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4.2 (& 4.3) Dramatic Reading of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

October 16, 2006

Note: Some editions of the play provide only one long scene for 4.2 and 4.3. I follow this principle, since the stage is not entirely cleared; in fact, Brutus and Cassius remain on stage together from 4.2 to 4.3. So this episode is a reading of both 4.2 and 4.3 if your text is broken up that way.

The scene opens with Cassius upset about Brutus having wronged him somehow; Brutus tries to quiet him down (because it is not good for their men to see them quarrel), and so he clears the stage. The argument between Brutus and Cassius ensues.

Many issues are raised in this argument. First, consider how Shakespeare shows us the way the rebellion starts to unravel from within. Is internal strife what causes Brutus and Cassius to fail? That's for you to decide. We have seen Octavius and Antony argue, but it is hardly the kind of argument that Brutus and Cassius have.

I have decided to read this scene (argument) and the tone of it a certain way, but a director of this scene will have to make some hard decisions about how to interpret it. Do the two argue at a high intensity the whole time (until they share a drink of wine)? If so, it makes for a long, tense scene. I like to think that the scene would start off heated (forsing Brutus to ask Cassius to be quiet and then "go into his tent"), settles down a bit, reaches a fevered pitch (when Cassius asks Brutus to kill him), and then settles down when they share a bowl of wine. This hints at almost a musical movement with the crescendo at Cassius' request to be killed.

What do you make of:

• Cassius throughout: Is he being honest? Has he really been failed by a messenger or is he making excuses? Does he have an itching palm? Is he just manipulating Brutus in the way some of Shakespeare's villains manipulate other "good" characters (Iago and�Richard III, for ex.)?
• Brutus being rather callous about his wife's death? Is he all statesman now and an unfeeling man? Or, is he just taking care of business?
• Why does Brutus "get his way" about taking the fight to Octavius? As much as Cassius is devious, he appears to be right about several things: he didn't want to let Antony address the masses, and he wants to keep the highground. Hmmmmm ???

Enjoy, and please post comments or questions.

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