Ceasar Vs. Louis 14th Essay, Research Paper

Jim D?Iorio

English 10H

Mrs. DiMarco

March 6, 2000

Louis XIV vs. Julius Caesar

There have been many powerful leaders in history. Many of them share certain characteristics. Louis XIV was one of these leaders. He displayed characteristics like ambitious, arrogant, and oppressive. Many characters from the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar share these characteristics with Louis XIV.

Some of the characters, from the play, that share these characteristics with Louis are Brutus, Caesar, Marullus, and Flavius. All of these characters have said something or acted a certain way to show their similarity with Louis XIV.

Louis XIV was one of France?s most powerful leaders. He was born on September 5, 1638, at Saint Germain-en-Laye. His father, Louis XIII died when Louis was young. He had it better than many other young French rulers did. ?His father?s death spared Louis XIV the beatings and abuse usually given to French princes? (Buranelli 23). His mother and Marzarin, the cardinal, raised him. He had tutors who gave him an education. Marzarin taught him everything he would need to know about court ceremony, war, and the craft of kingship. It is obvious that Louis has been brought up very different than other young kings. That is what might account for his unique style of ruling. When Marzarin died in 1661, France was shocked to find out that Louis refused to select a first minister (Michael 73). He wanted to rule alone. He chose Jean Baptiste Colbert as his financial advisor. Louis had many goals. His main one was to weaken the power of the nobles. Louis feared the nobles. He felt they were a threat to his reign. So he did all he could to make sure they would not stand in his way. He also wanted France to achieve economic, political, and cultural brilliance (Buranelli 121). As a king, Louis was very dedicated to his country. He wanted to be ruling France during its glory. He did accomplish his goal. During the high point of his reign, France was the most powerful country in Europe. Louis also gained France some new territory. He was a very extravagant ruler. Louis had a huge palace constructed for him to live in. Many other rulers were jealous of the power and luxury that he had. All of his subjects were very impressed with his rule. His life came to a sudden stop when he died during his sleep in 1715. People became so sick of him that after he died all of France rejoiced.

Louis XIV was a very ambitious leader. His most notable ambition was to make France the most powerful country in the world. To do so, he reorganized the administrative and financial branches of the government. He improved upon trading and manufacturing. He expanded in countless ways on the culture of the country. He had theaters and opera houses constructed. He encouraged beautiful music. He founded royal academies. By doing so, he employed people to improve upon architecture, painting, sculptures, and all fields of sciences. ?Louis? ambition is what drove him to be a good ruler? (Michael 45). There were a few characters from the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar who also displayed ambition. One character that did this was Caesar. The reason for the conspirators gave, for killing Caesar, was his ambition. They feared that his ambition would drive him to become even more powerful. Louis XIV showed this type of ambition, and he was one of the most powerful leaders ever to exist. Another character that showed ambition was Brutus. He was ambitious in killing Caesar. Brutus stated, ?It must be by his death. And, for my part, I know no personal ?cause to spurn at him, but for the general. He would be crowned. How that might change his nature, there?s the question. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder, and that craves wary walking. Crown him that, and then I grant him we put a sting in him that at his will he may do danger with. The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power? Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented, would run to these and these extremities. And therefore think him as a serpent?s egg which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell (Shakespeare 519 li10). Brutus is ambitious by saying this, because he wants to do good for the overall population of Rome. He is saying that Caesar must be dealt with before he becomes too powerful. Brutus also said, ?As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for his ambition (Shakespeare 548 li23). This is after he killed Caesar. Brutus is explaining how being too ambitious is not a good thing. It is very arguable that Louis XIV was too ambitious.

Louis XIV had another defining characteristic. He was very arrogant. There is a very famous quote that he repeatedly said. ?I am the state (Buranelli 88). He was so arrogant, that he had the guts to keep saying that over and over. He also believed that he was ?the sun king? (Buranelli 88). He liked to believe that everything revolved around him. He also liked to believe that, without him, nothing could function. He adopted ?the sun king? from Apollo, a Greek god of peace and arts. He was known as ?the sun god? (Buranelli 89). There were characters from the play that were also very arrogant. Caesar showed very similar arrogance. He believed that he was above all other people. One of the things Caesar said was, ?I could be well moved, if I were as you. If I could pray to move, prayers would move me. But I am constant as the northern star, of whose true-fixed and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament? Yet in the number I do know but one that unassailable holds on his rank, unshaked of motion. And that I am he, let me a little show it, even in this- that I am constant Cimber should be banished, and constant do remain to keep him so? (Shakespeare 540 li58). Caesar is extremely arrogant in saying this. He is saying that if he was a lowly person he could change his mind, but since he is not lowly he cannot. Louis and Caesar are both very similar. They both thought that they were above all other people and many people hated them for it. Arrogance can be a very bad thing. In Caesar?s case, it was deadly.

Louis XIV had one last defining characteristic. He was very oppressive. He persecuted many people simply because of their religion. Louis increasingly imposed religious uniformity (Michael 241). He wanted everyone to be Roman Catholic. He revoked the Edict of Nantes, which was a document protecting religious rights, and proceeded to persecute the Huguenots. His persecution of the Protestants, many, who were skilled merchants and artisans, intensified the kingdom?s economic decline (Buranelli 104). There were two people in the play who were also oppressive. Marullus said, ?You blocks, you stones, you worse then senseless things! O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, knew you not of Pompey? (Shakespeare 500 li35)? He is screaming at a crowd for being extremely fickle. Flavius also said, ?I?ll about, and drive away the vulgar from the streets? (Shakespeare 501 li69). These two men are using their force to make other people do what they want. That is exactly what king Louis did. Instead of using his words King Louis decided to abuse his power. He abused his kingly rights to make other people do what he wants them to do. It is very obvious, that all these men were very oppressive.

As one can see, Louis was ambitious, arrogant, and oppressive. As were those men from the play who share those characteristics with him. Many other kings had those characteristics so King Louis is just following the trend. Basically anyone who is given power will develop some of these characteristics, if not all of them.