A Probable Italian Source of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Boecker examines various Italian texts from the Renaissance particularly focusing on works by authors such as Plutarch and Niccolò Machiavelli who were widely read during Shakespeare's time. The study suggests that Shakespeare may have been influenced by the Italian perspective on the events of 44 B.C. particularly the moral and political issues involved in Caesar’s rise to power and eventual assassination. By comparing Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to these Italian sources Boecker analyzes how themes like betrayal political power and honor were treated in Renaissance Italy and how these elements might have impacted Shakespeare’s own interpretation of Roman history. The work highlights the interconnection between English and Italian Renaissance literature offering insights into the cross-cultural influences that shaped Shakespeare’s historical plays.