Caligla Answers!

1.     Camus demonstrates Caligulas heart through making him want the impossible and go beyond our limits. Camus makes Caligulas desire something that he or no one else can never have or receive and this is the moon. At first when your reading you think Caligulas is gone because of the death of his sister because the First Partricans talk about Caligulas being in love Drusilla maybe even more than brotherly  and that he may be feeling affects from it like the First Partrican did when his wife died. As you read further, later you find out that when Helicon is talking to Caligulas that the reason he was gone was because he says “Yes, I wanted the Moon.” (Caligula, 7). Caligulas desired happiness by trying to get the moon which in the end is impossible and he pushed his limits by not sleeping which is also impossible

 

2.     The Patricians viewed Caligulas as someone who is young and blinded from responsibility to be where he needs to be as well as thinking that women distract him. An example is when Helicon says “ so you think that there’s a girl behind it?” and First Patrician responds by saying “What else should there be?” (Caligula, 4) implying yes it was because of a woman. They see him as a misfit and that he needs to be taught or reasoned with. The Patricians view his heart as someone with no  expectation of happiness because of the death of Drusilla as well as someone who doesn’t make themselves because they see him as young, misfit and ignorant. Helicon views Caligulas as a tired and determined guy and views his heart as someone with unlimited desires such as wanting the moon and someone expects happiness as well. Caligulas says “That’s why I want the moon, or happiness, or external life- something,” (Caligula, 8) which shows how helicon views Caligulas happiness and limits. I agree with the Helicons view of Caligulas and his heart because he actually talked to him and the others didn’t get to know him or the real reason for why he was gone.