How do the relationships of Caesar and Calpurnia and Brutus and Portia contrast, and what does this suggest about each man?

Caesar and Calpurnia seem to have a more traditional marriage by Roman standards. Caesar is the public figure who goes out into the world while Calpurnia's influence is limited to the home. By contrast, Portia is more of a cerebral character, hoping to be Brutus' confidante in things both inside and outside of the domestic sphere. The daughter of the celebrated orator Cato, Portia makes a strong case for Brutus to share all of his secrets and fears with her, even showing off a self-inflicted wound she made to prove her resilience.

The scenes where the women try to convince their husbands to do as they wish illustrate these differences best. Calpurnia uses her dream, recent omens (ex. tombs "yield[ing] up their dead, etc.), and anxiety to try to sway Caesar from leaving home on the Ides of March. Caesar rebukes her suggestion that he stay home, viewing it as cowardly to give into suspicion (even though he is a suspicious man himself), but briefly humors her when she says he can say he stayed home for her sake. Portia uses not only an emotional appeal in claiming he treats her like a harlot rather than a wife so long as he limits their relationship to the domestic sphere, but also logic in her argument, deflecting his claims that he is physically ill rather than anxious and worried about something with solid reasoning. Unlike Caesar, Brutus also seems more inclined to take his wife seriously ("O ye gods, / Render me worthy of this noble wife!").

While the two marriages in question are quite different, they do share some similarities. Both Calpurnia and Portia care enough about their husbands' well-being to try to intervene in their public life. And to Calpurnia's credit, she is apparently valued enough by Caesar that he almost stays home just to humor her fears. Both men also appear to genuinely love their wives, though only Brutus seems to view his wife as an equal.

In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, there are only two women characters:  Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, and Portia, the wife of Brutus. Both women beg there men for something that they do not receive.  Both men wanted to follow the guidance of their wives but were unable to do so because of the conspiracy.

In the play, Portia is the more prominent of the two wives. Her father was a great statesman.  Portia and Brutus apparently have a loving relationship.  Yet, Brutus has not shared any of his struggles concerning whether or not to join the conspiracy.

By not including his wife in the decision, Brutus shows the powerlessness of women to impact men’s decisions. Portia’s purpose is to show the humanity of Brutus who is impressed with his wife’s determination to help him.

On the other hand, Portia is aware that something is causing Brutus pain. 

 No, my Brutus,
You have some sick offense within your mind,
Which by the right and virtue of my place I ought to know of…

Portia uses every feminine wile that she can to get Brutus to share his problem with her: 

• Gets down on her knees and begs
• Gives her credentials as daughter of Cato and wife of Brutus
• Mentions her renowned beauty
• Tells Brutus that she has seen the conspirators there
• Tries to guilt him for not sharing his secrets
• States that she is a whore rather than wife if he does not share with her

Portia goes one step more when she stabs herself in the thigh to prove to Brutus that she is strong and can help him if he will just share with her his problems.

Brutus is impressed and appalled with Portia and what she has done to prove herself to him. He tells her that he will share everything with her; however, this does not happen because one of the conspirators comes to take Brutus to Caesar’s house and join the conspiracy.

Brutus follows the rules of stoicism. Portia as is wife follows Brutus’s lead; therefore, she keeps inside  all the deep feeling, tenderness, and anxiety that are aroused in her by her husband's problems. She even sends their servant boy to the senate to watch and bring her news of the occurrences at the senate.

Later, when Portia believes that Brutus has been defeated and caught by the conspirators, she can no longer hold her feelings inside.  In a fit of madness, she takes a hot coal and places it in her mouth.  She falls dead as another victim of the assassination plot.

In Act IV, Brutus learns of Portia’s death and is grief stricken.  As a stoic, Brutus does not show his emotions outwardly.  From his demeanor and words, it is obvious that Brutus loved Portia and is saddened by her death.

How does Portia and Brutus' relationship differ from Calpurnia and Caesar's in Julius Caesar?

Calpurnia and Portia are portrayed as strong and passionate women who supported their men.

Shakespeare takes advantage of the Romans' superstitious nature by playing up the supposed supernatural abilities of both Calpurnia and Portia.  Caesar’s wife Calpurnia supposedly had a dream predicting his assassination, and Portia seemed to know that Brutus was in danger.

