Immediately after the killing Brutus attempts to remind everyone of the reason for the killing – “Ambitions debt is paid”. In other words he is convincing people we have given ambition what it deserved.
The play is visually dramatic at the point where the conspirators bathe their hands in Caesar’s blood. Later they march through the market-place, brandishing their weapons over their heads, crying, “Peace, freedom, liberty!” This seems to be ironic considering the fact they have just killed Caesar.
We see a further example of irony when after the death of Caesar, Cassius exclaims, “Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels”. This means honouring Brutus and replacing one powerful leader with another.
The mood of the play changes when Antony is left alone on the stage. He shows he is a loyal friend to Caesar and a dangerous enemy to the conspirators. Until now all discussion has revolved around the murder of Caesar. At this point the theme changes to one of how to secure revenge.
The violence of the conspirators act is emphasised when Antony describes them as “butchers”. The helplessness of Caesar is pointed out when Antony compares Caesar to “a deer strucken by many princes”. He is compared to a stag, “brave hart” and his world to “the forest”. The violence is discussed again as he mentions “thy spoil” which means the spilt blood of the flesh. The extent of his need for revenge and the horror to be encountered is compared to “mothers shall smile when they behold, their infants quartered with the hands of war”. This is a horrific simile. The mood is darkened as Antony talks of “thy lathe” since this is the underworld river which the dead must drink from to forget their mortal lives.
Antony uses rhetoric to persuade his audience. For example, “Domestic fury and fierce civil strife…And dreadful objects so familiar”. This gives an awful image to the audience of what might be ahead. He also uses alliteration to highlight his desire for revenge, “ranging for revenge” and “With Ate by his side came hot from hell”. The extent of his feelings is shown by his use of personification with the word “Ate”. This is the fanatical goddess of revenge and mischief, banished by the gods to live among men.
After the killing, clearly Mark Antony is fearful because he sends his servant to see if Caesar is safe rather than go himself. He pretends to agree with the conspirators “I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody man.” He says “Friends am I with you all, and love you all.” However, later alone he is obviously sorry for siding with them “To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue”. This is dramatic because it shows Antony siding with the conspirators but once they exit he contradicts himself by wanting revenge.
Cassius had shown himself to be a persuasive, conspiring character. He is the one who persuades Brutus to agree to the assassination. He demonstrates panic, “I fear our purpose is discovered”, “Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back, for I will slay myself.” He shows himself to be a leader when he cries out, “Liberty, freedom and enfranchisement!” This is also dramatic because it shows Cassius has many masks. His moods change very quickly in the play so the audience are not sure what they think of him.
Having read the whole play in class and seen the BBC production I am in a better position to judge if modern facilities are needed to bring out the scene’s dramatic qualities. He decides where the camera is to be focused for greatest effect. It is clear the director used particular devices to create mood. Over the shoulder shots are used to make you feel part of the event and to show you how actors respond to one another. An example of this would be quite near the start of the scene, where Cassius tells Brutus that he is afraid that Caesar might know of their plot to kill him.
Close up shots allow the audience to see facial expressions and visualise emotions. For instance, at the end of the scene when Antony begins his soliloquy, we are allowed to see his emotions when he demonstrates his sorrow for betraying Caesar, but also the revenge he desires is expressed in Antony’s face.
Cameras can be set at angles to increase or decrease the size of characters. A camera was directed upwards towards Antony when he spoke at the assassination. This gave the impression of power because the rest of the conspirators seemed to be below him.
Dramatic music and increasing volume adds to the mood. This was heard when the conspirators killed Caesar. The speed of the music increased and became more powerful. Also the stabbing was emphasised by short, sharp sounds as the swords went into Caesar’s body.
Shakespeare’s theatre did not possess modern day technology. Space was the main limitation. This would affect the amount of scenery and props that could be used. Only the seating area and the stage were covered. The standing area was open to all weathers and this could distract an audience.
In my opinion, the killing would have happened centre-stage because this is one of the most powerful scenes that leads on to the moral of the play. The servant could enter from the balcony breathing heavily, giving the impression he had been running, and also to attract the audiences’ attention. Antony could enter from the side of the stage. The conspirators would then kneel to make Antony look bigger and also give the impression of power. Then when Antony tells his soliloquy, he could move to the front of the stage and use powerful movements e.g. with his hands, to show his emotion for Caesar and revenge.
Certainly, modern equipment such as lighting and sound effects can add to the emotion of the scene. However, in this particular scene, a quiet atmosphere can be just as effective to draw attention to the horror of the event.
The theme of Shakespeare's plays contrasted with the Tudor time in which it was staged. At school, the children were taught in great detail about the Romans and Caesar. Therefore, people who saw the plays would have a good knowledge of what happened previous to the start of the play. A great deal of the Romans’ culture was similar to theTudors’ e.g. they had the same political opinions. The audiences’ views would have reflected the themes of the play and people may have related themselves to the characters. This could be a reason why Shakespeare’s plays were so successful.
In conclusion, I definitely do consider Act 3 Scene 1 of “Julius Caesar” to be a powerful piece of drama. The various themes of jealously, treachery, tragedy, and loyalty are shown in a short section of the play. However, I do believe modern technology can add to the mood and drama of the production. The main reason for this is because I believe music to be a powerful tool to build up emotions. The build up of speed and volume adds to the tension effectively. We are left with a feeling of disgust that Brutus did actually betray Caesar. This point is emphasised as we see another friend remain loyal.
