Cassius and Brutus discussed about what they’d do if they lost. Brutus disagreed on suicide, but rejecting the idea to be led to Rome as a convict. At that, they exchanged farewells, and out to the battle!

Notes:

* Here Antony and Octavius had different opinion on battle strategy, and I think this was an early sign of the disharmony in their power-sharing in the future. Anyway, Antony made the decision by himself—as if Octavius was his assistant who should obey him—instead of asking his opinion.

Antony:   “Octavius, lead your battle softly on,

                    Upon the left hand of the even field.”

Octavius: “Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left.”

Antony:   “Why do you cross me in this exigent?”

Octavius: “I do not cross you, but I will do so.”

* Here I saw another proof of Mark Antony’s skill on words…

Brutus:    “Words before blows. Is it so, countrymen?”

Octavius: “Not that we love words better, as you do.”

Brutus:    “Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.”

Antony:   “In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.

                    Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart,

                    Crying “Long live! Hail, Caesar!”

Oh, I always love words game; and to analyze what they’re really up to is fun. I think Brutus actually preferred to settle matters without fighting, then Octavius sneered at him because Brutus preferred to talk rather than to have real battle. However Antony reminded Brutus of his betrayal, which was unforgiveable, thus the conspirators must be put off once and for all.

Scene II – The field of battle

Brutus’ armies met Octavius’ and at that time Octavius seemed to get weaker, so he and Messala went to the other side of the battle field to help Cassius.

Notes:

* I think I’d prefer to imagine a real battle field (with sounds of battle from afar) than imagining the play performed on stage. :)

Scene III – Another part of the field

• Cassius was left by his soldiers and was retreating—Titinius blamed it to Brutus who had given the order to soon after attacking Octavius. Now Mark Antony has invaded his tents, and his advisors suggested Cassius to run away.
• After seeing fire in the direction of his tent, Cassius sent Titinius to check whether it was friends or enemies’ troops.
• Cassius mistakenly thought Titinius was attacked by enemies as he heard shouts of joy; he was desperate, and instructed Pindarus to take his life. Cassius died.
• Titinius found his master dead, he killed himself too with Cassius’ sword.

Notes:

* So Octavius was right after all, Brutus was indeed not as good in battle as in words…

* Cassius’ death was a bit absurd, he trusted Pindarus’ observation just like that. But I think actually Cassius was haunted by his guilt, because it’s not for Rome he conspired against Caesar, it was his own personal envy. So at certain point he quite expected the loss, so the shouts of joy and Pindarus’ observation just confirmed his conscience, it’s time to end it.

Scene IV – Another part of the field

The battle continued, young Cato was the first victim, killed by enemies’ soldier; while Lucillius bravely claimed himself as Brutus and even bribed the soldiers to kill him at once, but they did not dare to do that. Mark Antony arrived and saw that it was not Brutus; he kept Lucillius as prisoner.

Notes:

* Two thumbs up for Lucillius who bravely praised Brutus:

“Brutus is safe enough.

I dare assure thee that no enemy

Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus.

The gods defend him from so great a shame!

When you do find him, or alive or dead,

He will be found like Brutus, like himself.”

* So, in the end this play was not only about killing the tyranny, but also about guilty. Look how the conspirators met their end, it was perhaps nobleness (like in Brutus’ case), but I tend to think it was actually guilty. They all knew what the price of murdering a man so cruelly (23 stabs!).

Scene V – Another part of the field

Brutus was trying to make his soldiers willing to kill him. He finally asked Strato to do that, considering that they were at the edge of losing the battle. Everyone agreed that Brutus died in honor, and the play ended with the win of Octavius and Mark Antony.

Notes:

* I think it’s ironic that Brutus agreed to murder Caesar to prevent the Republic turned into monarchy, but after Caesar’s death, the Republic finally turned into monarchy under Octavius. Well, Republic or monarchy, people are always greedy. But without that, we may not enjoy this tragedy from the Bard! :)

Julius Caesar - Act IV

Scene I - A House In Rome

Mark Antony, Octavius and Lepidus formed a triumvirate, however Antony thought Lepidus did not deserve to be shared third of the kingdom. He saw Lepidus merely as an ‘errand boy’. “Do not talk of him, but as a property.”

