Writing An Outstanding Compare And Contrast Essay On Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was a man now drenched in mystery but simultaneously kept vividly alive by history. His many exploits were daring, fascinating and very often extremely questionable. To say that he was an interesting individual does not do him justice. There is so much to be said about him in an essay comparing, for instance, his ‘good’ deeds and his ‘bad’ deeds. Below are some tips on how to write an outstanding essay comparing and contrasting the many sides of Julius Caesar.
Start with the history books!
You need to get your facts absolutely straight before you dive into the world of one of the greatest and most feared rulers of all time. Before you even start writing your essay, you’ll need to put a lot of time into acquainting yourself with the many sides of Julius Caesar. Make sure you understand him, his exploits and personality through not only the eyes of history but also through contemporary accounts, including, for instance, his own works such as De Bello Africo (or ‘On the African War’).
Weigh the good and the bad
Depending on what you are contrasting in this essay, the next step will be finding plenty of examples to use and to compare to one another. For example, although history remembers Caesar as a powerful emperor, he certainly made some mistakes in his time. What were they? How do they compare to the things he did really well? Also think about his character and how he was portrayed - and continues to be portrayed - in literature, film and plays. Did he have good and bad sides to his personality? What demonstrates these aspects best?
Bring in the comments of other authors
What will really make your essay stand out is commenting on the reviews and conclusions of other academics. For instance, if in a book you are reading someone concludes that Caesar was a great and good man, can you offer some compelling evidence that he was not? This approach is a fantastic one because it really deepens your understanding not only of Julius Caesar himself, but also of the way that he has been immortalised in history and by people studying him in posterity. It also gives us an idea why his name is so easily remembered and why he is so well studied in schools through both history and literature.