What do the above lines tell you about Caesar's character?
What do the above lines tell you about Caesar's character?
Official answer
The lines reveal that Caesar is ambitious, vain, and easily swayed by flattery — he abandons his earlier caution and calls Calpurnia's fears 'foolish' the moment Decius offers a flattering reinterpretation, showing that his desire for glory outweighs genuine concern for his wife's warning.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for identifying at least one relevant character trait such as ambition, arrogance, or susceptibility to flattery, supported by reference to the text.
Hint
Focus on how quickly Caesar changes his decision after Decius speaks, and what he calls Calpurnia's fears.
Quick oral answer
The lines reveal that Caesar is ambitious and arrogant. He is easily swayed by flattery, as Decius convinces him to dismiss Calpurnia's genuine fears as foolish, showing his desire for the crown outweighs caution.
Common mistakes
- 1.Writing only that Caesar is brave or courageous, which misses the negative traits like ambition and susceptibility to flattery that the extract specifically highlights.
- 2.Providing a generic character sketch of Caesar from the entire play instead of focusing specifically on what the given lines reveal about his personality.
- 3.Failing to mention his arrogance in dismissing Calpurnia's fears as foolish, which is the most direct textual evidence of his character flaw in this passage.
Analysis and explanation
This is a character-inference question (Bloom's 'analyse' level): students must interpret what Caesar's words and actions reveal about him, not just recall the plot.
Concept
- The lines show Caesar first yielding to Calpurnia's fears, then swiftly reversing his decision once Decius offers a flattering reinterpretation of her dream.
- This rapid reversal exposes ambition, vanity, and susceptibility to flattery rather than genuine courage.
Key textual evidence
- Caesar calls Calpurnia's fears "foolish" once Decius reinterprets them favourably — showing he values his public image and the promise of a crown over his wife's genuine concern.
Common mistakes
- Writing only that Caesar is "brave" or "strong," which misses the negative traits (arrogance, vanity) the extract actually highlights.
- Failing to support the trait with a specific reference to the text (e.g., the word "foolish").
Real-world connection
- The passage illustrates how leaders can be manipulated through flattery, a caution relevant to real-world leadership and decision-making.
Interesting facts
The historical Julius Caesar was known for his extraordinary oratory skills and political cunning, yet Shakespeare deliberately portrays him as susceptible to flattery to foreshadow his tragic downfall on March 15, 44 BC.
Shakespeare's Caesar speaks about himself in the third person multiple times in the play, a rhetorical device called illeism, which was used to emphasize Caesar's inflated sense of self-importance and near-godlike self-perception.
The phrase 'Beware the Ides of March' from this play has become one of the most famous warnings in English literature. The Ides of March (March 15) was actually a deadline for settling debts in the Roman calendar.
Question details
Q38 of 47 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 10
- Subject
- English (Communicative)
- Year
- 2025
- Section
- Section D
- Marks
- 1
- Type
- Short Answer
- Chapter
- Literature
- Topic
- Julius Caesar
- Bloom's level
- analyze
- Syllabus topic
- Drama - Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (Character analysis of Caesar from Act II, Scene 2)
- Updated
- 2026-02-19
- Author
- Padhantu
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu
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Frequently asked questions
Why is Caesar considered arrogant in this scene?
Caesar dismisses Calpurnia's genuine fears as foolish and changes his decision based on flattery from Decius, showing that his pride and desire for the crown matter more to him than the safety concerns of his wife.
How does Decius Brutus use flattery to change Caesar's mind?
Decius reinterprets Calpurnia's dream positively, saying the blood spouting from Caesar's statue signifies that Rome draws life from him. He also mentions the senate plans to offer Caesar a crown, appealing directly to Caesar's ambition.
Is Caesar entirely negative as a character in this scene?
Not entirely. Caesar initially shows love for Calpurnia by agreeing to stay home. However, his susceptibility to flattery and his desire for power ultimately override his concern for his wife, revealing his flawed judgment.