Notes:

* Just a stupid thought, but after Julius Caesar’s case, why they did built another triumvirate? But again, I think the situation was such a chaos that everyone must believe that Rome should have its leader soonest possible, and whatever form it was would be better than a ‘casual vacancy’.

Scene II – Camp Near Sardis. Before Brutus’ Tent

Brutus felt that Cassius’ friendship has changed after Lucilius reported to him the unfriendly manner Cassius had hosted him. Both friends started to argue, but Brutus invited Cassius to discuss it in the tent.

Scene III – Brutus’ Tent

A conflict flared between Brutus and Cassius mainly because misunderstanding and different way of thinking. Brutus punished a Lucius Pella for bribery while Cassius defended him. On the other hand, Brutus had asked for gold to pay his legions but Cassius never answered. The quarrel reached its climax and they almost fought each other when Cassius put out his dagger; but his action cooled down Brutus’ anger, and he admitted that he was not in a good mood.

Apparently Portia had died when Brutus fled from Rome; she swallowed fire out of despair of Brutus runaway and of Octavius-Mark Antony’s gain of power. Messala came then with a news that the Triumvirate has killed nearly hundreds senators—including Cicero :(  Octavius and Mark Antony had challenged Brutus on a battle in Philippi, so Cassius and Brutus decided to bring their armies the next day.

At night Brutus saw an apparition by a ghost (seemed to be Caesar’s) while his men were fall asleep. The ghost promised to meet Brutus at Philippi.

Caesar’s ghost appears to Brutus
by Richard Westall [source]

Notes:

* What an absurd loss of Portia! I was surprised that she did that, I have thought her as a strong and determined woman, and I would imagine her to be strong and patience, trusting that her beloved Brutus would be safe and return in no time—just like Penelope in her long waiting for Odisseus. And her suicide was an uncommon one, swallowing fire? But I read in wiki that Portia was a little insane, so…that makes sense.

* The appearance of the poet at Brutus’ tent after Brutus–Cassius’ quarrel was quite out of place and laughable. What did he do there? A poet in a war? And he just burst into the tenth, that people inside would have thought he came with urgent news that the enemies was approaching or something. LOL, what a witty distraction from Shakespeare…

“For shame, you generals! What do you mean?

Love, and be friends as two such men should be.

For I have seen more years, I’m sure, than ye.”

He came in quite late too, because at that time Brutus and Cassius had already calmed down; do you think it’s because the poet need some time to build his rhyme? And errr….not a very good one too... :)

* Another witty scene was when the ghost ‘made appointment’ with Brutus to see him at Philippi. Instead of creepy, I actually smiled widely at this… :)

Julius Caesar – Act III

Scene I – Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above. A crowd of people, among them Artemidorus and the Soothsayer 

• Soothsayer was there to remind Caesar about the ides of March, and Artemidorus were to submit his warning letter, but Desius also brought another letter for Caesar to read, that at the end Caesar never read any of those letters.
• The conspirators pretended to kneel down before Caesar and pleaded for Publius Cimber’ release from banishment. When they were all knelt down, Casca stormed towards Caesar, stabbed him, and all others followed him. Caesar died at once.
• The conspirators then smeared Caesar’s blood to their arms and swords.
• After Caesar’s dead, Mark Antony came to Brutus’ faction; Cassius still suspected Antony’s purpose, but Brutus accepted him at once.
• Mark Antony then asked to bring Caesar’s body to the market place and performed a funeral speech for him. Cassius was reluctant to give permission, but Brutus gladly did.
• In his monologue, Mark Antony predicted the forthcoming ‘massacre’ after Caesar had been murdered, and the catastrophe would have been a decent revenge for Caesar.
• Octavius was coming to Rome; apparently Caesar had invited him to come. Octavius’ servant brought the letter to Mark Antony, whom asked him to wait until he performed his speech.

Notes:

* This scene is interesting, there is this crowd at the Senate, and I can imagine all the busy movements, who’s approaching who, and all the whispers, assumptions, alerts and suspicions, bitter laughs and cold looks. Well, a Senate should look like this: dynamic!

* The plot of the murder would be like this:

- Casca : to raise hand (as a sign?); to be the first to stab Caesar

- Desius: to convince Caesar to go to Senate House; then second Metellus’ petition

- Trebonius: to distract Mark Antony from Caesar?

