The New Hudson Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
IV. THE TITLE
It has been justly observed that Shakespeare shows much judgment in the naming of his plays. From this observation several critics have excepted _Julius Cæsar_, pronouncing the title a misnomer, on the ground that Brutus, and not Cæsar, is the hero of it. It is indeed true that Brutus is the hero, but the play is rightly named, for Cæsar is not only the subject but also the governing power of it throughout. He is the center and springhead of the entire action, giving law and shape to everything that is said and done. This is manifestly true in what occurs before his death; and it is true in a still deeper sense afterwards, since his genius then becomes the Nemesis or retributive Providence.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.