In William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”, Marcus Brutus has a strong relationship with Julius Caesar, but an even stronger relationship with Rome and its citizens. His love for Rome is what drove him to assassinate Julius Caesar, because despite being such an intimate friend of Caesar, he felt his growing power would threaten the welfare of Rome. The honorable intentions of Brutus are what make him the noblest of all the Romans. Marcus Brutus felt that allowing Julius Caesar to accumulate power would put Rome and its citizens in danger. In his speech to the Roman citizens at Caesar’s funeral, he asks them: “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?” (Act III, sc.
But he had a decision to make which was if he loved Rome more than he will kill Caesar with the conspirators on the ides of March. Another definition for a tragic hero is that he must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences possibly resulting in his death. A quote from Brutus, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves than that Caesar were dead to live all freemen? As Caesar loved me I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice it.
He would only try to win the crowd and use them for his own good. The honorable Brutus saved Rome by killing Caesar. If Caesar didn’t need to die then why did he accept that he was going to die? Caesar said, “Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar.”(3.1.85) When he said that, he was saying that he was okay with dying by his friend, Brutus.
Although there were several involved in the assassination of Caesar, one individual stood out because of his relationship with Caesar and unusual position. This essay will display characteristics of Brutus that represent the makings of a trustworthy and respectable leader while also underlying his flaws. When analyzing Marcus Brutus and his ideals, the inevitable question becomes did Brutus truly believe that his actions were strictly for the good of Rome? And why was it necessary for Caesar to have to die for Rome to prosper? This essay will examine these questions and illustrate the justification of Marcus Brutus betraying and killing Julius Caesar.
Initially, Brutus was a man for the people who did what he believed was necessary. Cassius had forced Brutus into thinking that Caesar was in fact ambitious, Brutus believed him and thought that by murdering Caesar, it would save the lives of the Roman people in the long run. Whereas many of the conspirators killed Caesar because they feared the possibility of him becoming too powerful, Brutus killed him so the people could someday live freely. Brutus loved Caesar dearly, in yet he still had the Roman people in his heart as his first priority. Additionally, Brutus died for his people.
His reasoning for killing Caesar was the fact that Caesar was too ambitious. Although this was a good reason it was all an assumption and he gave no evidence on how Caesar was ambitious. Although Brutus did hypothetical situations to the countrymen to convince them further that Caesar could of became a tyrant. For the love of Rome is why Brutus murdered Caesar and that convinced the people that there was no man nobler than Brutus. He had won them over until Antony began his speech.
This fools Brutus into thinking he can trust Antony, so he allows him to give a funeral speech over the body of Caesar to a large crowd of Roman citizens. Brutus foolishly assumes that the Roman citizens will listen and heed his words because they were full of truth and reason. He explains to the crowd the reason why he assassinated their much respected leader, saying, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (Shakespeare 681). Brutus insists that Caesar was a great man, but he was also ambitious. Brutus doesn’t want the Romans to be slaves under Caesar’s leadership.
Antony was the person who instigated the war. If they had killed him, he would not have had the chance to turn the people against the conspirators. Another mistake Brutus made, was that he allowed Antony to speak in Caesar's funeral. When the conspirators were discussing it, Cassius thought it to be a bad idea, but Brutus, as naive and trusting as he is, said yes, but only as long as Antony let him speak first and promised not to say anything bad about them. When they left, Antony, in his soliloquy, spoke of revenge.
Brutus's tragic flaw was that he was too trusting. He frankly and honestly felt that he had had to kill Caesar in order to save Rome from tyranny. He trusted Antony not to blame the conspirators in his speech at Caesar's funeral. Antony broke that promise and got Brutus and the others into deep trouble. Brutus also trusted Cassius.
“Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more,” was Brutus’ reasoning behind why he felt killing Caesar was the right thing to do. Brutus being the tragic hero, he had brought suffering and death to the leader of Rome, thinking that it would make everything better for the county and the people. He later realizes that this was not the best choice he could have made, which results in it being the major cause of his downfall. Another flaw Brutus