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.

Gone With The Wind Read Along WRAP UP & WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

First of all I’d like to thank all participants, for your thoughts, updates, discussions, comments, and for making this read along such a fun (although reading the book itself was not that fun—at least for me, LOL!). I’d like especially to thank Bzee who had share the efforts for managing this read along, for being someone I can talk to when I need to discuss something, and of course…for creating this classic button :)

I don’t know how many of you who actually made it to the end of Gone With The Wind, but I hope that you all had had fun during the read along, or at least had been able to conquer the lengthy book of Gone With The Wind….

And now…time for my giveaway winner announcement.

Until the 7^th of November, there are 28 update posts (no. 28 was submitted after I have closed the linky, but it's still included in this giveaway),

From which I have picked one winner to get a book of his/her choice as I already stated in the giveaway post. The lucky participant is……

……no. 4….. Chinoiseries

Congratulations for Chinoiseries! I will DM you on twitter for the details.

Meanwhile, for the others, there is still another giveaway at Bzee’s which will end up today. Wait for her announcement, who knows you’d be the lucky one!

Last but not least, for you who have not yet made the final review, you can still submit your links at the Review post via comment box, and you’re welcomed to give us your comments or critics for this read along. Bzee and I would appreciate it, and hopefully we can do another read along in the future, any suggestion on the book?....

Happy Birthday Mrs. Mitchell! - Review Posts - Gone With The Wind Read Along

It’s been more than two months since we start our read along, and today is time for celebration. :) There have been many comments and opinions appearing in the update post throughout the read along. There are many of you that hate Scarlett, some love her from the beginning, and others are still changing their minds. This famous work of Mrs. Mitchell has many sides that led to different types of reactions from different people.

And according to what we have planned at the beginning of the read along, today we will post our review simultaneously, on the event of Margaret Mitchell’s birthday (today, 8^th November). Happy birthday, Mrs. Mitchell!

Please include a link of your review in the linky below, and let's visit each other and share opinions about the book that won the Pulitzer Prize at 1937. And last but not least, Bzee and I would like to thank all of you for participating in our first read along. It’s been a fun event, and very helpful for both me and Bzee (and perhaps most of you too) to ‘conquer’ the 1400s pages of GWTW! Thanks for your comments, as well discussions on twitter #GWTWReadAlong.

Linky format:
- Simply write your name at the linky, or with your blog name if you wish.
- For you who post reviews in Bahasa Indonesia, please add [IND] after your name.

THE FINAL REVIEW POSTS:

Bzee

Fanda

Peri Hutan [IND]

Althesia [IND]

Peni Astiti

Aobibliophile

Hobby Buku's Classic

Joyful Reader

Lydia

Athena

Dani [IND]

Aleetha

NOTE:
The linky has been closed, but if you still want to post your review, you can leave a comment with your post URL, I will include it in the above Review Posts list. Thanks...

Gone With The Wind – Final Review

Gone With The Wind was one of around ten or eleven books that have always been intimidating me. First, because romance has never been my favorite genre—I hear you’re yelling at me that GWTW is not JUST a romance novel, I know, I know! But still, besides the historical contents, I still think that GWTW is best included in genre romance. Second, because of its thickness—1448 pages! GWTW was perhaps one of the longest books I’ve have read. So, you see, GWTW would not be my best choice for classics reading, however, GWTW has been reviewed as a great literature by many people, that I think I must have a go. And that’s how I decided to host this Gone With The Wind Read Along—which quite surprisingly—got a lot of interested participants; thanks a lot to your guys! :)

From my update posts from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4, you can see my progress with GWTW, and you would know that despite of my efforts, I could not get into the story as I have expected. One thing that was entertaining me through the story is the historical aspect, the American Civil War and the slavery. It’s quite interesting to see how the Southerners treated their slaves, and how the slaves reacted; it’s even more interesting to follow Mitchell’s perspective towards the slavery. Although sometimes I got difficulty in following how the blacks speak, it could describe the atmosphere better.

But apart from those aspects, the story itself had failed to impress me. The main culprit was Scarlett, from whose point of view Mitchell had written the whole story. From many discussions on Twitter with other participants and from participants’ Update Posts, Scarlett was not a favorite character, yet I have been advised to not concentrating at Scarlett personalities only, but more on the upheaval of the Southerners because of the war. Well, the problem is, Scarlett was a dominant character here, as if Scarlett was the person who told me about main events in this book. Tell me, when you did not like—or should I say ‘hate’?—a person, could you appreciate anything that she/he said? I can’t….

