Student Essay on Greed vs. Honor

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Greed vs. Honor

Summary:   In his play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar," William Shakespeare expresses the influence of greed and power verses the influence of honor and the greater good. He does so through his descriptions of the confrontations of the characters Mark Antony, Marcus Brutus, Julius Caesar, Octavius Caesar, and Caius Cassius.

The world we see today as created only by those who were ambitious and were in search of power. Yet figures such as Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy were assassinated because they had an ambition to make the world a better place. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare, the author expresses the influence of Greed and Power verses the influence of Honor and the Greater Good through the confrontations of the characters Mark Antony, Marcus Brutus, Julius Caesar, Octavius Caesar, and Caius Cassius.

The most significant confrontation is the speeches of Antony and Brutus, when they are swaying the crowd after Caesar's assassination. Each noble man tried to turn the crowd on the other. Brutus' speech had said:

"Be patient till the last.

Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my

cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me

for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that

you may believe. Censure me in you wisdom, and

awake you senses, that you may the better judge. If

there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of

Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was

no less than his. If then that friend demand why

Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not

that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.

Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves,

than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? 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. Who is here so base, that

would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I

offended. Who is here so rude, that would not be a

Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is

here so vile, that will not love his country? If any,

speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply."(3.2.12-34)

Brutus is trying to make the crowd think that he killed Caesar for the glory of Rome. In Brutus' perspective he did do this deed for the greater good but he was influenced by those who sought power and fortune for themselves. Antony disagrees with Brutus. Antony states:

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them,

The good is oft interred with their bones;

So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answered it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest

(For Brutus is an honorable man,

So are they all, all honorable men),

He was my friend, faithful and just to me;

But Brutus says he was ambitious,

And Brutus is an honorable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill;

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honorable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And sure he is an honorable man.

I peak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause;

It cause withholds you then to mourn for him?

O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason! Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me."(3.2.74-108)

Antony can see through the lies of Brutus. So Antony uses Brutus' strength as his weakness. Antony tries to explain why an honorable man be dishonest. Antony basically tells the crowd that Brutus assassinated Caesar because he his honorable. But as shown, Antony isn't as honest or honorable either. He tries to tell the crowd that he is there to put Caesar to rest and not to praise him. But he does praise him by contradicting everything Brutus had said. This shows that Brutus is power hungry while Antony is selfless by trying to have justice brought to Caesars killers.

Another significant confrontation would be the argument between Brutus and Cassius. These two allies have found themselves almost at the end of each other's swords. It is ironic because they are fighting over dishonorable acts. According to Cassius:

"That you have wronged me doth appear in this

You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella

For taking bribes here of the Sardians;

Wherein my letter, praying on his side,

Because I knew the man, was slighted off."(4.3.1-5)

Cassius is accusing Brutus of wrong doing. At this point in time the Brutus of old no longer exists. The honorable Brutus has stepped aside for the power hungry tyrant. Brutus himself has become the very thing he was against. He has sunk even lower by not agreeing with his partner/ally on his matters. So this is why Cassius accuses Brutus of having an itching palm. Brutus states,

"Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself

Are much condemned to have an itching palm,

to sell and mart your offices for gold

to undeservers."(4.3.9-12)

Brutus after being accused then accuses Cassius of the same crime. This is basically finding someone to scapegoat for each other. They can't take responsibility for their actions. This is why they are greedy and dishonorable.

The next confrontation was between Antony and Octavius. There is now a noticeable change in Antony during this scene. He seems more greedy and power hungry. This is known due to the fact that he want to keep the power between him and Octavius instead of including Lepidus. According to Antony:

"This is a slight unmeritable man,

meet to be sent on errands; is it fit,

the threefold world divided, he should stand

One of the three to share it?"(4.1.11-14)

Lepidus is being described as a messenger for the noblemen instead of being worthy enough to be one of them. Octavius is more open headed and sees Lepidus' use as one of them. Octavius stated, "'You may do your will; / But he's a tried and valiant soldier.'"(1.1.27-28). Octavius stands up for Lepidus because he has earned respect with all he has done for Rome. This is why Octavius would think for the greater good while Antony becomes greedy.

The final confrontation was between Brutus and Caesar's ghost. This shows how much Brutus was wrong by killing Caesar. He still thought he was honorable at the time. But he realized the reason why he was being haunted by this being was that he had learned a terrible truth. His strive for power influenced him into killing Caesar for his own gain therefore losing his title of being Honorable. The ghost said, "'To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.'"(4.1.282) This shows that because Brutus went against his code of honor that he shall be punished by a friend not his enemy.

The overlying theme throughout The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, was Greed vs. Honor or Evil vs. Good. We are shown what a man will do to save himself. It shows our human nature to take what we want more than what we need. This is why there are few Honorable men left in the world today. That is why this story has been repeated through history. That is why we have to learn from past mistakes and not to jump to conclusions. There is a saying that is known, "The blood of the innocent is the price we must pay for the pursuit of a better world." This is true because no matter were there is good and evil, there will always be innocent lives taken in the crossfire.