Brutus’s wife Portia is shown as a strong and confident woman, but possibly also a little unstable.  She worries about her husband’s role in the conspiracy.  She does not really know what is going on, but wants him to tell her what he is doing.

Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not,
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: so I did;
Fearing to strengthen that impatience
Which seem'd too much enkindled… (Act 2, Scene 1)

Portia worries about her husband, feeling that he might have gotten himself in a dangerous situation.  She urges him to tell her what is going on, chiding him that he is treating her like a “harlot” rather than a wife.  She can't stand being out of the loop, even cutting herself to prove her loyalty and dedication to him.

When Brutus does not tell her what is going on, Portia has him followed.  She reminds us that women are not just meek watchers from the sidelines.

O constancy, be strong upon my side,
Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel! (Act 2, Scene 4)

Portia speaks to the soothsayer, trying to find out what is really going on and if her husband is in danger.  We do not hear again from Portia, but Brutus learns that she killed herself while he is away fighting Antony and Octavius, supposedly by swallowing hot coals.  Portia always does things on her own terms.

Calpurnia is a strong woman in her own right.  More superstitious even than Portia, she has a dream the night before the Ides of March that she interprets as prophetic of danger to Caesar.  She also mentions a variety of other omens and portents that worry her.

A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol … (Act 2, Scene 2)

Calpurnia seems respected by Caesar, because she makes some progress with him.  He is ready to stay home after she tells him she is worried because of her dream.  Unfortunately for her and him, Decius Brutus convinces him that the dream has a different meaning and is actually a positive omen.

In the first act, Caesar calls public attention to Calpurnia’s infertility.  He may have been trying to explain why they never had children.  Caesar asks Antony to touch Calpurnia during his run on the Feast of Lupercal. Both of them go along with it.  For whatever reason, Caesar never had any children with Calpurnia, but he had one legitimate child.  His daughter Julia died in childbirth.  Before his death, Caesar made a will naming his sister’s grandson Octavius his heir.  This left Calpurnia basically out of it.

Who is portrayed as stronger in Julius Caesar, Calphurnia or Portia?

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, both Calpurnia and Portia are loving wives. Both adore their husbands. Both women beg their husbands on bended knee to honor their wishes. Calpurnia begs Caesar to stay at home. She is troubled by her dream. She has dreamed that Caesar's statute is spurting blood. She fears for his life. She is very sensitive and caring. She does everything in her power to keep him home:

When Calphurnia gets on her knee to Caesar, she temporarily succeeds in persuading him to remain at home. She offers to let Caesar use her anxiety as an excuse for not going to the Capitol.

Portia begs Brutus to share his heart. She desires to know what is troubling him. She asks him to confide in her. She is worried about him. She too is very sensitive to the issues that trouble Brutus:

Portia, Brutus's wife, displays her concern for her husband and asks that he share with her his burdens. She wishes to know the source of his abrupt mood changes and why Cassius and the others have visited him, claiming that sharing such confidences with her husband is the "right and virtue'' (II.i.269) of a wife. 

Calpurnia has more influence with Caesar because he initially gives in to her pleading for him to stay home for the day. At first, he decides to stay at home for her sake. Of course, Decius flatters him and changes his mind.  

Brutus will not share his heart with Portia. She pleads but to no avail. Of course, Brutus is worried that Portia will be in danger if he shares what he and the conspirators are about to do. No doubt, Brutus truly loves Portia. Likewise, Caesar adores his wife Calpurnia. 

Calpurnia seems to be a stronger woman than Portia. Portia kills herself after she realizes her husband is fleeing for his very life. Calpurnia endures Caesar's death. Shakespeare does not indicate that she even thinks about taking her own life.

Truly, Calpurnia and Portia are very much alike but also different. Both women love their husbands immensely. Both women plead with their husbands. Both women are in fear for their husbands' lives.

In the end, Calpurnia proves to be stronger than Portia. Portia cannot live with the stress that Brutus has caused her. She takes her own life.  

What contributions do Calpurnia and Portia make to Julius Caesar?

The simple answer is that Calpurnia adds to all the forebodings about her husband Caesar’s safety, while Portia helps to bring out the emotional torment her husband Brutus is experiencing because of his involvement in the plot to assassinate Caesar. However, it would appear that Shakespeare had another reason for including these two female characters in his play. Without them, the play would have the impression of a bunch of men dressed up to represent ancient Romans and strictly involved in one-sided male talk and male business. With the female characters, Shakespeare tries to achieve what is called “orchestration,” i.e., some variation in the appearances, voices, costumes, motivations, dialogue of the cast.

