In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, one notable example of blank verse can be found in Act 1, Scene 2. In this passage, Cassius attempts to persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar. The lines are expressed in unrhymed iambic pentameter, which is characteristic of blank verse.
Here’s a specific excerpt:
‘And we are underlings;
Let us not wage an endless strife,
But bear the time and take the surety.’
This excerpt exemplifies the use of blank verse, as it does not rhyme but follows a meter of five iambs per line, giving it a rhythmic and natural flow. Shakespeare often employed blank verse to convey serious themes and emotions, allowing for a more elevated language that still felt accessible to the audience.