The Book and Movie Review: Julius Caesar

Released by 1979, Julius Caesar BBC is quite similar to all high school students and people who love history. The controversial first series of the BBC Television Shakespeare. The Julius Caesar was Cedric Messina's second television adaptation of the play, the first having been made for the Play of the Month slot ten years ago. One of that includes the film by Herbert Wise is adapted from the writing by William Shakespeare.

Julius Caesar is a Roman statesman and military general who plays an important role in Roman. After he wins Pompey, he is assassinated by a group of senators. Can not believe the truth that his master passes away, Antony - Caesar's servant - begins a plan to expel Brutus and Cassius. Moreover, Antony revenges for his lovely friend by killing one by one who stab Caesar and support Brutus. In an advantageous way, Octavius - Caesar's nephew - holds power together with Antony. In other situation, Brutus suddenly sees Caesar's ghost. Then, Cassius and Brutus lost their confident. Suicide is the way they choose to not to be prisons backing to their hometown.

The movie successfully illustrates each page of a book for audiences. It brings audience’s imagination into something that can be seen and evaluated. How can audience feel deep in the story? Firstly, the way characters dress themselves. They wear old Roman custom, shape hair to look like a real “Roman” although they are British. The custom affects a lot to the movie because by clothing, audience can visibly see the division of class. For instance, Caesar wears all white with cloak and dress demonstrating dominant class. Brutus and Cassius also wear like Caesar but not formal than him. Their wives wear colorful bright dresses. Custom claims about luxury and wealthy. The plebeians wear normal custom and not white, not colorful. They are not too formal but also not informal. They are in the middle.

In the Julius Caesar play, Shakespeare creates each character’s personality obvious throughout what they are saying. If you are a good subtle person, you will notice it easily. To my mind, I find out quotes that they make me impress about each character personality through the whole play. Firstly, go with Brutus, he says: “There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, For I am armed so strong in honesty That they pass by me as the idle wind.” This quote is shown Brutus’ confidence in his own honor. He is not afraid of Cassius and always thinks his honesty is stronger. This connects the theme loyalty and power when Brutus becomes a hero in the war. Next, go along with Antony: “I shall not find myself so apt to die. No place will please me so, no mean of death, As here by Caesar, and by you cut off, The choice and master spirits of this age.” He shows his love to Caesar through this quote but he knows and accepts to die if Brutus and his conspirators are planning to kill him. When he says that it makes Brutus trust him more in this situation. In the play, Decius appreciate Caesar through: “ If he be so resolved, I can o'ersway him. For he loves to hear That unicorns may be betrayed with trees, And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, Lions with toils, and men with flatterers.” This quote is shown that Caesar easily sway to do what Decius asks. He explains that Caesar easily to persuade and trust someone. Through it, people will think Caesar is a normal target. So now, Shakespeare makes the audience is thinking about killing Caesar necessary or not because of the sway by flattery. By all of this quotes, Shakespeare is successful in creating a personality which adopts a character.

Between the movie and book, Shakespeare wants to give audiences the message that’s the impacts of each characters with their own decisions. The director shows the decisions of the leader extremely important because it’s strongly impacted by the character. Shakespeare wants us to know the leader make a decision based on what they know, want, expect and determine.

While reading a book, it is harder for the reader to deep in the tone of the character in each scene. It’s expect your imagination skills. How the book like, how the plot will go further and the tone of each character. On the other hand, in the movie, Shakespeare make the tone of single one clearly. That’s help the audience easily know the message through the movie. The play contains humor and the character take themselves very seriously. Brutus calms, explains for his action so that makes his tone stately dignity even at moments of intense crisis. I feel the serious, vengeful, proud and determined in the whole movie. It’s helping me get the plot of the story as soon as.

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In the book, you have to imagine what’s the character wear between civilian and the noble. Beside, the movie is a kind of art has already created by the director, you also no chance to imagine something in your own world, because everything is in front of you. Movie are too much entertainment to the physical eyes and keep them busy and attractive in. In part of helping you remember the character in the play quickly and do not get confuse. An added benefit of movies is the music and visual designs that enhance the experience of watching a film and in that moment, you feel exactly what the characters feel.

As reading the book, you have to imagine how the background look like. However, Shakespeare is successful in choosing a period of great conflict in Roman Republic. So the movie is created during 44 and 42 BC. The whole play Shakespeare choose in the city of Rome to talking about the planning of single character. And the final scene is battlefield in Greece. The background is shown the historical of this movie. Also, Shakespeare writes in his own language in the book it makes you confuse to get the real idea. Throughout the movie, you are able guess what’s happened in the story that you not really sure.

After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus tells the crowd that Caesar is a terrible leader. Brutus speech is very short and spoke to the logic of the people. He uses the normal language and shows crowd what he is and his conspirators are doing the best for Rome. Brutus confidently believes that crowd is honorable as him. He tells crowd that he kills Caesar out of a lack of love for him because his love for Rome more than. At this moment, the crowd trusts and votes for Brutus become a King.

On the other hand, Antony takes full advantage when speak under Brutus. Antony is very persuasive, he uses emotion which is pathos in his speech with the crowd. He cries while speaking, this creates empathy of the crowd in the angry mood. He repeats and calls Brutus is a “honorable man” over and over. Then he lists all of the things Caesar has done for Rome. He says about the will and tells them that Caesar makes the citizens his heirs and that each one of them is going to receive gold. He tells the people Caesar’s rule helps turn Rome from a republic into an empire. The repetition of the Antony makes the people confuse. Because, he wants to let people think about that. When people think, their emotion will raise more than listening to others. Moreover, that is why he repeats “honorable man” over and over times. At now, the crowd knows Antony loses his best friend and does not revenge Brutus anymore. That makes the civil identify for Caesar.

Shakespeare is doing well in using the metaphor in the character to shows differences. And also the character has nice and skillful performance in reveal the emotion such as anger, sadness, empathy and violence.

However, I was a bit disappointed when Brutus and Cassius do not have to bid for what are they doing. They choose the option that they kill themselves. In the the movie, it is not like what I expect. In the movie, Brutus tells another person to hold a sword and he will run into it. But, in the book, the person just stabs Brutus.

In conclusion, book and movie are very successful the ways to attract the individuals. However, I recommend watching a movie because it’s more easy, convenient for people to get the main message that Shakespeare wants us to know. If you are a fantasy person, you should read Julius Caesar book. You can create your own world, your own background and also can make a new ending. In addition, you can learn some Shakespeare’s words to make rap or song.