Answer:
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1776. Specifically, the document explains why the thirteen colonies no longer considered themselves under British rule. William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar (1599), is based on true events from Roman history. It portrays the conspiracy to prevent Caesar from becoming dictator, or all-powerful ruler, of Rome. Both texts use purposeful language to illustrate that rebellion is sometimes necessary to obtain freedom and liberty.
The Declaration of Independences argues that all people are created equally and that it is necessary to rebel against any government that does not accept this position. For example, Jefferson writes that “all men are created equal” and are entitled to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The words equal, liberty, and happiness have a positive connotation that are associated with joy. Therefore, this language emphasizes the joy of freedom with the new government. Later, the document states that “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.” Some may argue that rebellion is rarely a good idea. However, the description of the British government as “destructive” to liberty and happiness supports the decision to rebel against Great Britain.
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the characters Brutus and Cassius express concerns about Caesar’s rule over Rome and, eventually, they rebel against him to achieve freedom for the Roman people. In fact, Cassius describes Caesar “Like a Colossus” and the people of Rome as “petty men” walking beneath him. This metaphor emphasizes Cassius’s displeasure at the inequality that he feels next to Caesar. After the conspiracy against Caesar takes place, Brutus appeals to the Roman people by asking them, “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” This question implies that if they had not rebelled against Caesar, the Roman people would have lost their freedom.
In conclusion, both the Declaration of Independence and Julius Caesar present the idea that rebellion is sometimes required to obtain freedom and liberty. Jefferson uses words such as equal and happiness to promote the importance of freedom. He also uses the word destructive to describe the British government. This language conveys the idea that the people need to rebel against Britain in order to achieve freedom. Shakespeare’s character Cassius describes Caesar as a dictator with the comparison to a “Colossus.” The speech by Brutus, Caesar’s longtime friend, argues that the rebellion against Caesar was necessary to ensure freedom for the people of Rome. Overall, both texts may also imply that not only is freedom important but that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure it.
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