🎭 Commentary – Act I, Scene 1

The play opens with a loud and lively street scene. It’s February 15th — the Feast of Lupercal — a Roman holiday celebrating fertility and purification. But this year, it’s not just the festival that excites the people. They’re also celebrating Julius Caesar’s return to Rome after defeating Pompey’s sons in Spain, his last major enemies. The crowd is thrilled to have a day off work and is happy to celebrate in the streets.

While the people party, two Roman officials, Flavius and Marullus, are not pleased. They scold the crowd for celebrating Caesar, pointing out how just a little while ago, these same people were cheering for Pompey — the man Caesar has now defeated. The officials see the people as easily swayed and ungrateful. Their loyalty, they feel, depends on whoever holds power.

This moment sets the tone for one of the play’s biggest themes — power and its influence on the masses. Shakespeare uses this scene to show how quickly public opinion can shift. The tribunes (Flavius and Marullus) represent those who want to protect the Republic from becoming a dictatorship under Caesar. They see danger in Caesar being treated like a god — with statues, parades, and cheers.

🏛️ A Mix of History and Drama

Shakespeare combines historical fact with theatrical drama. The Lupercal festival, which truly happened in ancient Rome, involved sacrifices and rituals meant to encourage fertility. By placing Caesar’s victory celebration on the same day, Shakespeare gives the scene a double meaning — blending religion, politics, and power.

Interestingly, Shakespeare compares Caesar’s return to a ceremonial entrance, much like a victorious king or even a religious figure. This might remind Christian audiences of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem — another example of how public celebration can turn to tragedy.

🧱 Blending Rome with Elizabethan England

You might notice references to things like “chimney tops” and “towers” — structures that didn’t exist in ancient Rome. Shakespeare includes them anyway, not because he made a mistake, but because he wanted his audience to relate. His plays were meant to feel current and emotionally real, even if that meant tweaking history a little.

🎭 Character Comedy Meets Politics

To add humor, Shakespeare introduces the witty cobbler — a pun-loving shoemaker who mocks the tribunes with clever wordplay. But beneath the comedy lies something more serious: the cobbler represents the voice of the everyday Roman. His lines show how common people often follow emotion more than logic.

At the same time, the tribunes' harsh tone shows their fear that Caesar’s popularity could lead to tyranny. This is one of the first signs of the central conflict of the play — should Caesar hold so much power?

🩸 Blood, Loyalty & Betrayal

By ending the scene with Flavius and Marullus deciding to remove Caesar’s decorations, Shakespeare foreshadows the bigger plot: some Romans will soon try to take Caesar down before he becomes a dictator. He also introduces the idea that "blood will have blood" — in this case, celebrating Caesar’s victory means forgetting Pompey’s defeat, and that betrayal may come with consequences.