In what ways have conflicting perspectives on events, personalities or situations been represented in William Shakespeares Julius Caesar and two other related texts of your own choosing?
In Shakespeares play Julius Caesar, documentary Whale Science, featured on the ABC television show Catalyst and report Multiple analysis of the whaling issue: Understanding the dispute by a matrix by Joji Morishita conflicting perspectives on various events, personalities and situations are represented using different literal and visual techniques. Although composed decades apart, the conflicts in Julius Caesar are somewhat similar to those featured in Whale Science and Multiple analysis of the whaling issue: Understanding the dispute by a matrix.The battle for power between Caesar, Brutus and Cassius is not unlike the battle for commercial whaling rights between the pro-whaling and anti-whaling nations, particularly Australia and Japan, featured in both Whale Science and Morishita report.
In Julius Caesar, playwright Shakespeare portrays Caesar as neither the hero or the tyrant, yet subtly hints at both. This question of hero or tyrant creates the basis of the conflict featured in Julius Caesar. The play opens with a scene of public celebration, as it is not only the day Caesar triumphantly returns from Spain, but also the Feast of the Lupercal. Historically Caesar returned from Spain in October, but Shakespeare chooses to change his return date to that of a religious holiday in ancient Rome. By doing so Shakespeare manages to suggest to the audience that Caesar is being compared to Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, and this symbolizes a godliness in Caesar. It is in techniques such as this that help Shakespeare to paint a heroic picture of Caesar, yet two senators Flavius and Marallus are put to silence for simply removing Caesars trophies in the first scene, which then contrasts against this noble image of Caesar, and gives way to a more tyrant-like image. Although the play is titled Julius Caesar he is assassinated during scene 3, and the play then focuses more on the conflicting perspectives of Caesar rather than Caesar himself.
In the environmentally-conscious society of today the issue of whaling is an incredibly prominent one. The documentary Whale Science presents viewers with one perspective on the whaling situation affecting our globe. As the documentary opens and the quiet, sinister music plays over serene images of whales frolicking in the ocean it is immediately evident that this documentary does not support commercial or scientific whaling. The music then fades out, and a detailed description of a whale being slaughtered, paired with images of a bloody whale carcass being dragged upon a Japanese ship, is told by whale activist Shane Rattenbury. Rattenbury retells the death of the whale in present tense The third shot then left a gaping wound. We could see the whale still desperately trying to escape, and this combined with his own emotion-injected response to the whale murder Its a really gut wrenching moment and a terrible sense of failure when you realise that whale youve spent the last two hours trying to protect its come to an end. attempts to convince and represent to viewers the atrocity of the slaughter, and a conflicting perspective.
Joji Morishita's report, Multiple analysis of the whaling issue: Understanding the dispute by a matrix rebuts Whale Sciences emotional based argument and aims to bring whaling into a positive light, using scientific facts and reasoning; according to these results, which are based on the agreement by the Scientific Committee, some species of whales are abundant and others are increasing rapidly, sometimes at a rate of more than 10% annually to represent his conflicting perspectives on whaling. Morishita keeps emotive language to a minimum and instead uses cynical and certain-sounding passages such as totally misleading statements such as whales are endangered when there are over 80 different species of cetaceans and the statement is as wrong as stating birds are endangered to represent his perspective. Morishita pays homage to both perspectives of the conflict, beginning each section of the report with a downside of whaling some say whales are viewed as special and different from other animals and, therefore, they should not be killed but then following it up with a statement that contradicts the first, whales are not different from any other animals and they can be sustainably utilized as food resources. This technique makes readers question their beliefs on whaling, and helps convince responders that whaling is not an entirely harmful enterprise.
Shakespeare also uses the subtle technique of contradiction seen in Morishitas report in play Julius Caesar, this time with a hint of Irony. Both Antony and Brutus perform a speech to the Roman crowd after Caesars death, Brutus doing so in an attempt to convince the crowd that the conspirators murder of Caesar was fair, while Antony aims to do the opposite and slyly give the audience the impression that Caesar died an unjust death. As Brutus draws his speech that claims he loved Romes freedom more than Caesar; Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? to a close Antony begins his with the technique of flattery, that slowly but surely begins to woo the crowd; You gentle Romans Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears! Antony promises to Brutus and Cassius that he will not speak ill of them or their actions, and only lay Caesar to rest and he keeps his word, cleverly manipulating the crowd with anecdotal statements followed by rhetorical questions such as I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? The anecdotes act as proof of Caesars greatness, and allows Shakespeare to aptly represent conflicting perspectives in Antonys speech. Throughout his speech Antony uses irony to make the audience question Brutuss speech; repeating the line And Brutus is an honourable man after lines that clearly contradict this notion. The crowd is easily manipulated by Antonys sneaky speech and after sharing with the commoners the contents of Caesars will he has them completely on side. The two speeches contrast against each other, and the techniques in both of them accurately represent the conflicting perspectives in the play.
Throughout all three of my texts various conflicting perspectives are represented and portrayed, using different medias and techniques. The battle of power is evident in all of them; Brutus and Cassiuss battle against Caesar for the crown, and in turn Antonys battle against them, and the pro-whaling nations battle against the ant-whaling nations of the world. It seems that the conflict in Julius Caesar, Whale Science and Multiple analysis of the whaling issue: Understanding the dispute by a matrix all stems from a want of power and these conflicting perspectives are represented throughout all texts using various techniques.
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