Free Julius Caesar Essays: Expediency vs. Ideology :: Julius Caesar Essays

Expediency vs. ideology in Julius Caesar Expediency is the concept of doing something fitting, practical, useful, and advisable. It is the suitable means to accomplish an end. ideology is the body of beliefs or ideas of any person or group. These two words, if put up together, clash. It is a battle between what is really better(p) between what integrity thinks and what needs to be done. An excellent example of this clash is in Shakespeares Julius Caesar. Was the death of Caesar something that was done pragmatically or was it an action taken because of indisputable convictions, an ideology? Was Caesars death practical? Would it bring about arbitrary change for Roman society? The main reason that the conspirators gave for their action was that if Caesar were laurelled king, he would become a tyrant, an oppressor of the Roman people. It was done in the best interests of the Republic. Now that he was dead, Caesar could never be a tyrant and the Romans could resist in freedo m. His murder, therefore, was necessary. Brutus and Cassius took it upon themselves to be the operative forces to kill Caesar. These were expedient men who cared only when for Rome. Or were they? The flip side to being practical and doing what is best for others is winning action because of what one thinks needs to be done and/or actually doing it for selfish reasons. Julius Caesars death also can be considered an ideologic decision. In I, ii, ll. 35-180, Cassius brings forth the issue that he thought Brutus could be as good a ruler as Caesar. Why does Cassius bring this up? What does he get from saying this? One might say that these were load-bearing(a) words from one friend to another. However, these words serve as a catalyst for Brutus plan to murder Caesar. Among the conspirators, did they have any motives behind their date in Caesars murder?