Julius Caesar: Analysis of Setting
The analysis of the setting in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" highlights key locations that shape the narrative and thematic elements of the play. Primarily set in ancient Rome, the play utilizes a minimalistic staging approach typical of Elizabethan theater, often relying on dialogue to evoke the environment rather than detailed set designs. Important locations include the Forum, where Caesar is assassinated and Marc Antony delivers a stirring eulogy that sways public opinion, illustrating the power of rhetoric in politics. Another significant setting is Sardis, where Brutus and Cassius display the internal discord of the conspirators amidst their military campaign, symbolizing the chaos that follows their actions. The final scenes take place in Philippi, where the conspirators face defeat, marking a turning point in the struggle for power. The depiction of Rome serves as a reflection of Elizabethan England, drawing parallels between the two societies and their political challenges. Through these settings, Shakespeare critiques the vulnerabilities of governance and the consequences of ambition, resonating with audiences who are familiar with Roman history and its implications for their own time.
Julius Caesar: Analysis of Setting
First published: 1601
First produced: c. 1599-1600
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Tragedy
Time of work: 44 b.c.e.
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
*Rome
*Rome. Capital of the ancient Roman Empire in which the bulk of the play is set. The various settings within the city used in the play are represented sparsely on stage; most of the Roman scenes are set in outdoor places, particularly public streets. The Elizabethan theater was a nonrealistic theater that operated within a context of narrow stage conventions. Only a small bit of scenery might be used to suggest place; for example, a single bush or shrub might suggest a forest, while a throne might suggest a palace. It was mainly spoken dialogue that identified, described, and specified settings for the audience.
That Shakespeare intended Rome, and by extension the Roman Empire, as an example for Elizabethan England there can be no doubt. Most of the literature of his age, including drama, modeled itself on Roman examples. Even the theaters, their stages, and theatrical presentations were modeled partly on the Roman stages and such ancient dramatic conventions as were known. The Roman Republic was an ideal to most of the educated elite; however, the concept and institutions of such a government seemed beyond them. Roman history and the Latin language were part of the formal English education of that time, and English rhetoricians were fond of likening Elizabethan England to Rome. A goodly portion of Shakespeare’s audiences would have known something about the history of Julius Caesar and would have admired him. Like Elizabeth I, Caesar was charismatic and popular with the people. Caesar’s assassination echoed several conspiracies that Queen Elizabeth fought against during her reign.
*Forum
*Forum. Great public square in Rome at which Caesar is assassinated by the conspirators. Afterward, Marc Antony delivers a powerful eulogy to Caesar on the steps of the Forum that turns the public mob against the conspirators.
*Sardis
*Sardis. Ancient city in Asia Minor, near what is now Izmir, Turkey, where Brutus and Cassius maintain their military camp, in the civil war following Caesar’s assassination. There, Brutus and Cassius quarrel constantly over trivial matters. Sardis is thus the site at which visible chaos into which the conspiracy falls becomes clear as the conspirators deal with mutual lack of trust, poor planning, and defeat from all sides.
*Philippi
*Philippi. Greek town near the Aegean Sea near which Marc Antony and Octavian (Augustus) defeat Brutus and Cassius in the concluding scenes of the play. Afterward, the downward spiral of Rome halts only when Caesar’s rightful heir ascends to power. Ancient Rome becomes a model for Elizabethan England in which natural order prevails. The play is a lesson for Shakespeare’s audience where the setting of Rome equals their England.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Nine essays on various aspects of the play by distinguished Shakespeare critics of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Marjorie Garber’s essay on the significance of dreams and Michael Long’s on the social order are particularly worthwhile.
Bonjour, Adrien. The Structure of “Julius Caesar.” Liverpool, England: Liverpool University Press, 1958. Sensitive, illuminating monographic study that sees Julius Caesar as a drama of divided sympathies. Brutus and Caesar are both heroic, both wrong; opposing motives and antithetical themes from the texture of the play as well as a balanced inner structure.
Dean, Leonard F., ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of “Julius Caesar.” Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968. Informative collection of short articles by leading mid-twentieth century Shakespeare critics. Dean’s introduction gives an overview of earlier criticism. Various articles provide character studies, analyze language, and supply literary-historical background.
Thomas, Vivian. “Julius Caesar.” London: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1992. Concise study of Julius Caesar that reflects various postmodernist approaches to Shakespeare while also providing a thorough analysis of the play’s stage history, style, and relationship to its principal source, Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. Includes an extensive bibliography.
Traversi, Derek. Shakespeare: The Roman Plays. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1963. Chapter two of this classic study focuses on the moral and political themes of Julius Caesar. Following the text closely and in detail, Traversi probes the interplay of contrasting personalities and motives that generated a political tragedy with universal significance.