- Metellus Cimber: to submit first petition to Caesar: to repeal for his brother: Publius Cimber’s banishment (Brutus then Cassius plead too).

* And the execution went on like this:

- Metellus Cimber knelt to plea for Publius Cimber’s release; which Caesar refused instantly.

- Brutus came to his knees to, asking Caesar to grant it.

- Then one by one: Cassius, Cinna and Decius knelt down too in front of Caesar. At this point Caesar was irritated at those ‘begging on the knees’ show.

- Casca then cried… “Speak, hands, for me!”, and stabbed Caesar.

- The other followed him, Brutus the last.

* While I have never liked Julius Caesar—I mean I have read about him from historical fictions and wiki—and the fact that he had changed the democratic Republic of Rome to be a tyrannical government, I still felt pity on him on his murder scene. Maybe the murder was not shocking to him—as every ruler knows that there are always people or factions who want to kill him—however being betrayed by a man he mostly trusts or loves, is really hurt. So, I’m really touched by Caesar’s last words before he died… “Et tu, Bruté?” Being a leader often means that you are going to be alone at the top. There are people who love you, but mostly they just expect something from you, and there are more people who envied and hated you.

* I was surprised that Brutus joined in the action too, a noble man like him! If it has been Cicero, I believe he would have made some excuses or busy himself with something to avoid the murder, I don’t think he would dirty his hand for stabbing anyone. Oh, but I forget, he could ‘stab’ his enemies by his words anyway, why bother bringing dagger beneath his cloak? But for a man like Brutus, he might thought that stabbing Caesar by himself—despite the fact that the other four’s stabs must have killed him anyway—meant that he had been loyal to Rome and to other conspirators. Maybe….but I still think you should not done that, Bruté!

Scene II – The Forum

• In his speech, Brutus said that it was for the sake of Rome that he (and the conspirator) had killed Caesar; if Romans disagreed, then he should die. The citizens agreed.
• Then Brutus let Mark Antony to do his oration tending to Caesar’s glories, on his permission.
• However, it turned out that Antony took advantage of that privilege to stir citizens’ grieve and convinced them that, noble were Brutus and his friends, they were traitors who had killed Caesar unjustly.
• Mark Antony read Caesar’s will too, and by that citizens were excited to take avenge on the traitors by burning their houses.
• Octavius and Lepidus arrived at Rome, while Brutus and Cassius fled from Rome “like madmen”.

Notes:

* Mark Antony’s oration was one of this Act’s most important aspects. If I can make it only one word, it was CLEVER! Antony had cleverly convinced Brutus that even he had loved Caesar, he did not grieved his death; which Brutus took it just like that, despite of Cassius’ warning, and let him do his funeral oration. This was a huge mistake by Brutus! Maybe you’re a noble man, but you’re definitely not politician!

Mark Antony's Oration by George Edward Robertson
[source]

* About Antony’s oration itself, I admire how he opened it in the sense of praising the ‘noble’ Brutus. He never attacked Brutus, or cursing the conspirator’s brutal action. On the contrary he kept on expressing his admiration towards those ‘noble men’, while on the other hand emphasizing what great services Caesar had done for Rome. He did not stirred up the citizens to take avenge, but let people reasoned it by themselves. I imagined, if I were Brutus, I will get confused at first, ‘What is this man up to?’

“Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me.

But Brutus says he was ambitious,

And Brutus is an honorable man.”

“You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,

And, sure, he is an honorable man.”

Then when he finally realized what Antony’s up to, it’s already too late….

“I fear I wrong the honorable men

Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. I do fear it.”

“O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,

Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.”

It’s enough to convince the plebeians to take avenge for Caesar.

Scene III: A Street

Antony’s prediction came true, the city burned with rage, and they who had been known as friends of conspirator were being killed. An innocent poet named Cinna was killed by the citizens for being mistakenly identified as Cinna the conspirator.

Notes:

* Again…another civil war, although I don’t know how far this will end up. I am just thinking (this is a bit out of the play) what would have been the best form for Rome—republic or monarchy? I mean, with the past to consider. Well, both Republic and Monarchy often fell into civil wars, but from my point of view, Republic was slightly better. At least someone must have had quality of a leader to gain followers and supporters, thus had a better chance to be elected; while in monarchy, the choices are limited only from the family lines.