Caligula Questions

1. Camu demonstrates Caligula's heart through his need to have things that are intolerable. He states, "Really, this world of ours, the scheme of things as they call it, is quite intolerable. That's why I want the moon, or happiness, or eternal life —something, in fact, that may sound crazy, but which isn't of this world" (Camu 8). He wants to satisfy his desires, and sometimes desires cause people to feel foreign emotions that would not usually encompass their being. However, it implies that his desires are the genuine feelings that he craves, and it is not easy to suppress them regardless if they are normal or abnormal. This can sometimes become a problem because unwanted desires, still consume people no matter what they try to do. It is a matter of approaching and dealing with the desires to control the result of the active desires.

2. The people in power do not understand Caligula. Caligula says, "They're without understanding and they need a teacher; someone who knows what he's talking about" (Camu 9). They fail to place themselves in Caligula's shoes, so as a result they are always so quick to judge and disagree with how he is. For instance, his grief over his dead sister was a silly act to them. They did not understand why he was so distraught over the love a close family member. The First Patrician says, "But it's really going too far, setting all Rome in a turmoil because the girl has died"(Camu 5). It is evident that they lack the capacity to show compassion to someone when a close relative passes. Their selfish desires override their peer's feelings, thus making their views and desires number one. It is simply rude to ignore the act of understanding without putting oneself in the other's position. I do not agree with this view because the ability to understand will help people comprehend someone's reactions to things. However, the people in power will never see Caligulus' point of view because they are so involved in their own selfish thoughts. I also think that it is simply rude to ignore the act of understanding without putting oneself in the other's position.