JULIUS CAESAR:

CROWD PSYCHOLOGY AND

MOB RULE

Crowd vs Mob

Crowd Psychology

Mob Rule

How does Crowd Psychology and

Mob Rule apply in Julius Caesar

AGENDA

We have discussed the importance of the main characters in the play

Caesar, Brutus, Antony, Cassius, Casca etc.

But what we have not yet examined is another entity that is just as if not even more important

These characters are the ones who control the ones who rule Rome and the ones who don’t

WHAT IS IT THEY WANT?

Every political character is always trying to

win this entity over

Caesar does it

Cassius is jealous because Caesar can do it

Cassius convinces Brutus to be afraid of

Caesar’s control of it

Brutus controls it (for a while)

Antony controls it for a little longer before he

unleashes it

WHAT IS IT THEY WANT?

So what is it?

THE CROWD

THE CROWD

THE CROWD

(ROMAN CITIZENS)

CAESAR

BRUTUS ANTONY

CONSPIRATORS

That’s who Caesar, Brutus, Antony,

Cassius and all the other politicians are

fighting for

The crowd are the Roman citizens

If the politicians can win them over, they

gain control of Rome

So what is a crowd?

THE CROWD

What’s crowd psychology?

It is the study of crowd behaviour

Individual Crowd Members vs The Crowd

Crowd behaviour is heavily influenced by

the loss of responsibility of the individual

and the universality of behaviour, both of

which increase with the size of the crowd

CROWD PSYCHOLOGY

Summary:

The bigger a crowd, the less responsible

people feel they need to be

The easier it is to incite the crowd

toward certain actions (Positive or

Negative)

CROWD PSYCHOLOGY

A CROWD is made up of random individuals

gathered for no specific purpose

CROWD VS MOB

CROWD PSYCHOLOGY

Play video on Pavlov’s experiment

The Crowd: Gather to celebrate Caesar’s victory (Act 1)

‘We make holiday to see Caesar and rejoice in his triumph’ (1.1.33-4)

The people support Caesar

Listen to Brutus’ speech after Caesar’s death. (Act 3)

‘Live Brutus! Live! Live!’ (3.2.48)

They quickly forgive Brutus for killing Caesar when he offers the Crowd his life

CAESAR - CROWD

Listen to Antony’s speech (Act 3)

‘Methinks there is much reason in his

sayings’ (3.2.109)

‘Poor soul! His eyes are red as fire with

weeping’ (3.2.116)

They’re still a peaceful, thinking crowd

… at least at first.

This will change very quickly.

CAESAR - CROWD

A MOB is a disorderly group gathering with

the intent for violence and aggression

MOB VS CROWD

MOB Play video on Mob Rule

The Crowd becomes a Mob when they are

manipulated and directed to do certain,

specific actions:

Caesar’s manipulation of the crowd

during the crowning ceremony (1.2.237-

250)

He manipulates them so thoroughly

Casca even says that the Mob would

forgive him even if he ‘had stabbed their

mothers’ (1.2.275)

CAESAR - MOB

Antony’s mastery of the Crowd (just like

Caesar at the start of the play) is shown

when he directs them to ‘rise and mutiny’

(3.2.232) ‘revenge his death’ (3.2.247)

Through Antony’s words and manipulation,

Antony is able to direct the Mob to attack

the conspirators and revenge Caesar’s

death

All without taking any direct action himself

CAESAR - MOB

As shown, the Crowd (the Roman

Citizens) appear to be unintelligent as

they are called (by Marullus):

‘You blocks, you stones, you worse than

senseless things!’ (1.1.38)

But just because the Crowd (as an entity)

are not intelligent, it does not mean that

they are not dangerous

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE

CROWD/MOB

After all, as shown through Antony’s

speech, when the Crowd becomes a Mob,

nothing can stop them from doing

violence upon the one directing them

(eg. Antony against the conspirators in

this case)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CROWD

Under the right circumstances (Julius

Caesar and Mark Antony), it is possible

to influence the Mob and lead them to

act against their enemies

They are source of Power and Influence

in Julius Caesar that all Politicians seek

to control

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CROWD

1. What is the Importance of the Crowd in Julius Caesar?

2. How is the Crowd manipulated and controlled?

3. In what episodes and instances in the play are they manipulated and controlled?

4. How does the analysis of the Crowd change our understanding of the play: Julius Caesar?

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT