There are many examples of places in which manipulation is used today. One such example is in the politics. Political leaders, for example Donald Trump, try to sway the public’s emotion so that they will get elected to office. Just like in the real world, there are many different areas where manipulation occurs in the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. These areas include manipulation in politics, manipulation within your family or friends, and manipulation within ourselves.
One example of a person who manipulates in politics is Cassius, who manipulates Brutus into joining the conspirators and into killing Caesar. Julius Caesar is gaining a lot of support and may become a dictator or ruler. Cassius feels like Caesar should be killed in order to save the Republic of Rome. Cassius has convinced a lot of wise and able conspirators to be on his side, but one person who he has not convinced is Brutus. He meets with Brutus and tries to hint to him to join the conspiracy. Brutus understands what Cassius is saying and says that he will ponder it. Brutus then leaves Cassius, who is alone. In his soliloquy, Cassius reveals that he has a plan to convince Brutus. This plan is that Cassius will send letters that he wrote to Brutus “as if they came from several citizens” (1.2.312). When Brutus reads these letters, he is convinced that Caesar must be killed because he is too ambitious. Another character who uses manipulation in politics is Antony. Antony asks Brutus if he can speak at Caesar’s funeral. Brutus foolishly gives Antony permissions, but he says that Antony will speak after Brutus. Brutus’ speech causes the commoners to support him and agree that Caesar had to be killed because he was ambitious. After Brutus, Antony comes to speak. Antony uses emotion to convince the commoners that Caesar was indeed not ambitious. This causes the crowd to become very angry. Antony further manipulates the crowd by showing Caesar’s will, but he mentions that “let but the commoners hear this testament which, pardon me, I do not mean to read” (3.2.128-129). This further tantalizes the crowd for the will, and Antony accidently discloses that “tis good you know not that you are his heirs” (3.2.142-143). After revealing this, the crowd forces him to read the will, which says that Caesar has expressed a desire to have his money distributed among the commoners. This is the last straw for the commoners, and they are infuriated with the conspirators for killing Caesar. Thus, Antony’s mission is accomplished through the manipulation.
Another place where manipulation occurs is within family and friends. One character who manipulates her own family member is Portia, the wife of Brutus. Brutus has been thinking about what Cassius said about how Caesar is ambitious and he should be killed. Brutus does not know which side to support, because although what Cassius is saying is for the future of the Republic of Rome, Caesar is his friend.Portia notices a change in the behavior Brutus and realizes that he is worried. She asks him why and he responds that he is sick.Portia sees right through Brutus, and she says that she has the right to know because she is his wife. Brutus still refuses, and Portia says that if he does not tell her, this like of trust shows that “Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife” (2.1.189). She then goes on to prove her faithfulness to Brutus by “giving [herself] a voluntary wound here in the thigh” and saying that if she can suffer from this pain and still not complain, she is faithful enough to her husband to hear his worries (2.1.302-303). This emotional manipulation causes Brutus to give in and he tells her the reason why he is worried. One character who manipulates his friends is Antony, who manipulates Lepidus. Lepidus is an able soldier who is supposed to be part of the Second Triumvirate with Octavius and Antony. Antony, however, does not view Lepidus as smart and questions Octavious if he should even be in the triumvirate. Antony thinks that Lepidus “is a slight, meritable man, meet to be sent on errands” (4.1.12-13). Octavius responds that Lepidus is a brave and experienced soldier, but Antony answers “so is my horse, Octavius, and for that I do appoint him store of provender” (4.1.31-32). Therefore, Lepidus, according to Antony, is nothing more that someone that is used, just like in some ways a slave.
An additional place where manipulation occurs is within ourselves. The primary example of this manipulation in Julius Caesar is Brutus. Brutus is considered to be very noble by almost everyone in the play. Brutus wants to keep this image, and therefore he tries to convince himself that killing Caesar is the right thing to do. Caesar is his friend and it is very hard for Brutus to convince himself, but in the end with some help, he thinks that “it must be by [Caesar’s] death” that the Republic of Rome is saved (2.1.10). This manipulation causes Brutus to kill Caesar, thinking that Caesar is too ambitious, even though Caesar has not done much to show his ambition. Another person who manipulates himself is Julius Caesar. Caesar appears to think that he is above and better than all the other people around him. Right before Caesar is about to be killed, Metellus Cimber asks Caesar if he can repeal the order for the banishment of Metellus’ brother. Caesar, being as he is, tells Mettelus to not be foolish enough “to think that [he] bears such rebel blood that will be thawed” by flattery (3.1.40-41). Metellus continues to request and Brutus and Cassius join him. Caesar then arrogantly responds that “[he] could be well moved if [he] were as [Brutus, Cassius, and Metellus]” (3.1.58). Caesar manipulates himself into thinking that he is above all people, and this is one of the causes of his downfall. Soon after Metellus begs him, Caesar is killed by the conspirator’s for being too ambitious.
Manipulation can happen in many places, places that you expect like in politics, but also places that you would never suspect to have manipulation. For example, in ourselves or with friends, even with family. This manipulation can be good, but it can also have deadly outcomes, like for Brutus and Cassius.