From the time of the expansion of ancient Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire, women always succumbed to a life underlying the status of their omnipotent and dominant male figures. After leaving her childhood home and her father's rule, a young Roman girl was then forced to submit to her husband's domination, often taking on a multitude of roles, ranging from lover, caretaker, and best friend . It is often said lightly that "behind every great man is an even greater woman", and William Shakespeare illustrates this concept beautifully in Julius Caesar, in which he effectively uses the wives of the two main characters to add more depth, drama. and emotion. literary elements to the piece, bringing it to life. Although the only two female characters in Julius Caesar, Portia and Calpurnia, do not play a central role in the overall plot of the story, their presence is vital in illuminating and developing the characters of their husbands, Brutus and Caesar. What they reveal about their husbands leads the reader to infer that Portia is the more admirable and redeeming character. Throughout Shakespeare's various works, it has been observed that he rarely uses women in his literature, but when he does, he uses them for a distinct purpose. purpose, as is evident in Julius Caesar. By defying societal norms of her gender and showing genuine interest in her husband's thoughts and feelings, Portia, Brutus's wife, reveals key aspects of his character while adding depth to the story. For her time, Portia was a woman who respected herself and was proud of herself, without allowing society to mark her. This is evident when she states, “Do you think I am not stronger than my sex/Being such a father and such a husband?” " (Port...... middle of paper ...... played a vital role in the novel occurred when she fearfully expressed her opinion on whether Caesar should go to the Senate and when she allegedly had a dream in which she, “… in her sleep, cried out: “Help, ho! inside” (Act 2, ii, 3-4). begging not to come out, Calpurnia essentially controlled Caesar's fate. It is remarkable to think that if Caesar had only listened to his wife, the entire course of history would have been radically different With two radically different relationships with their spouses. , the analysis of Portia and Calpurnia's relationships and the focus on their husbands leads us to see that Portia is the more admirable and redeeming character, although both couples loved each other equally, the way in which. they reacted and influenced each other differed greatly.