Lights, Camera, Action!

Painting by T.F Simon, "Theatre du Vaudeville, Paris"

As the play 'Julius Caesar' written by Shakespeare is something that should be seen, not read, we were assigned to choose a significant passage from the play and act it out as a solo or in a duet. The passage my partner (Ji Young) and I have chosen is in Act 1 Scene 3, lines 72 ~ 130. This is when Casca goes to Cassius' house and Cassius persuades Casca to participate in their conspiracy. Casca had arrived at Cassius' house terrified after seeing several intimidating omens. Cassius scorns Casca that he is a cowardly man, not a true Roman, and tells him his interpretation of the omens. When Cassius starts reeling in his little fish, Casca, he first scorns Casca, then slowly turns him around to see the other option rather than the one Casca was staring at before his talk with Cassius. Casca sees the option Cassius shows him, and fearing that the other conspirators will see him as a cowardly man, or in other words, not a true Roman, he agrees to join Cassius in his conspiracy, allowing the sly, shrewd fisherman to catch him. Here is a copy of the passage. 

CASSIUS

    ...Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man 

    Most like this dreadful night, 

    That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars 

    As doth the lion in the Capitol, 

    A man no mightier than thyself or me 

    In personal action, yet prodigious grown 

    And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. 

CASCA 

    'Tis Caesar that you mean; is it not, Cassius? 

CASSIUS 

    Let it be who it is: for Romans now 

    Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors; 

    But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead, 

    And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; 

    Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. 

CASCA 

    Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow 

    Mean to establish Caesar as a king; 

    And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, 

    In every place, save here in Italy. 

CASSIUS 

    I know where I will wear this dagger then; 

    Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: 

    Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; 

    Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: 

    Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, 

    Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, 

    Can be retentive to the strength of spirit; 

    But life, being weary of these worldly bars, 

    Never lacks power to dismiss itself. 

    If I know this, know all the world besides, 

    That part of tyranny that I do bear 

    I can shake off at pleasure. 

    Thunder still 

CASCA 

    So can I: 

    So every bondman in his own hand bears 

    The power to cancel his captivity. 

CASSIUS 

    And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? 

    Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf, 

    But that he sees the Romans are but sheep: 

    He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. 

    Those that with haste will make a mighty fire 

    Begin it with weak straws: what trash is Rome, 

    What rubbish and what offal, when it serves 

    For the base matter to illuminate 

    So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief, 

    Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this 

    Before a willing bondman; then I know 

    My answer must be made. But I am arm'd, 

    And dangers are to me indifferent. 

CASCA 

    You speak to Casca, and to such a man 

    That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand: 

    Be factious for redress of all these griefs, 

    And I will set this foot of mine as far 

    As who goes farthest. 

CASSIUS 

    There's a bargain made. 

    Now know you, Casca, I have moved already 

    Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans 

    To undergo with me an enterprise 

    Of honourable-dangerous consequence; 

    And I do know, by this, they stay for me 

    In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night, 

    There is no stir or walking in the streets; 

    And the complexion of the element 

    In favour's like the work we have in hand, 

    Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. 

This passage is significant because it is the first step towards the conspiracy about to take place against Caesar. This was the little seed that was planted in Casca's head that grew, reaching to the other conspirators.This passage is one of the best characterizations of Cassius, as it describes his shrewd character to the fullest. After reading this, the reader can realize that Cassius is a very shrewd and sly charactter almost immediately because the way Cassius handles and leads a person to his desired destination like a puppy is very skilled and adept. This proves that he is sharp, artful and quick-witted, as it isn't that easy to control someone like Cassius does. It is also a characterization of Casca, as it shows his love for a great reputation amongst people. This can be known when Casca was called a cowardly Roman by Cassius, he immediately made up his mind to join the conspiracy, not wanting to be known as a weak man. Also, this is a great foreshadow of Caesar's brutal, savage death. Also, Shakespeare introduces at least 2 characters in this passage who are definitely against Caesar, and is willing to be brutal to fulfill their ambitions.