Tyranny in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

How much power is too much to vest in the hands of one person? For Cassius and Brutus, two of Caesar’s closest confidantes, the question is difficult to resolve because the answer might mean murdering their friend. This compelling volume probes the moral and political dilemmas posed in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar through the lens of tyranny. A series of essays discuss the complex politics of Rome, how the play presents the anarchy-tyranny dilemma as inevitable, and draws modern comparisons to leaders in Iran, Cuba, and the United States. Contributors include Stephen Greenblatt and Peter Ackroyd.