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van Ornelas Ornelas, 1
Mr.Brown-Davis
Honors English 2
3-22-2011
Blindness in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
A blind spot is an area or spot that you cannot see and is caused by blindness, which is caused by many different things such as pride, overconfidence, and honor. In Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Caesar's pride and overconfidence and Brutus's honor blinds them, which hinders their abilities to see what is usually clear.
Caesar's pride keeps him from sensing danger (such as his unfortunate death), which eventually leads to his downfall. An example is when Caesar discounts the Soothsayer's warning, "He is a dreamer, let us leave him. Pass" Act I Scene II line 24). This tragedy is similar to Oedipus, in which fortune tellers predict the future accurately. Caesar, like Oedipus, falls victim to blindness and does not heed this warning due to his overconfidence that due to his importance he has nothing to fear. And because of that, he also doesn't listen to his wife, Calpurnia, "Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies, yet now they fright me" (Act II Scene II lines 13-14). In relationships, trust is important, but Caesar's pride keeps him from seeing the reason behind Calpurnia's words, thinking he is not in any danger. In fact, not listening to her proves to be a big mistake when the day of Caesar's death came. Being full of pride, he did not expect anything to happen, and talks about him being above the conspirators in terms of importance, "But I am as constant as the Northern Star, of who's true-fixed and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament" (Act III Scene I lines 62-64). What one does not know will not hurt someone, but what one is too blind to see and acknowledge will. Had Caesar not have had his judgement masked by pride and overconfidence, he may have been able to void this tragedy. Caesar was blind, but so was his former friend Brutus.
Brutus's honor impedes his judgement so he can't see how things really are, which plays
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a role in the storyline of the play. An example of this is when Brutus thought he was doing the right thing by conspiring against Caesar for the good of Rome, "Let not on our looks put on our purpose, but bear it as our Roman actors do" (Act II Scene I lines 225-226). One must not be able to see the harshness of his wrongdoing to think that killing, no matter what the reason is, can be justified. Brutus's honor blinds him so that if someone says doing something will benefit Rome, he'll do it no matter what, as that is his weakness. Another instance of Brutus's blindness due to his honor is when he tells the conspirators that the do not need an oath, "No, not an oath. If not the face of men, the sufferance our souls, the time's abuse, if these be motives weak, every man to his idle bed" (Act II Scene I). Brutus asked for the impossible by asking that the death would not be bloody, which displays how his honor masks his judgement. His honor is causing him to trust envious killers to hold back and to think that they will listed to him. Once Antony finds out about the murder, Brutus, with his hindered judgement due to honor, allows Antony to speak at the funeral, thinking that that wouldn't be a harmful decision, "You shall, Mark Antony" (Act III Scene I line 111). Brutus's honor causes him to believe that Antony, despite what Brutus did to Caesar, his still his ally. But the truth is that Antony isn't on Brutus's side anymore, but Brutus is too blind to see that. And because of that, the course of events became worse for him and for Caesar.
Caesar;s pride and overconfidence leads to his downfall, while Brutus's honor sets him up for things he could not see coming. Because of Caesar being blind, he did not heed the warnings given to him, which causes his death, "En tu, Brute? Then Fall, Caesar" (Act III Scene I line 77). Caesar had an opportunity to save himself, which not many people get, but his pride and overconfidence blinded him, so his opportunity was waisted. Had he not been blinded, perhaps Caesar would not have met a tragic death. Brutus's judgement is hindered as well, but in this case by honor, which also influenced the events that occurred, such as with Antony, "You
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heart and minds with mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong" (Act III Scene II lines 123-124). When someone is hurt, so are those close to that person. Brutus was blinded by his honor, so he believed that Antony was not hurt with the conspiracy against Caesar when he wasn't, which made it such a surprise to Brutus. His honor also masks his judgement so he believes that conspiring against Caesar is justified by doing it for the good of Rome, but he was wrong, "Thy evil spirit, Brutus" (Act IV Scene III line 281). To betray a friend is bad, but to think that that can be justified is even worse. Brutus's honor prevented him from seeing that he did a horrible thing: killing a friend.
Blindness was a deciding factor in this play of Shakespeare. If there is one thing this tragedy teaches, it is that everyone has a blind spot. However, what matters is that one finds a way to avoid succumbing to their blind spot. If that is done, tragedy wouldn't be as abundant.
