Bayram 1

Zeki Doğukan Bayram

3102160022

Res.Assist.Dr. Emre Çakar

ING 4105 Research and Writing II

30.04.2021

Thesis Statement = In this paper, I will study and analyze the aspects of tragic betrayals in

William Shakespeare’s one of the most acclaimed plays, Julius Caesar by providing historical

background which includes the setting, diplomatic and political climate, religious drives and

personal relationships of the time and its reflection on the mentioned play.

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Tragedy and Betrayal in Literature

a. Ancient Greek

b. Middle English Period

3. William Shakespeare

a. Bibliography

b. Shakespearean Tragedy

4. Betrayal in Julius Caesar

a. Inter-character Betrayal

b. Betrayal to Roman Ideology

c. Betrayal to the State

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d. Betrayal to the People

5. Conclusion

6. Works Cited

Introduction

Julius Caesar is one of the significant tragedies of Shakespeare which deals with the events of

the prior to, during, and afterwards of the assassination of Rome’s arguably the most influential

son, Gaius Julius Caesar with the plot including many different concepts regarding the

character’s ambitions, internal thoughts which are derived from past and present, drives that push

them towards their future, schemes, doubts and hesitations, prophecies, visions and other

supernatural events, political and humane corruptions which eventually lead to the mentioned

assassination and its eventual retribution. In this paper, I will study and analyze the aspects of

tragic betrayals in William Shakespeare’s one of the most acclaimed plays, Julius Caesar by

providing historical background which includes the setting, diplomatic and political climate,

religious drives and personal relationships of the time and its reflection on the mentioned play.

Treachery, betrayal, disloyalty, unfaithfulness and in some context’s faithlessness, even

infidelity with their many other synonyms in many different languages underline why this

sentiment is so prominent among many other feelings. Belief and trust which are fundamental to

create such emotions in which their depth are strong sensations. They are hard to put forward and

lay in front of another person, a belief or an ideology. That is the reason when misplaced and

violated, these risky emotions create immense amount of sorrow, guilt, shame and wrath for not

only the person of interest, but also for the people around the betrayed one and therefore spreads

like wildfire.
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I will explore the reasons, motives and justifications behind this endeavour and their

portrayal within William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar by utilizing a magnifying glass on the acts

of multidimensional treacheries and by comparing the acts in parallel with this throughout

historical tragedies.

Tragedy and Betrayal in Literature

Aristotle, the author of Poetics defines tragedy as “the imitation of an action that is

serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself” (6) which indicates the existence of

strong emotions and the necessity of their existence in this genre. One’s chances of experiencing,

or simply observing a tragedy as a sense of tragic event can be considered as more than probable.

Events such as these are volatile in nature, and their impacts can likewise be considered as quite

negative, so avoiding them might be the best course of action. Thus, the need to observe them

from afar, experiencing their taste whilst sitting on a comfortable seat without being the subject

has been attractive for different people from different cultures for a long time. This reality is one

of many reasons why tragedies have been popular and something as iconic as tragedies would

have a tradition. Methods to create them, claims of the right and proper way to produce quality

contents, and with time’s ever-changing nature, observing many alterations from traditional

senses towards modern theater is a might be considered as a normal phenomenon. On the other

hand, some of the core elements of tragedies such as tragic flaws, building up tension that

eventually leads to catharsis, a heartbreaking ending which usually derives from aforementioned

flaws stayed within the genre in order not to lose the recipe which leads to the successful

achievement of the desired effect. The concept of betrayal, even if it isn’t one of the essentials, it

can be considered as a popular choice since there are many of them throughout the history of

tragedies.
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a. Ancient Greek

Ancient myths include many famous and important characters such as Odysseus from

The Odyssey, Achilles of Iliad, Medea of Medea. In fact, actual tragedies include much more

significant characters such as Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. His story mainly consists of events that

occur outside his control, even though he has the illusion of being in control, and signifies faith’s

webs are inescapable no matter how much one tries to elude it. Attempts of these evasions start

from the very beginning with Jocasta, giving her son Oedipus away to a shepherd from a

different city in order her son to be raised by him, away from the dreadful prophecy that was

made even before he was born. His tragic flaw, which is also called Hamartia by Aristotle in his

Poetics, fills one more of the requirements of a proper tragedy and his flaw which is hubris leads

him towards his demise. Gradual sense of fear of a tragedy therefore planted with an eerie

divination and proceeded with a constant reminder of its disembarking, keeping the audience

with expectation of damnation. Aristotle states that weaving of such effect, without brutality or

gore is what a good tragedy seeks in order to be in touch with the concept and enjoying its own

unique pleasure (14). Betrayal is not the main point of Oedipus Rex but could be considered as

existent if it is looked from the deities’ point of view. Oedipus’ pride prevents him from taking

the prophecy seriously, overlooks the potential of its reality, and thus commits relatively sinful

acts knowingly or involuntarily. After he leaves his own original city to evade what the oracle

tells him, he never questions who he murdered on the way, or how the position of king is vacant

in Thebes, where he solves the sphinx’s riddle and marries his mother. When the truth reveals

itself, he is shocked, and in order to purify himself from his sins, he takes dreadful actions which

leads to the catharsis, the upcoming retribution of the gods is felt, and his betrayal avenged.
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b. Middle English Period

Middle English period consists of various examples of texts which include betrayals that

appear according to the moral values, codes and creeds of the time. The idea of chivalry and

being honor-bound is dominant within Middle English literature and their natural gravity and

inherent prerequisite of trusting relationships bring many opportunities to display and utilize

treason to affect the audience towards being captivated. As Gregory L. Laing suggests in

Treason and Betrayal in the Middle English Romances of Sir Gawain, treason and loyalty

become pivotal motifs to deprive the protagonists of their inheritance, divide them from “true

love” and challenge the bonds of loyalty to others (2). Typically, treacheries on behalf of true

love often lead to the division of the lovers, and create an arc of tension, later get resolved by a

conflict and eventual reunion. He continues to underline the diversity of the meaning of the word

‘treason’ by giving its The Middle English Dictionary definition “disloyalty, faithlessness, or

culpable indifference to sacred obligations or allegiance” (3). This multidimensionality of its

meaning is also emphasized by Richard Firth Green, a Canadian scholar in his book A Crisis of

Truth by regarding the word ”treason” as the antonym of “truth” in which itself also possesses a

similar, complex meaning (207). Overlapping meanings of treason become relevant especially in

the Arthurian chivalric romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Gawain Poet, as Laing

suggests that it is different from other Middle English romances since the betrayal within Gawain

romances not only endangers not only the hero of the story, but also the Arthurian world (5).

Treachery in question, adultery of Arthur’s Queen Guinevere and Lancelot brings the betrayal of

trust as well as a breach in marital vows and insubordination to their Feudal authority figure, thus

becomes a personal, religious and class-related issue of disgrace.

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William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright who is widely known for his works

which are widely considered amongst the best. His works are translated into every single living

language and keep being studied.

He was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire in 1564. He married Anne

Hathaway and they had three children: Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith. In between 1585

and 1592 he began his career as an actor, and a writer. At age 49 he retired to Stratfort and died

in 1616. Most of his private life is unknown, and this fact gave way to many different

speculations about his physical appearance, sexuality, religious belief or even whether he existed

or not.

His early works were mainly consisted of comedies and histories. After that, he mainly

wrote tragedies, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Julius Caesar are

amongst the most famous ones and they are considered be amongst the finest works of English

literature.

c. Shakespearean Tragedy

In Shakespearean tragedy, there is a closely related bond between ambition and treachery.
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Works Cited

Aristotle, et al. Aristotle On the Art Of Poetry: Translated By Ingram Bywater With A Preface

By Gilbert Murray. Lector House, 2020.

Laing, Gregory L. Treason and Betrayal in the Middle English Romances of Sir Gawain. Vol. 3,

2009. Print.

Green, Richard Firth. A Crisis of Truth: Literature and Law in Ricardian England. Philadelphia,

PA: U of Pennsylvania, 2002. Print.