It will be observed that in most of Shakespeare’s plays, notably in his major ones, he “orchestrates” his cast. In Hamlet, for example, he has young men and a young woman (Ophelia), middle-aged Claudius and Gertrude, and even the elderly Polonius. There are important female roles in all his major plays. In Macbeth he has Lady Macbeth as well as three witches. In Othello he has Desdemona , Emilia, and Bianca. In King Lear he has three important female characters in Cordelia, Goneril, and Regan. In Antony and Cleopatra he has Cleopatra and some of her female attendants.

These female characters, of course, were played by female impersonators. No doubt, Shakespeare had young actors in his company who specialized in such roles and he made a point of using them in every production. (The boy who played Lucius in the fourth act of Julius Caesar may have also played Calpurnia or Portia—if not both women—earlier in the same performance.)

The term “orchestrate” derives from opera. In operatic works there are usually roles for a soprano, a tenor, a contralto, a baritone, in order to provide variety and contrast. Variety and contrast are important considerations in all artistic works. The same principle is usually followed in plays. A modern example would  be A Streetcar Named Desire, in which there are two major roles for men and two for women—Stanley Kowalski and Mitch, on the one hand, and Blanche and Stella on the other.

Lajos Egri devotes a chapter to "orchestration of characters" in his excellent and widely read book, The Art of Dramatic Writing.

Calpurnia is significant in that she believes the superstitions going on around her.  She admonishes Caesar not to go out, as she had a horrible dream of his statue pouring blood in a fountain, while the people gathered around washing their hands in it.  Caesar, ever resolute, tells her that she has misinterpreted the dream; it represents him pouring out himself, or very blood, in caring for the people of Rome.  Also, when the magicians say that upon sacrificing a beast for answers that they have found no heart within it, Calpurnia warns Caesar not to go to the Senate.  Instead, he says that it symbolizes him having no heart or courage if he stays home in fear rather than going to the Senate.

Portia is an interesting character in that she tries to prove her manliness, for lack of better words.  When she infers that Brutus is part of a secret conspiracy, she begs him to tell her about it.  He refuses, and to prove her ability to withstand the burden or pain of such a heavy secret, she stabs herself in the thigh.  He agrees to tell her later.  However, toward the end of the play, she cannot deal with the pressure of knowing what's going on, and swallows coals to kill herself. 

For these reasons, I think you have a couple of interesting characters :)

Compare and contrast Portia and Calpurnia in "Julius Caesar".

Very interesting question, Jason. I guess to make a start with this you need to think through the characteristics of both of these characters before you can draw any parallels with more moden day women. Portia seems to really love her husband but also appears to be inflicted with a strong curiosity - she tries a number of different strategies to "persuade" her husband to reveal what is going on. Calphurnia, on the other hand, is very sensitive to dreams and premonitions, and likewise loves her husband. I am trying to think of politicians' wives and how they might compare. Portia would best resemble someone who wants to be equally involved in their husband's work, whereas Calphurnia could be compared to a figure who is interested in mysticism or perhaps strongly religious. Hope this helps!

Hi Jason-  For guidance on how to write a compare and contrast essay, please visit the "How To" page on this topic:

http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-compare-contrast-essay

I'm sure some of the other editors here can give you some tips on these particular characters to guide you.   

How does Shakespeare depict the role of women through Calpurnia and Portia in Julius Caesar?

A comparison between Portia and Calpurnia might focus on the degree to which both women are treated primarily as extensions of their husbands, wielding little influence for themselves, but being motivated primarily to ensure the best interests of their partners. At the same time, it might be argued that Portia is the more successful of the two within this role, given that she holds more influence with Brutus than Calpurnia does with Caesar.

Before anything else, it should be noted that the world of Julius Caesar is very much patriarchal, and the women within it hold little agency or ability to act to secure their own interests. Both Calpurnia and Portia have only a limited presence within the play and hold little influence outside of the domestic sphere in which they primarily operate (and where they generally seek to influence and counsel their husbands, to ensure the interests of their partners).

