Act I: scene iii
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
Setting: Mood/tone—the storm and angry thunderbolts that fall from the sky at night, on March 14th, create a dark and
foreboding mood.
Symbols—
(1) the storm/ disharmony in heaven represents the disharmony in the minds of men and in the state of Roman politics
–pg 907 lines 3- 13
(2) the storm is also a metaphor/representative of Caesar—“like a thing infirm” does “shake” and the “ambitious ocean
swell and rage and foam” much like Caesar in an epileptic fit. Pg 907, lines 3-7
(3)”fire” raining from the sky, presumably the lightning, has a dual nature symbolically—fire can be destroying on one
hand, or purifying on the other. Cassius mentions that the people of Rome will be the “base” for which the fire will
start—the conspirators will set the “mob” or people of Rome on fire when they explain the tyranny of Caesar –lines 107
to 111 pg 910
(4) red sky—like blood (image repeated throughout the text) and is representative of the harm they seek to do to
Caesar—line 128 to 130 , pg 910
Themes:
(1) Complex duality of human nature: seen in the characters of Cassius and Casca; Casca is frightened of the storm
while Cassius seems to welcome it; it is ironic that Cassius mentions it is a night for “honest men” since he is
conspiring to kill Caesar (pg 908 line 43); Casca is disturbed by the storm and the disharmony he has seen in the
evening and the day (pg 907 lines 3-13 and lines 15 – 32)
(2) Misinterpretation and manipulation of signs, omens: signs and omens are by their very nature, meant to be
interpreted—the characters in the play will interpret and misinterpret them as they wish, depending upon what
their ultimate goal.
(3) The meaning of friendship: all the conspirators planning on killing Caesar are his friends—placed in positions of
honor or power or pardoned for being an ally of Pompey at one time. In the end, they use their positions to get
close enough to Caesar to kill him—misusing and betraying his friendship; in addition, the friends of Brutus are
manipulating his friendship as well to suit their own purpose; they are using him for their own good—so the
murder of Caesar will be seen as worthy and virtuous for Rome; they use dishonest means to get Brutus to join
in their plot.
(4) The storm is seen as representative of the disharmony of nature and the mirror disharmony in the minds of
men—like the conspirators. Also, the disharmony of the mob and the way they are easily swayed indicates that
like a storm can suddenly change, so can they with a little pressure.