payment page
In the play’s opening scene, Flavius and Murellus (a pair of tribunes) condemn a group of plebeians for their fickleness. Flavius and Murellus are angry and find it hypocritical that the Roman populous is so keen to cheer for Caesar when they were once equally keen to cheer for Caesar’s enemy, Pompey. Later in the text, we learn that they have been punished for criticizing Caesar. Flavius and Murellus are minor characters who only appear in a handful of scenes, but they are important for two key reasons. To begin with, the play opens with their critique of Caesar and his supporters. They may not be a part of the assassination, but Shakespeare utilizes them to create the backdrop for it, generating the impression that Caesar is not wholly beloved in Rome.
Furthermore, Flavius and Murellus represent Caesar’s tyranny. In 1.2, Casca says that the pair have been deprived of their office for removing the decorations from Caesar’s statues during his triumphal parade. This is indicative of Caesar’s abuse of power, as he is punishing those who dare to speak out against him. It is especially significant that Caesar fires two tribunes, representatives elected by the common people whose job is to defend the plebeians from authority figures who might threaten their rights. However, it’s also worth mentioning that neither Flavius nor Murellus appears to have much respect for the common folk whose interests they are supposed to protect, preoccupied as they are with class distinctions; they reproach the cobbler for not having his tools about him on a workday to suggest that they believe the only thing a laborer is good for is their labor.
