Women In Julius Ceasar Essay, Research Paper

In the theatrical work of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the wives of key characters play a small but extraordinarily significant role. Female characters such as Portia the wife of Brutus, and Calpurnia wife of Julius Caesar, offer readers or viewers insight into the characters of their mates. Each wife shows different aspects of their companion.

Portia, wife of Brutus reveals a ghostly side. Portia’s character reveals an un-pleasant relationship with Brutus. They have nothing in common, except for their extremist anti-Caesar political views. This lack of compatibility leaves them with nothing to discuss. Despite Portia’s ancestry, (she was the daughter of an anti-Caesar extremist) she thinks of herself as being less than Brutus is. She kneels in front of him and speaks to him in third person. She pleads with Brutus to reveal the identity of the masked men who appeared at her door in the middle of the night. She even stabbed herself in the thigh. Yet, Brutus refuses to divulge any information, and says nothing to her other than to go to bed. From her dialogue with Brutus Portia reveals, that Brutus is indeed, a pompous self-centered man and that they have an un-pleasant relationship.

Calpurnia plays a similar role in the story. She reveals an un-clear part of Caesar. Calpurnia shows Caesars’ vague suppositious trait. Until the conversation with calpurnia, Caesar never directly admitted to being suppositious. He always added something in front of his superstitions. However, when calpurnia had the bad dream, she convinced him not to go to the senate. Her conversation also throws light on his character. He was the most powerful man in the world and he had time to discuss things with his wife. The fact that he went to discuss the dream with calpurnia and came to a mutual agreement, and did not shrugged it of like Brutus would have shows a caring and compassionate side of his character and of his relationship with calpurnia.

In conclusion, wives in theatre and literature offer insights into their men. In the theatrical work of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the wives of key characters play a small but extraordinarily significant role. Female characters such as Portia the wife of Brutus, and Calpurnia wife of Julius Caesar, offer readers or viewers insight into the characters of their mates.