What is the central idea of this excerpt?

What is the central idea of this excerpt?

A. the power of love

B. the value of peace

C. the ruthlessness of power

D. the importance of compromise

Answer: D. the importance of compromise

The provided choices, “the power of love” and “the value of peace” do not fit well in the general ideas buttoned to the play Julius Caesar authored by Shakespeare. The latter is much less concerned with political power, the aspiration for it and retribution for the deeds committed to gain it.

Succumbing to the rivals or failing to do so, always affects the further action, which can be vividly observed in Julius Caesar. The failure of characters to compromise or even to bargain with each other results in rivalry, and thus, disaster. For example:

I will also show that Caesar failed to consider a middle ground when it comes to the absolute power and authority that had been ascribed to him, and basically, his intransigency resulted in his death. He disobeys calls for caution and people’s opinions and does not submit to the Senate or potential opponents.

In Brutus’s character, one can see a man who is caught between his love for Caesar and the duties of a Roman citizen and senator; this man is incapable of striking a balance between the two. His idealist views and the lack of compromise led to the events following Caesar’s death.

The confrontation between the conspirators and Caesar’s followers after the assassination aptly illustrates the consequences of the inability to seek compromise in political quarrels.

While “the importance of compromise” is not named as the topic of the show, one can notice the importance of compromise when it comes to the actions and outcomes of the characters and the general storyline. Kowtsew and his followers show the audience that extremism leads to repression, which, in turn, produces the very results the characters wish to prevent.