![]() ![]() Both of these examples from the play are descriptions of unusual behavior of birds, which was a common omen of the time. Cassius saw these eagles as symbols of him and Brutus and believed that the two of them were going to die in battle when the eagles were replaced with ravens and crows. This morning are they fled away and gone, And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites” (Lines 101-102 and 106-108). ![]() Then, in act 5 scene 1, Cassius tells Brutus and Messala that he saw “Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch’d, Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands…. ![]() In act 1 scene 3, Casa says he saw “the bird of night”, which likely meant an owl, sitting “Even at noon-day upon the market-place, Howting and shrieking” (lines 34-35). The birds and the stormy, lighting filled night that Caesar’s assassination was planned, added to the omens reflecting the time of Julius Caesar. There are various encounters with birds in the play and while they have been seen as bad omen across all times, the specific behavior of the birds is what make them reflective of the Roman Empire. This incident falls under the omen of strange births making it very reflective and typical of omens during the Roman Empire. This quote means that during the night, a lioness gave birth in the street. is when Calpurnia begged Caesar not to go to the meeting of the senate and told him that during the night, the watch reported that a “lioness hath whelped in the streets” (The tragedy of Julius Caesar, 2.2, 25). An omen from the play Julius Caesar that is reflective of the omens from 100 B.C. This is a real example showing that strange births were something strange and ominous that should be reported. Because of the large time difference between the life of Julius Caesar and the life of Shakespeare, there are bound to be some omens and other supernatural forces in the play that reflect the time of Shakespeare more that the time in which Julius Caesar lived.ĭuring the life of Julius Caesar, the most prominent omens included “unusual behavior of birds and animals, strange births, spontaneous movements by statues, lighting strikes and the like.” (Maltz) In a history of omens that were reported during Julius Caesar’s time, the report of “A three-footed mule was born at Reate” (Maltz) is included. (Maltz) while Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died in 1616. This being said, there are also plenty of supernatural forces in the play Julius Caesar, but how much of these forces reflect what was believed during the life of Julius Caesar and which of these forces did Shakespeare incorporate based on the beliefs of his own time? Julius Caesar was born in 100 B.C. From the three witches in Macbeth to the nightmare experienced by Richard III, Shakespeare obviously had some knowledge of omens and portents. Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies were well known for his incorporation of supernatural forces into his plays. This knowledge of these views of omens, superstitions, and fate gathered from research on the two different time periods allows for a different impact of the play on the reader and allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of what they are reading. Research has shown that most of the omens and portents in Julius Caesar are reflective of the Roman Empire, but there is also a presence of these superstitions from Shakespeare life during the Elizabethan Era. to 44 B.C., also allows the reader to question if the superstitions, omens, and themes of fate were more reflective of the Roman Empire or of the Elizabethan Era. The fact that Shakespeare, who was alive in the late 1500s was writing about Julius Caesar who was alive around 100 B.C. This has caused readers to question the purpose and importance of omens and portents in the play and how they reflect the time in which Julius Caesar lived. From soothsayers to stormy nights, William Shakespeare found a way to incorporate superstition, omens, and the theme of fate into the famous scenes of his political play, Julius Caesar. ![]()
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