Until now I still don’t understand why Mitchell created such an annoying character to tell her story. I could not trace any single positive aspect about Scarlett, other than her determination. But to what aim was her determination? At first, when she was much younger, and the life was good before the Civil War, Scarlett’s main focus was to attract as much as beau to love and marry her; and I can see even then, that Scarlett’s determination was so strong. After her world had been up side down by the war, what was her main aim? Money! She could put aside anything else—people who loved her, her conscience, even her logic—to be able to get the only thing that filled her narrow-minded brain: money. I understand that in crisis we need money to survive, and Scarlett has a good reason for that too, she need money to save Tara, her family’s land. But again, what a land would mean if she must lost everything else?

So no, I still can’t understand why Mitchell ruined the great story by letting Scarlett to tell it. And because of that, I personally don’t think that GWTW deserved to be called classics. It is an epic, a great one, I agree, but not classics (sorry if you think differently). And Scarlett’s and Rhett’s vulgar point of views only made it worse, that sometimes I felt like I’m reading a piece of chicklit or watching a soap opera, instead of a classic literature.

I must admit that I failed to read the whole piece, when I came to Part 5 I just could not get on. I just browsed the ending, and searched in Sparknotes about it, and found that I did not miss many things, and really was not interested in knowing the ending. Three stars for Gone With The Wind, for though I failed it, I think Mitchell deserved an appreciation for telling this epic. And although this is not a special review, I’d like to present this honest opinion to celebrate Margaret Mitchell’s birthday today, November 8^th. Happy birthday Mrs. Mitchell!

*I read Pocket Book’s June 2008 edition

*Total pages: 1448

Sethe in Beloved

Sethe was the main character in Toni Morrison’s Beloved; a strong woman with deep passionate love for her children. Being a slave, Sethe had suffered a lot of tortures and dehumanizing acts from the white people. Although she had almost never experienced love, she poured her two daughters her affections as much as she could. From her we could learn that God made us to love; that loving was a gift from Him, and has become our natural instinct. We could choose to love or not, no matter how much we experienced or lacked of it.

Sethe could endure what she had suffered in the past, I think, by shutting closely the worst part in her memory, and devotedly pour down her love to her children. For eighteen years she could live by herself quite well that way, although she did not many friends, and neighbors had been avoided her. She could even open her heart for another man—Paul D. Unfortunately when the past began to haunt her once again, her guilt and regret came back and destroy her solemn soul. From her condition, I realized that although it was better sometime to shut down our worst memory—the easiest way to continue life—it is a dangerous way, because once the memory or even the exact danger was approaching the second time, we could be dragged to a worst condition. Maybe the best way is to make peace with ourselves, especially if we have now someone who loves us, understanding and supportive.

Oprah Winfrey as Sethe

What I admire from Sethe was how she held firm her principles. When the whites ‘stole’ her milk—which was supposed to be for her babies—she became so enraged, it seemed almost absurd. But I can understand how she must have felt. It’s not a matter of the milk (or anything else), it’s the idea that somebody had seized something very precious—something that marked her love to her children—that she could not accept. To love is every human’s right, and nobody could seize that from us, at least I think that’s how Sethe must have felt; moreover after the whites had seized everything else from her.

So great her past suffer, and so great her love for her children, Sethe could not think and act logically; all in her mind was that her children must never experienced what she had. Well, I know what she had done was wrong, but still I could not blame her. Love has never been logical, has it? Sethe could endure her past because she was willing to open her heart for love; for loving others and for being loved by others.

Julius Caesar – Act II

Scene I – Brutus’ Orchard

• Brutus received one of the false letters (originally written by Cassius, as if sent from the people).
• In his monolog, Brutus decided that if Caesar was to endanger Rome, then it is his duty to protect Romans and kill Caesar, even though he did not have any bad feeling towards him.
• The faction of conspirator visited Brutus: Cassius, Casca, Cinna, Desius, Metellus Cimber, Trebonius; and sealed the commitment. Cassius suggested that they made an oath, but Brutus believed that noblemen of Rome had the responsibilities in their heart, thus did not need to make oath.
• Desius got a special task to convince Caesar to come to the Senate (despite of the bad weather).
• Portia worried about his husband and demanded him to share the secret he had burdened with.
• Ligarius (recommended by Metellus earlier) came in sick, but ready to be lead to action by Brutus.

