Civil War in William Shekespeare's Julius Caesar

Abstract

This research deals with the causes and motives of civil war and its terrible consequences on the members of the society in which it breaks out. Hence, individuals are made to suffer the trauma of loosing their relatives and friends, and all forms of destruction, not to mention the social disintegration and the other social diseases, like prostitution, robbery and all sorts of criminal actions.The research aims at acquainting the reader with William Shakespeare's treatment of this devastating war and his attitude towards it. As usual, Shakespeare always tries to give a foreign setting like Rome and Verona, or Venice, for instance, an English atmosphere as if the audience were watching an English environment. Thus, Shakespeare's presentation of the theme of the civil war in his drama may stem from his moral responsibility as a dramatist conscious of the main ingredients conducive to peace, prosperity, and all signs of happiness to prevail among his people. For Shakespeare, when writing the play, was fully aware of the past civil wars from which the English society had suffered too much—the War of the Roses (1455-1485), for example, which he referred to and elaborated in the three parts of Henry VI, and which will be touched upon in this paper according to its relevance. Over ages mankind forms different nations, each has its own sects, races, factions, and religious groups in which, for example, one particular group within one nation considers, for one reason or another, another group within the same nation their enemy. The two groups are to belong to two different sects, colour, religion, etc. Both groups may eventually organize armed forces to fight each