Character Analysis – Calpurnia and Portia

1005 Words5 Pages
Character Analysis – Calpurnia and Portia Calpurnia – Caesar’s wife In William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”, there are only two female characters; one is Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, and the other Brutus’ wife, Portia. Both are exceptionally loyal to their husbands and have undiluted faith in them. Calpurnia makes only one brief appearance in Act 2 Scene ii of the play, and it is from the scanty information found there we have to build up the outline of her character, mostly based on inferences. Caesar is still in his nightgown he had worn on the previous night (Act 2.ii.) and is in a highly disturbed state of mind. The reason for his worry is that Calpurnia had screamed thrice in her sleep. He is meditating on the reasons for her disturbance. If a man like Caesar, possessed of strong will-power and confidence, gets upset as regards his wife’s screaming in dream, it reveals the extent of his love towards her. On the other hand, it is testimony that his wife is very much attached and devoted to him, and their matrimonial life is a perfect one of harmony and happiness. On no other previous occasions, Calpurnia had stood on her husband’s way of doing things, and it may be stated that, as the obedient partner in life, she is in the habit of rendering him full co-operation for his rise to power. However, on this particular day, she goes to the extent of throwing away her usual obedience and questioning and commanding him, “What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house today.” – Act 2.11 What makes her discard her normal submission to her husband and adopt a rigid attitude of questioning and commanding on this particular day? On the previous night she dreamt the murder of Caesar, in addition to the several abnormal incidents such as ‘A lioness hath whelped in the streets, And graves have yawn’d and yielded
Open Document