Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers Explanations:-
What
impression of the Roman mob do you form the Forum Scene in Julius Caesar?
Or
What
opinion do you form of the Roman mob from Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”?
In
Act-III Scene-II we find the Roman mob murderously setting out in search of the
conspirators. When Brutus told the mob that yet inspite of his love and respect
for Caesar, he had to kill Caesar, the dictator in the interest of the republic
to save Rome. Some citizens shouted in praise of Brutus. One of them wanted
Brutus to be Caesar. This shows the Roman mob did not imbibe the spirit of
Brutus’s speech. Brutus thought that he has convinced them of the necessity of
the Caesar’s murder, but he was mistaken.
When
Antony began his speech the mob was rather hostile to him. Antony told the mob
that he had come not to praise Caesar but to burry him. Then Antony refuted
Brutus’s charge that Caesar was ambitious. Some of the citizens were now sure
that Caesar was not ambitious. They thought that no man was nobler than Antony.
There is no doubt about the ficklemindness of Roman mob. A clever like Antony
could easily make fool the mob. Antony showed them Caesar’s Will but refused to
read it our. Then he showed them Caesar’s deadbody to exite their pity for
Caesar that Brutus whom they had praised a few minutes ago was now regarded by
them traitor. Antony knew quite well that the Roman people were fickle minded
and emotional. Antony read out the Will and the Roman people came to know that
Caesar had given them money and his bowers and orchards. Now the Roman mob was
so grateful to Caesar that Brutus and his confederates were now denounced by
them traitors. The Roman mob was governed by passions, not reasons. So Antony
could show the mob in whatever direction he pleased. The Roman people were so
much besides themselves with passions, so irrational that Cinna, the poet was
killed by them simply because there was a conspirator named Cinna.
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