The Trouble with Power Essays - 1025 Words

Many of Shakespeares plays explore the issue of political power. These works investigate how political power is acquired; how it is wielded; and most importantly how it effects the individual. Shakespeare seeks to illustrate through the tragic lives of his characters Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, and Marcus Antony that political power is a destructive force when it is not respected and utilized responsibly. The character Coriolanus was a man accustomed to power. He was a great warrior skilled in the art of physical domination and was adept at controlling thousands of men. Coriolanus was comfortable in his position as a leader of the armies of Rome because no one questioned his authority. In his capacity as†¦show more content†¦His military mode of thinking made him believe that he should never compromise. In his opinion to compromise was to admit defeat. The final flaw was his all-encompassing pride. Pride directed his every move in l life and caused him to react in a childish, stubborn manner. Coriolanus was a failure in his bid for political power because he did not have the capacity for compromise. He was unable to learn that to gain power sometimes you had to back off from your position and consider the other point of view. His pride overwhelmed his sensibilities and he blindly responded with outrage to all situations in which his power was called into question. In the end, his pride was the ultimate cause of his destruction. The play Julius Caesar looks at the problem of being too comfort able with power. At the starting point of the play, Caesar is the most powerful man in Rome, a fact which he is well aware of. His power and position seem to be securely in place. But, Caesar has made a serious miscalculation at this point in his life. He has become too comfortable in his power and feels that he is untouchable. As a result of this feeling of security, Caesar makes several mistakes which seal his fate. Caesar feels that he is safely ensconced in his ruling position and so he can abuse his power. He is a popular ruler who isShow MoreRelatedThe Security of Nuclear Power in the U.S.: We May Be in Trouble593 Words   |  2 Pagesthe issue of nuclear energy only in terms of price considerations. This is a discomforting notion considering the myriad of risks involved, especially in light of the consequences that have occurred at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine. 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