Secondary Characters in Julius Caesar
The Conspirators
Casca
Casca serves as a crucial bridge between Cassius and the other conspirators. His cynical and blunt personality provides both comic relief and important exposition.
ExampleIn Act 1, Scene 2, Casca's vivid description of Caesar refusing the crown three times reveals both his sardonic nature and provides crucial information:
"I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown—yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets—and, as I told you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it."
Decius Brutus
A master manipulator who proves instrumental in getting Caesar to the Senate on the Ides of March. His ability to reinterpret Calpurnia's dreams showcases the power of rhetoric and manipulation.
TipPay attention to how Decius's manipulation of Caesar contrasts with Brutus's straightforward nature, highlighting different forms of persuasion in the play.
Cinna, Metellus Cimber, and Trebonius
These conspirators, while having fewer lines, help demonstrate the widespread dissatisfaction with Caesar's power. Each plays a specific role in the assassination plot.
The Supporters
Calpurnia
Caesar's wife represents the domestic sphere and supernatural warnings. Her prophetic dreams and intuition provide dramatic irony.
NoteCalpurnia's character helps develop the theme of fate versus free will, as her warnings go unheeded by Caesar.
