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What are the similarities and differences between Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Othello?
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On the surface, both plays seem to be very similar. They are both tragedies and they both have tragic heroes that have tragic flaws that lead them to their demise. However, there are significant differences between the two plays as well. In Julius Caesar there is a political upheaval and in Othello there is jealousy. Also, Julius Caesar takes place in ancient Rome while Othello takes place in Venice and Cyprus.
You absolutely can compare Julius Caesar with Othello. The two plays are both tragedies, so they share many similarities. Both focus on tragic heroes (Brutus in Julius Caesarand Othello in Othello) who meet their end when external forces exploit their weaknesses. Brutus, for instance, allows his sense of honor to blind him to the cruel reality of politics, while Iago uses Othello's tendency to be jealous to destroy him. Thus, at a very basic level, the two plays have similar structures and focus on similarly tragic heroes.
Although there are similarities between the two plays, there are also many differences. Julius Caesar , for instance, is a sweeping investigation of political scheming, the value of freedom and representational government, personal codes of honor, and the power of mob mentality. It is, in other words, a sprawling and epic look at the nature of government and the...
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perils of trying to correct a corrupt system. Othello, on the other hand, is much more tightly constructed, as it focuses almost completely on Othello's relationship with Desdemona and Iago's efforts to destroy it. The play focuses on domestic themes, such as infidelity and jealousy, and it largely avoids tackling the public world of politics. As such, if both plays are similarly tragic, then they approach their tragic subject matter very differently, as Julius Caesar opts for epic political drama, while Othello examines the much more intimate world of relationships.
How are Julius Caesar and Othello similar and different?
Each of the men is something of an enigma to the reader in that we are unsure of the reality of thier granduer. By this I mean that each man is part creation of the state (the esteem in which they are held) and their own mind. Each holds themselves infallible, yet each is worked on by minds greater than their own. JC is worked on by Cassius and his band of conspirators as they call into question Calpurnia's dreams and suspicions and the words of the soothsayer. JC, part creation of the state and a certifiable god of war through experience, believes his own press and will not be subject to the fancies of fate, much less a woman. Othello, similarly, is undone by his intellectual superior in Iago. While Caesar underestimates those who seek not to be ruled by a mere mortal, Othello overestimates the affection claimed by Iago. As his ensign, Iago risks his life in battle to protect Othello's colors which engenders a perceived loyalty between the men, which is true on Othello's part, but feigned on Iago's. Othello is bound completely by the loyalty that cannot be matched in a marriage relationship to Desdemona. So, while JC is pride incarnate, it seems that Othello is loyalty. Only Othello's loyalty lies in the wrong place, which is his undoing. Each of the men also seem to believe in own inherent worth and singular skill set that make them irreplaceable in their own minds, with one being on a grander scale than the others.
Both characters are prime examples of "tragic heroes". Both fall from a high status to disaster. Their social standings are still very different. Julius Caesar is, well, the leader of Rome. Othello is a Moor, and therefor still looked down on by some. Another way to compare and contrast the two is to consider how they treat the women in their life. Caesar has at least some respect for his wife, while Othello ends up murdering his out of jealously.