Journal 2
5. "At first glance – if any of us can pretend to see the play for the first time – we notice an apparent simplicity of style. Where Shakespeare’s first tragedy, Titus Andronicus had its elaborate, highly evident rhetoric and its fifty or so allusions to mythology to make it ‘Roman,’ Julius Caesar shows us that Shakespeare has learned that the Roman world need not be created by a display of book learning. Here he apparently tried to create a spare, dry, ‘simple’ or austere Roman world" (Mizener).
I have never heard of Titus Andronicus, let alone have read it, and of course I have no idea what it is about. I haven’t finished reading Julius Caesar either, except for Act one, Scenes one and two. When someone talks of Rome, where both these plays take place, a person might think from war to mythology or to the Roman Coliseum.
Shakespeare might have written his first tragedy to epitomize examples of all three in order to impress the general public. Once he had established that fact that he can write, he may not need all the technical fancies that were once essential. The story line of Titus Andronicus might call for allusions to mythology, because the story might be about people or actions, which represent the gods or their doings. In Julius Caesar there is no need for allusions referring to mythology because Caesar was the God in all of Rome’s eyes. They treated him like they would a god; thus lavishing him with all the luxuries anyone could ask for. But then again, he was the most powerful man they knew of, and he knew that too. He definitely took advantage of his standpoint.
In Act one Scene two, Cassius tries to diminish that standpoint in Brutus’ eyes. First he goes in and tells Brutus what an honorable man he is, and how much the public looks up to him. This is to make him comfortable and at ease. Then he talks about how equal he is in comparison to Caesar, in strength, wealth, and power. Then Cassius goes one step further and tells a story about how he saved Caesar, therefore making Caesar less of a man that what the world thinks. One man won’t bring down Caesar’s reputation, but if Brutus is that man, he can fight Caesar, and possibly win. Therefore Cassius to manipulating Brutus to be on his side, against Caesar.
The language is not altogether difficult as Shakespeare is renowned to writing. So far I have found no allusions to mythology of any kind. My conclusion to this quote is that the style of writing is parallel to the people in the story. Caesar may be a prized man, but a simple one at that. He was spare, dry, and definitely austere. If the play follows that format, like Mizener says, then my hypothesis holds true. We have yet to find out.