Manipulation in Julius Caesar Essay

Manipulation of Others

In William Shakespeares Julius Caesar presents the theme that at times, manipulation is a successful method of accomplishing a goal.

In various circumstances, Decius uses manipulation to produce his desired goals. For instance, when Decius goes to Caesars house, he uses manipulation to find out why Caesar will not go there. Decius first says, Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause/Lest I be laughd at when I tell them so (II.2.69-70). By talking to him in a respectful fashion, Decius manages to gain Caesars trust. This prompts Caesar to proceed and tell Decius of the reason of his desired absence; thus, Decius has managed to manipulate Caesar to fulfill his objective. Subsequently, Decius uses manipulation again to persuade Caesar to go to the senate-house. He does this by giving a positive interpretation of Calpurnias dream. Decius says, This dream is all amiss interpreted/It was a vision fair and fortunate/Your statue spouting blood in many pipes/In which so many smiling Romans bathed/Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck/Reviving blood, and that great men shall press/For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance/This by Calpurnias dream is signified (II.4.83-90). This causes Caesar to reconsider his decision and decide to go to the senate-house; therefore, Decius has accomplished his goal. Decius is not the only one who uses manipulation to reach his objectives; Cassius is another person who uses manipulation to accomplish his goals.

In many instances, Cassius turns toward manipulation to achieve the results he desires. For example, Cassius manages to recruit Brutus into his machination against Caesar. Cassius says, Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Colossus, and we petty men/Walk under his huge legs and peep about/To find ourselves dishonorable graves (I.2.136-139). Cassius convinces Brutus to join by expressing his concern with Caesars growing power. By the time Brutus leaves, he has already affirmed that he will take part in the conspiracy; Cassius has achieved his goal, thus verifying that manipulation is efficacious in producing the desired results. In addition to Brutus, Cassius also manages to manipulate Casca into joining his conspiracy. By expressing his opposition against Caesar becoming king of Rome, Cassius manages to talk Casca into helping him stop Caesars ever-growing powers. By the time they depart, Casca has agreed to join the Cassiuss plot against Caesar. In fact, Casca, himself says, You speak to Casca, and to such a man/That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand/Be factious for redress of all these griefs/And I will set this foot of mine as far/As who goes farthest (I.3.117-121). Furthermore, Cassius manages to manipulate Brutus again by using Cinna to plant false letters in Brutuss room. Cassius tells Cinna, And look you lay it in the praetors chair/Where Brutus may find it, and throw this/In at his window (I.3.145-147). Cassius does this by acting like different citizens of Rome wanting Brutus to prevent Caesar from becoming king. In this way, Cassius convinces Brutus that he will be helping Roman citizens and he subsequently joins Cassiuss scheme; thus, Cassiuss clever manipulation has helped him achieve his goal. In addition to Cassius, Antony is also a manipulator.

Antony also uses manipulation as a means to achieve his objectives. For example, Antony uses a speech at Caesars funeral to manipulate a crowd, causing them to go against the conspirators. He says, Friends, Romans, countrymenDid this in Caesar seem ambitious/When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath weptAnd I must pause till it come back to me (III.2.72-106). He convinces the crowd by asking rhetorical questions and saying how Caesar was a great leader, causing the crowd to have a change of heart. By the end of Antonys speech, the Roman citizens are allied with Antony; therefore, Antony has met his objective through manipulation, proving that it is a successful way of achieving a goal. Later on, Antony manages to convince Octavius that Lepidus is not qualified to become a ruler. He says, So is my horse, OctaviusIt is the creature that I teach to fight/To wind, to stop, to run directly on/His corporeal motion governd by my spiritdo not talk of him (IV.1.30-40). By pointing out Lepiduss qualities that would make him a bad ruler as well as make an analogy between Lepidus and Antonys horse, Antony manages to prove his point. After Antonys private talk with him, Octavius becomes convinced that Lepidus should not be one of the three rulers of Rome; this shows that Antony has fulfilled his goal and proves that manipulation is a successful means of reaching an objective. Antony also manipulates another group of people, convincing them that Brutus is an honorable person. He says, This was the noblest Roman of them all/All the conspirators save only he/Did that they did in envy of great Caesar This was a man (V.5.73-80). By revealing the true reason that Brutus decided to join the machination, Antony manages to persuade the others on his side that Brutus was noble. In the end, Octavius decides to give Brutus an honorable burial; thus, Antony has again, managed to use manipulation to accomplish his tasks. Decius, Cassius, and Antony all manage to accomplish a goal through the means of manipulation.

In light of the examples above, manipulation is an efficacious means for accomplishing ones goals, no matter what they are.