Between the two, Calpurnia has the more mystical mindset, with her concerns about omens and her own prophetic dreams. Portia, on the other hand, acts more as an advisor, and in this sense, she does seem to hold a greater degree of influence over her husband. In act 2, scene 2, Calpurnia must essentially plead with Caesar not to attend the Senate. While she is momentarily successful, after Decius appeals to Caesar's pride and vanity he quickly changes his mind, thereby ignoring Calpurnia's warnings. Meanwhile, in the preceding scene between Brutus and Portia, Brutus seems to acquiesce to Portia's insistence that he confide in her. Furthermore, you can observe in act 2, scene 4 that Portia holds at least some degree of awareness regarding the conspiracy, again suggesting a more collaborative dynamic between the two that Caesar and Calpurnia do not share.

In Julius Caesar, does Shakespeare portray Calpurnia and Portia as strong, powerful women?

Calpurnia and Portia, though they have considerable strength of mind, do not seem to possess much power. Both are dependent on their husbands and can only plead with them. Calpurnia wants her husband to stay home because she is (rightly) terrified by her bad dreams and all the strange happenings that have been reported.

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! These things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

Calpurnia's husband ignores her completely and goes to meet his doom at the Capitol. So while Calpurnia may be strong in the sense that she has correctly read the signs of unrest in the city, she lacks power in a patriarchal society.

Portia too has to plead with her husband, Brutus, to get what she wants. She manages to persuade her husband to confide in her, but this modicum of power is achieved only with great effort:

You have some sick offense within your mind,
Which by the right and virtue of my place
I ought to know of; and, upon my knees,
I charm you, by my once commended beauty,
By all your vows of love and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, yourself, your half,
Why you are heavy, and what men tonight
Have had resort to you; for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

Like Calpurnia, Portia is deeply concerned in Act 2, Scene 4 after she learns the answers to all her questions. Portia may have succeeded in learning about the conspiracy, but she is unable to interfere in it. So while Portia has the wisdom to regard events with trepidation, she, like Calpurnia, is unable to change the situation.

Calpurnia and Portia appeal to their husbands with their feelings, their insights, and their devotion. Both Caesar and Brutus are on fatal courses, but they do not realize that their wives are closer to the truth. Caesar, of course, should have listened to Calpurnia. We know she is speaking truthfully and with love, while he is surrounded by smiling men who have swords and daggers concealed beneath their robes. Portia knows that her husband has gotten himself involved in a perilous plot with a group of inferior and self-serving men. Her wisdom tells her that the assassination attempt may be successful but that will not be the end of it. She herself will commit suicide in a horrible manner by swallowing burning coals pulled out of the fire. Both these women are rightfully distressed by the arrival of the Ides of March. Their own fates are bound up with those of their husbands—but unlike their husbands, they don't have the power to effect change.

How do the scenes between Portia and Brutus and Caesar and Calpurnia compare?

Read over the scenes between both couples - Brutus and Portia's conversation is in Act II, Scene i, and Caesar and Calpurnia's conversation is in Act II, Scene ii. You can also look for line-by-line "modern" translations of the scene online (google or such) to aid in your understanding if you have difficulty with the language.

To compare, look at the fact that both wives are trying to convince their husbands to do something - Portia is trying to convince Brutus to confide in her, and Calpurnia is trying to get Caesar to remain at home for the day. Look for other similarities in how the women talk to their husbands - they both are meek and appeal to their husband's love, etc.

To contrast, examine the husband's reactions to their wives and also the reasons the wives give to appeal to their husband's feelings. Portia appeals to her faithfulness as a wife and tries to make Brutus feel guilty about not "trusting" her. Calpurnia says a dream warned her Caesar should not go out.

How do Calpurnia and Portia relate differently to their husbands in Julius Caesar?

Since this play (populated with over 30 males) offers only two female characters, Calpurnia and Portia, it is significant to observe the ways in which they contrast with each other.

Calpurnia is the classic dutiful wife.  The audience first meets her when Caesar calls for her at the beginning of the play (the way a master might call his dog to his side?), and she promptly arrives by his side, answering, "Here my Lord."  Later, when she dreams of something dreadful happening to Caesar on the way to the Capitol, she begs him to remain at home.  It is safe to say that she is overcome with fear and displays a 'woman's weak nature.'  Caesar disregards her fears as "foolish" and does go to the Capitol (and his doom).

