Monday, October 7, 2019

What does Calpurnia dream about in Julius Caesar?

In act 2, scene 2, Calpurnia begs Caesar not to travel to the Senate tonight because of the numerous strange omens taking place throughout Rome. Although Calpurnia insists that he stay at home, Caesar disagrees with her because he does not want to be viewed as a coward by the Senators. However, Caesar wishes to appease his wife and initially agrees to stay home. When Decius enters the scene, he asks for an explanation to give to the Senators regarding Caesar's absence. Caesar tells Decius that Calpurnia dreamt that she saw his statue with hundreds of holes in it, where blood poured out like a fountain. Caesar also mentions that in Calpurnia's dream, smiling Roman citizens came and washed their hands in Caesar's blood. However, Decius offers Caesar a positive interpretation of the dream, which gives Caesar the confidence to overlook Calpurnia's warnings. 


Calpurnia's dream is referenced in act 2, scene 2. It is a stormy night, full of bad omens. Calpurnia says she has never believed in omens, but she is alarmed that "horrid sights" have been witnessed—a lioness giving birth in the streets, dead people emerging from the grave, and ghosts shrieking and squealing in the streets. She takes these to mean that Caesar is about to die, and she urges him not to leave the house. Caesar describes the dream she has related to him:

She dreamt tonight she saw my statue,Which like a fountain with an hundred spouts,Did run pure blood, and many lusty RomansCame smiling and did bathe their hands in it.

Calpurnia, amid a tempestuous night, is awakened by a dream that a statue of her husband is bleeding like a fountain. This, of course, presages Caesar's murder in the Senate, when his body is stabbed dozens of times by the conspirators. Caesar at first rejects his wife's entreaties and then relents, saying he will stay home. Decius, however, disputes the meaning of this dream, saying it actually signifies that Rome would "suck reviving blood" from Caesar. He further suggests that it would be seem weak on Caesar's part to refuse to attend the Senate. As the audience knows, Decius is actually one of the conspirators, and by appealing to Caesar's ego, he is essentially luring him to his doom. 

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