What can we learn from the tragedy in Shakespeares Julius Caesar?
In my opinion, one of the larger tragedies in Julius Caesar is that Brutus fights so hard to maintain the Republic, but (inadvertently) ushers in the reign of August Caesar (who was ten times more a tyrant than his adoptive father). We learn from this that sometimes the best intentions can go awry. Brutus’ mentality of “sacrificing” Caesar for the freedom and benefit of all the Romans could easily be likened to Robespierre’s concept of killing Louis XIV: “Louis ought to perish rather than a hundred thousand virtuous citizens; Louis must die, so that the country may live.” And we all know how well the French Revolution turned out. So, I suppose it teaches us that violence begets violence.