Portia, on the other hand, is introduced after Brutus has met with his fellow conspirators.  She also has a sense of foreboding about her husband, but rather than display fear and beg him to listen to her, she demands, as an equal, to be included in his concerns.  She even wounds herself in her thigh in order to prove her strength and constancy.  Brutus doesn't confide his secret to her, but he does implore,

O ye gods,
Render me worthy of this noble wife.

It is interesting to note that the Roman society prided itself on being balanced and ordered.  I suspect that Shakespeare found it satisfying to "balance" his presentation of the Roman wife with these two very different characters.

Compare Calphurnia and Caesar's marriage with Brutus and Portia's in Julius Caesar.

Both Calphurnia and Portia are dutiful wives to their respective husbands, but with much different motivations. Both are alongside their husbands near the beginning of the play during the feast of Lupercall. Here Caesar instructs Calphurnia to stand directly in Antonio’s way during the Lupercall chase, so he may touch her to “shake off this sterile curse,” implying that they have sexual contact with Caesar’s blessing. Nothing is exchanged between Portia and Brutus. Calphurnia dreams Caesar is murdered, and and on her knees implores him not to go to the senate. Similarly, Portia kneels to Brutus as he finishes planning the assassination with the conspirators when she insists on his telling her what bothers him, “...That you vnfold to me, your selfe; your halfe...” and bear his burdens with him as a good wife should. She further comments that if he does not share his burdens with her, She is then “Brutus Harlot, not his Wife,” tacitly acknowledging the relationship between Caesar and Calphurnia as suggested in Act 1. Caesar dismisses Calphurnia’s “foolish fears;” in contrast, Brutus is about to take Portia into his confidence and divulge the assassination plot when they are interrupted. Curiously, Calphurnia is never mentioned in the play after her dream; Brutus learns of Portia’s suicide just before his defeat in battle, suggesting she stood by him up to and including death.

Who plays a more important role in Julius Caesar, Calpurnia or Portia?

This is an excellent question...since these two characters are the only women in the play, and they are married to key male characters--Calpurnia to Caesar and Portia to Brutus--it is worth examining.

First, Calpurnia's role is mostly to warn Caesar about going to the the Senate on March 15.  She has had terrible dreams and fears for her husband's life...rightly so.  However, she fails in her endeavor since Caesar is bullied into going by alternate interpretations of Calpurnia's dream.

Portia, on the other hand, has the role of friend and partner.  She gets Brutus to agree to open up to her by slashing her thigh open and challenging him to trust her with the problems he is facing as she can withstand the pain of her wound.  He agrees, but the assassination takes place before they have a chance to talk.  Brutus is forced to flee after Antony's moving speech, and Portia never has the opportunity to talk with her husband and guide him through his problems.

Ultimately, both wives fail in their goals, but I would vote for Portia as more important since she seems to have a more equal foothold in her marital relationship and would have had a positive effect on Brutus' actions had the timing been right and they had the chance to sit down and discuss matters. 

What are the similarities and differences between Portia and Calphurnia in Julius Caesar?

Though both women are wives of noble men, the way they are treated by their husband (and the way they treat their husbands) is quite different, as depicted by Shakespeare.

Portia is depicted a strong-willed and stubborn. She knows there is something troubling her husband and is relentless in her pursuit to find out what is it. She uses different persuasion techniques to prove that despite the fact she is a woman, she is strong enough to be placed in his confidence. Portia sees herself as an equal to Brutus--someone Brutus chose to be his equal--rather than the traditional subservient role as a wife. Later, Porita plays into the stereotype of the hysterical woman. Brutus has obviously told her the assassination plan. She is frantic about what is happening at the Capitol, even mentioning that her woman's heart is weak.

Calphurnia, on the other hand, is shown as subservient to her husband from the beginning. She refers to Caesar as "my Lord", and does what he commands her to do (stand in Antony's way so he can touch her and cure her of her infertility during the foot races). When she has foreboding dreams about Caesar's death, she begs him not to go to the Capitol. Rather than giving in to her because she is his wife and his equal, Caesar treats her like a child who's had a bad dream--he is condescending and agrees to stay home to make her happy. He is quick to change his mind, however, when he is convinced it will make him look weak to submit to his wife's wishes.