Woman's Role
Most would agree that without women, the
story line in Caesar would falter. Without Calphurnia, Caesar's wife, the drama
of Caesar's death would not be a prominent. Portia, the strongest female
character in the story, cannot stand being an average housewife. She says
to her husband, Brutus, "Dear my lord, make me acquainted with
your cause of grief. [...] Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, is it
excepted I should know no secrets that appertain to you? Am I yourself but, as
it were, in sort or limitation, to keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
and talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs of your good pleasure? If
it be no more, Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife. " Just because she
is a woman does not mean she should be excluded from her husbands life. Portia
is infuriated in the fact that her husband will not confide in his wife just
because she is a woman. To prove her point, she says, "I grant I am a
woman; but withal a woman well-reputed, Cato's daughter. Think you I am no
stronger than my sex, being so father'd and so husbanded? Tell me your
counsels, I will not disclose 'em: I have
made strong proof of my constancy, giving myself a voluntary wound here, in the
thigh: can I bear that with patience. And not my husband's secrets?" She
proves her seriousness and breaks the woman stereotype by stabbing herself in
the thigh. She showed Brutus that a woman is just as strong as a man. This
moment proves that Portia is Brutus' backbone, for Brutus gives in and tells
her his secret. Calphurnia is a stereotypical woman in the Elizabethan Era,
when the play was written. Portia, on the other hand, is slightly different.
She voices her opinion and is so loyal to Brutus that when he falls out of
power, she kills herself by swallowing hot coals.
Men's Role
In the Elizabethan Era, when Julius Caesar was written, there were very
sexist rules. Women didn’t speak their mind and they could not enter nor
participate in politics. In Julius Caesar, there are only two women in the
whole play. In fact, the word “men” occurs 54 times in the script, the word “women”
only appears 4 times. The women in the play even give in to the stereotype.
After her dream, Calphurina says, “Alas, my lord, your wisdom is consumed in
confidence. Do not go forth today. Call it my fear that keeps you in the house,
and not your own. We’ll send Mark Antony to the Senate House, and he shall say
you are not well today. Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this. ….Say he is sick.”
Even Calphurina knows the role of a woman. She tells her husband to blame it on
her because she is being a worried, doting wife and he would hate to upset her
that way he doesn’t look weak like a woman because he is afraid. Portia even
acknowledges the weakness of a woman. She says, “I must go in. Ay me, how weak
a thing the heart of woman is!” In this moment, she is explaining how her weak
woman heart is compelling her to spill her husband’s, Brutus, secret about
killing Caesar. Her desire to gossip, apparently, is part of “the weak woman
heart.” The men have a very belittled view of women as well. When it comes to
Calphurina’s dream, Decius Brutus reinterprets it and says, “This dream is all amiss interpreted; it was a vision fair and fortunate:
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, in which so many smiling Romans
bathed, signifies that from you great Rome shall suck reviving blood, and that great
men shall press for tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance. This by Calphurnia's
dream is signified. [...] Besides, it were a mock apt to be render'd, for some
one to say 'break up the senate till another time, when Caesar's wife shall
meet with better dreams.'
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper 'Lo, Caesar is afraid'?” Decius Brutus might have well said, “Calphurina, you’re so stupid. Why would you be afraid for your husband because he is great. You are so ignorant and incompetent. The dream was clearly a tale of greatness.” Because of what Decius Brutus, a man, had said Caesar’s reply was, “How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia! I am ashamed I did yield to them. Give me my robe, for I will go.” This line basically said that Caesars agrees with Decius Brutus. How dare Calphurnia keep him from going to the Senate? Caesar is a strong man, not weak like a woman.
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper 'Lo, Caesar is afraid'?” Decius Brutus might have well said, “Calphurina, you’re so stupid. Why would you be afraid for your husband because he is great. You are so ignorant and incompetent. The dream was clearly a tale of greatness.” Because of what Decius Brutus, a man, had said Caesar’s reply was, “How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia! I am ashamed I did yield to them. Give me my robe, for I will go.” This line basically said that Caesars agrees with Decius Brutus. How dare Calphurnia keep him from going to the Senate? Caesar is a strong man, not weak like a woman.