Question

“Remember Caesar” is a light hearted comedy. Discuss the statement in a group and identify various aspects such as title, plot, and characterisation that contribute to the humour in the play

Answer 1

Remember Caesar is a light-hearted comedy. The name Caesar is the name of a tragic hero Julius Caesar in one of the plays of William Shakespeare. Weston gives an appointment to Mr. Caesar to discuss rose tree planting work in his garden. Just to remind him of the proffered appointment, he scribbles two words “Remember Caesar” and keeps that scrap of paper in his coat pocket. Roger, the assistant of the judge elevates him to the level of a tragic hero. He flatters the judge that his death could be a great loss to England as he was a great impartial judge whose integrity could not be bargained or bribed. Mrs. Weston’s entry lightens up the whole drama and the tragedy transitions into a dark comedy. Lady Weston keeps hinting about earlier attempts when he was eating a game pie.

She becomes seriously playful when she says, “you’ve always wanted to be a great man and now you’ve got your wish. They don’t assassinate nobodies.” She cool-headedly tells her husband that he can stay indoors and have drinks. Lady Weston asks her husband if someone was planning to murder him. He says, “obviously”. She gives a curt retort, “I wonder someone hasn’t done it long ago. A great many people must hate judges. And you are a strict judge, they say.” When Weston says he has instructed Roger to barricade all doors, her immediate worry is about the grocery awaited. She asks if he was expecting both French and Dutch together in the attempt to assassinate. When Weston asks if a little pepper was more important to her than her husband’s life, she says that he would be the first person to complain if the bread was short and the gravy thin. The cook disobeys the order. She has never been “behind the bars”. She will handle anyone who enters by the kitchen. A judge and his assistant want the door locked but a cook is not afraid. Lady Weston doesn’t want to send away the cook. She is practical. She wants her to stay back to cook his pet dishes.

Lady Weston brings a handful of candles to keep the room lit if Mr. Weston has to stay underground for a while. A velvet coat is construed as an infernal machine that could blow up the whole place is smothered with books inside a pail of water to the great annoyance of Lady Weston. She casually reminds her husband that doctor disapproves of excitement. It was only on this account, Lady Weston bears the nonsense and whimsical behavior of Mr. Weston. The arrival of Mr. Caesar only sorts out the knot. The judge remembers to meet Mr. Caesar on 15th March.