Notes:

* I begin to like the noble Brutus, especially on this….

“But do not stain

The even virtue of our enterprise,

Nor th' insuppressive mettle of our spirits,

To think that or our cause or our performance

Did need an oath, when every drop of blood

That every Roman bears—and nobly bears—

Is guilty of a several bastardy

If he do break the smallest particle

Of any promise that hath passed from him.” –l. 329

* Cassius was the founder of the conspirator faction indeed, but they all instantly keep Brutus’ opinions as strict commands. About whether they should or should not invite Cicero to join the faction, for instance:

Cassius: “But what about Cicero? Shall we sound him?”

Casca:   “Let us not leave him out.”

Cinna:   “No, by no means.”

Brutus:  “O, name him not; let us not break with him,

             For he will never follow anything

             That other men begin.”

Cassius: “Then leave him out.”

Casca:   “Indeed he is not fit.” –l. 338

Oh, so quick did they change their mind… :)

* Cassius was eager to kill Mark Antony too, but Brutus rejected the idea; Cassius just acted practical, and Brutus was being noble. But sometimes….politics need the practical way...

“We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,

And in the spirit of men there is no blood.”

* Portia and Brutus was a sweet couple, they respected each other. On that era women was not at the same level as men, but Portia didn’t think like that. For her, a wife should share his husband’s business and the husband should trust her husband, or otherwise she was not wife at all, but merely lover.

“Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,

Is it excepted I should know no secrets

That appertain to you? Am I yourself

But, as it were, in sort or limitation,

To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,

And talk to you sometimes?

Dwell I but in the suburbs

Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,

Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.” –l. 387

And how about this?

“I have made strong proof of my constancy,

Giving myself a voluntary wound

Here in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience,

And not my husband’s secrets?” –l. 394

Did she really wound her thigh there in the scene? Or she had done it before, and was now showing the wound? (there’s no sign of action here, or have I missed it?)

And Brutus did not scowl her for putting herself at the same level as him, he respected her even more as a ‘noble’ wife. What a husband!

* Ligarius sickness was intriguing, as if symbolizing Romans situation in general under Caesar tyranny. More interesting was this dialog, which implicitly represented their plan to kill Caesar:

Ligarius: “What’s to do?”

Brutus:   “A piece of work that will make sick men whole.”

Ligarius: “But are not some whole that we must make sick?” –l. 400.  Ahemm…

Scene II – Caesar’s House. Thunder and Lightning

• Caesar had been woken by Calpurnia’s screams in her dream. Calpurnia begged Caesar not to go to the Senate that day as she had a nightmare that Caesar would be killed. This was confirmed too by the priests (augurers).
• Superstitious did not move Caesar’s plan at first, but he melted down at Calpurnia’s beg, and cancelled his visit to the Senate.
• Desius came and reminded Caesar that the Senate was going to crown him, thus they will laughed at him if he did not dare to come just because of his wife’s nightmare. At this, Caesar decided to go.
• Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Casca, Cinna, Publius, Trebonius came to pick Caesar up, and so Mark Antony.

Notes:

* Brutus disappointed that Caesar referred him as just “like friends”. Words did matter much, eh?

“And we, like friends, will straightway go together.” –l. 453

Scene III – A street near the capitol

Artemidorus knew about the conspiracy, and planned to pass on a warning letter to Caesar when Caesar passed by him.

Note:

* And he knew exactly who’s who—Artemidorus, the rhetoric teacher. I wonder how he knew; did an intellectual suppose to get along with senators?

Scene IV – Another part of the same street, before the house of Brutus

• Portia was so worried about Brutus, so he sent Lucius—the servant—to the Senate to watch over Brutus and to tell Portia as soon as possible had anything bad happened.
• A soothsayer passed by, he had some plea to Caesar and would wait until he passed by.

Note:

* Poor Portia, I think she—by intuition—somehow knew that Brutus was up to something dangerous towards Caesar. May I call that ‘devoted wife’s intuition’?