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Cassius Manipulative Nature In Julius Caesar

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Act I, scene II, lines 180-252 of Julius Caesar shows the effects of jealousy and how it causes someone to become evil and manipulative. Cassius shares his thoughts on Caesar, trying to convince Brutus that Caesar is a weak ruler who doesn’t deserve the power and fame he has. This scene takes place right before Antony offers Caesar the crown three times, and Caesar refuses every time. A soothsayer has recently warned Caesar to “beware the ides of March” and act carefully because some people don’t want him to rule Rome. Throughout Cassius’ speech, Shakespeare uses imagery, similes, metaphors, and allusion to reveal and demonstrate Cassius’ manipulative nature. To reveal Cassius’ manipulative nature, Shakespeare uses imagery. To prove to Brutus that Caesar is weak and unfit to be a ruler, Cassius refers back to a …show more content…

“Brutus and Caesar: What should be in that ‘Caesar’?/ Why should that name be sounded more than yours?/ Write them together, yours is as fair a name;” (I.ii.235-237) Cassius’ says because he wants to get Brutus to question why Caesar has become so popular and powerful, and why he deserves it more than anyone else. He wishes to build Brutus up, convincing Brutus that he is just as beloved and trusted by the people, and has the same influence Caesar does. Ultimately, he wants to persuade Brutus that he deserves as much power as Caesar has. Cassius uses another metaphor while speculating about how Caesar gained so much power and influence, just after he has finished talking about Brutus’ equality to Caesar. “Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,/ That he is grown so great?” (I.ii.240-241) He does this to make Brutus question why Caesar is so powerful and if he has something special that makes him a better ruler than Brutus. He tries to appeal to Brutus’ sense of honor and loyalty to Rome and the Republic, in that it is his duty to protect the Republic and not let a monarch take

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