In ancient times women portray the inferior sex with no power, brains, or respect. While men, the superior gender had all the power, intellect, and trust. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare bends the supposed rule by giving a woman, named Portia, a man’s mind. The other woman, named Calphernia, depicts a ‘standard’ woman. Shakespeare provides conflict in itself with the gender roles of these two women to prove that not all women have weak morals and no strength. To start off, Calphernia exhibits much weaker qualities than Portia, and she shows the features that the inferior sex supposedly has. Although Calphernia shares her dreams with Caesar, and begs him to stay, Decius Brutus sways him by mentioning that if Caesar leaves the Senate shall “give…show more content… Unlike Calphernia’s relationship with Caesar, Brutus respect Portia immensely and calls her his “true and honorable wife” (2.1.300). Brutus loves Portia for her honor and her strength, not for her appearance or title. During their argument, Portia demands to know if he thinks that “[she is] no stronger than [her] sex” (2.1.308). Bearing a voluntary wound, Portia does this to let him know that she can bear his secrets just as well as any man. Contrary to Caesar, Brutus treats his wife as an equal, asking the god to “render [him] worthy of this noble wife” (2.1.316). Brutus thinks himself unworthy of her, while Caesar thinks Calphernia is leagues below him. Although Portia knows herself to be powerful, she acknowledges that she has “a man’s mind but a woman’s might” (2.4.9). Portia influences Brutus in many ways, but at heart she is but a woman. The extent of Portia’s stoicism presents itself when Brutus says that Portia killed herself by “swallowing fire” (4.3.173). Such an event make Brutus heartbroken, his other half gone forever. While swallowing coals could be the most painful way to die, Portia chooses this method as a final display of her strength and courage. Although Portia wonders if Brutus no longer loves her, Brutus “would make time stop” for love (Goldberg 97). While Caesar’s love is conditional, the love between Portia and Brutus stands even through