Fate vs. Free Will Julius Caesar Essay - 844 Words

In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare there are two forces at work fate and freewill and throughout the play they are both fighting for control over man. Fate was shown in the many prophecies and omens that the characters viewed throughout the entire play. Free will as defined in the play is the ability to overcome fate. Although in the end all three of the characters succumbed to their fate, Shakespeare shows again that there is a delicate balance between fate and human free will. Of the three main characters in the play Julius Caesar, Cassius and Brutus, Caesars fate was the most obvious to him and to the readers. Caesar though in many cases used free will to ignore fate or destiny. For example in the begging of the†¦show more content†¦Because of this Brutus never resigned himself to live in the world during its current state. Because of Cassius effort to better himself Caesar was led to comment, Such men as heÂ… are very dangerous (I.ii.209-210). Cassiuss role in the play was using his free will to overcome the fate that would come true, the fate that Caesar would become Emperor of Rome. Being driven by the desire to overcome this fate, he was able to achieve all obstacles that came his way and even achieved killing Caesar. Near the end of the play though Cassiuss belief had not changed he mentions that the gods are not looking favorably on the mission. Cassius died on his own sword because he believed that his fate, as illustrated by th e eagles, was too over whelming to defeat. Brutus had a belief that was the exact opposite of Cassiuss; Brutus was a stoic, which meant that he believed that bad things dont happen to good people because the gods wont allow it. Brutus just went along with life never taking rash like Cassius did. Brutus accepted everything as it came because he thought it was the will of the gods. Because of Brutuss beliefs Cassius has to go through much effort to persuade Brutus to join the conspirators. Cassius was then forced to write fake letters so that Brutus could see aShow MoreRelatedJulius Caesar : Fate Vs. Free1298 Words   |  6 Pagesicons. Others might say Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs because they were different as apples and oranges, yet they had much in common because they both created and dreamed of the idea of a personal computer. But is it possible that fate vs. free will spark an idea in peoples’ brains? Maybe. This essay will be focusing on that relationship and balance in one famous piece of work. In William Shak espeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar proved that fate and free will maintain a tug-of-war situationRead MoreFate vs. Free Will in Julius Caesar933 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeares play, Julius Caesar, two interesting forces, fate and free will, are shown competing for prominence over the other. Fate was exemplified in the many prophecies and omens the characters viewed throughout the play. Free will was the characters abilities to overcome and defeat their fate. Many characters have struggles with the power of their free will overcoming their fate, namely Caesar, Cassius, and Brutus. Although in the end all three of those characters succumb to their fate, ShakespeareRead MoreFate vs Free Will in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare693 Words   |  3 Pagesleads to their fate being a horrific downfall. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare exposes the conflicting ideas that exist between fate and free will by showing the relationship between Caesar, Brutus, and th eir wives, and how the decisions Cassius makes effect his fate. Conflicting ideas existed between the spouses and as well as the decisions Cassius make and how they affect him. 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