The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Believed to have been written in 1599, Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar has become the most famous account of Caesar's life and death. Adapted into dozens of films and continuously performed since its publication, the play is regarded as one of Shakespeare's best works. Portraying the 44 BC conspiracy against the Roman dictator, his murder and the defeat of his killers at the Battle of Philippi, the play is largely accurate in its references to Roman history; however, because of the play's popularity, some of its famous lines ("Et tu, Brute?"; "Let slip the dogs of war!") have become accepted as historical fact. While the play is named after Caesar and the plot centers around his actions, many critics argue that the protagonist of the play may actually be Marcus Brutus, as he speaks more than four times as many lines as Caesar. Furthermore, the play seems to center around Brutus' self-struggle between honoring one's country and being loyal to a friend.