Julius Caesar: Nobility

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Nobility in the Play: Julius Caesar rough In the play, Julius Caesar, Shakespeare develops the general topic of nobility into the concept of True Nobility VS False Nobility. The concept of True Nobility VS False Nobility is the differentiating between earned-nobility and inherited-nobility. Earned-nobility is the selfless respect held by others for one's self due to their previous actions and deeds, while inherited-nobility is the selfish sense of superiority held by one's self, given to them by their status as the rich and powerful. Shakespeare comments on how True Nobility can not be disputed while False Nobility seldom holds basis to the claim of actual nobility. In this play, Shakespeare contrasts between the True and False noble qualities found in the characters in the play. Shakespeare does this through their actions and what is said of each other in five separate passages in the story. 1) Act 1:2:201-210 “So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much. / He is a great observer, and he looks / Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays, / As thou dost, Antony. He hears no music. / Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort / As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit / That could be moved to smile at anything. / Such men as he be never at heart’s ease / Whiles they behold a greater than themselves, / And therefore are they very dangerous.” This passage tells of Julius Caesar's fears he has of Cassius. Shakespeare uses Caesar's description of Cassius to show, that in both Caesar and Cassius, there are many characteristics of False Nobility. Both men were raised into nobility from their parents, therefore inheriting their social status as nobles. Using their elevated status as nobles, Cassius and Caesar then went on to exert their superiority over the common folk: through their patronizing of other people; and lack of passions. Their

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