In today's society, the will of the people is corrupted by government power and policy. This is also evident in William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Shakespeare was born in 1564, about a hundred miles from London, in a town called Stratford-Upon-Avon. In 1585, Shakespeare had begun his career as an actor and playwright in London. Shakespeare joined a theater company, Lord Chamberlain's Men, in 1594. Because Shakespeare had a share in the theater company and the theaters where they performed, he became a wealthy man and purchased a house in Stratford for his family. However, he lived in London for most of the year due to his work. Shakespeare's theater company had built the Globe, an open-air theater, in 1599. The Globe could accommodate 3,000 people in its circular space. The costumes used in the globe plays were very realistic, which helped to compensate for the loss of scenery. Women were not allowed to perform, so the boys used their high-pitched voices and girlish costumes to create the illusion that women were playing a role. Shakespeare's play is based on the transition from the Roman Empire to the time of Julius Caesar. Shakespeare opens his play in 44 BC, at a time in Roman society when it seemed that if Caesar took power, the republic might fall. Caesar took over after the death of wealthy politician Crassius in 53 BC. Caesar also had to defeat Pompey, another Roman military general, in Egypt. This is when Caesar was crowned dictator for life, and this is where the play begins. In Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the wills of the characters clash between power and politics due to surprises, will instead of reason and wit. To begin with, Shakespeare uses surprises to demonstrate...... middle of paper ... ascensions play a key role because they show the inconsistent side of humanity. Also, instead of reason, reason will represent a key theme because it shows how different a person's will to do something is from the reason they are doing it. Finally, spirits are important because they show the change in a person's mind and body. In today's society, after reading the play, one will be able to understand why they agree with some people and fight with others. Works Cited Honigmann, EAJ “A Clash of Wills: Politics and Power in Julius Caesar.” Modern Critical Interpretations of Bloom: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2009. 112-123. Print.Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.” The new Folger Shakespeare Library: Julius Caesar. Ed. Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine. New York: WashingtonSquare Press, 1992. 3-213. Print.