When Antony spoke at Caesar’s funeral Brutus trusted him not to blame the conspirators for Julius Caesar’s death. Antony in fact said the conspirators were behind Julius’s death. Another example of Brutus being too trusting is when Brutus trusted Cassius about killing Julius to save Rome from tyranny. "Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more"(Julius Caesar-Brutus). Afterwards Brutus did feel terrible about killing his beloved friend as if anyone would.
Unlike Caesar, Brutus is able to separate completely his public life from his private life; by giving priority to matters of state, he epitomizes Roman virtue. Torn between his loyalty to Caesar and his allegiance to the state, Brutus becomes the tragic hero of the play. Julius Caesar - A great Roman general and senator recently returned to Rome in triumph after a successful military campaign. While his good friend Brutus worries that Caesar may aspire to dictatorship over the Roman republic, Caesar seems to show no such inclination, declining the crown several times. Yet while Caesar may not be unduly power-hungry, he does possess his share of flaws.
/ Now in the names of all the gods as once,” (I, ii, 145-148). This passage shows how Cassius knew of Brutus’s weak-will and greed and tried to use it as an advantage for himself. Another example of how Brutus was easily misled is when he follows Cassuis and kills Caesar. Brutus looses his will to help his friend when Cassuis meets him in the garden. “O that we then could come by Caesar’s spirit / And not dismember Caesar!
Brutus never gives in to ideas others force upon him. When Cassius tries to persuade Brutus to kill Caesar he says, “what you have said I will consider… Brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of Rome” (I.ii.23). This shows that Brutus cannot be persuaded; he will consider the point, but in the end he will do what he thinks is right. Brutus cares about the people; whatever he does is for Rome. Brutus states that his role in Caesar's murder was to help Rome and not for himself, he proves this when he states “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” (III.ii.117) Even his enemy Mark Antony says "this was the
This is Brutus’ philosophy when he convinces theconspirators not to kill Antony. “Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, to cut the headoff and then hack the limbs, like wrath in death and envy afterwards; for Antony is but a limb of Caesar” (II, i, 175-179) Since all the conspirators wanted Brutus’ help they follow what Brutussays and does. Brutus does not wish to spill more blood than has already been spilt. He is defending that which will be left of the remnants of Caesar after they kill him. This is honorable in a abnormal way; Brutus is possibly trying to make up for what he plans to do.
In consideration of this, Brutus appears increasingly benighted as he attempts to exonerate himself of guilt during the time preceding Caesar’s death. Brutus’ ignorance would lead us to believe that ambition is a capital crime. All through this play, the villainous act of murder is portrayed as mercy killing, while Caesar is sacrificed for the sake of his aspiration to control Rome. In conclusion, the
Julius Caesar dismissed the multiple warnings to beware the Ides of March. Consequently, a group of conspirators sent daggers through the body of the ancient Roman leader. All these conspirators conspired and executed their plan due to selfish and jealous motives, excluding the play’s tragic hero. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Brutus fulfills the role of the tragic hero because he possesses qualities of a good person, and he has a sense of commitment. Through words and actions William Shakespeare paints the picture that Brutus is a virtuous individual who believes in and stands by certain moral traits.
Leonardo Sanchez English 2 HP Ms. Gassaway December 2013 Biggest Backstabber Ever or Roman Hero? “Honor can be a man’s best present to a friend for honor is not what we find in most friends.” (Anonymous) The decision to stab a friend isn’t easy, like Brutus, in the play, he had to decide whether he was loyal to the Roman Republic or loyal to his friend, Julius Caesar. In William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, a conspirator, Brutus, is supposed to be Caesar’s friend but Brutus ends up stabbing his friend literally and figuratively, but Brutus says things throughout the play that shows he is honorable, loyal, and a stoic person. He says, "I love the name of honor more than I fear death" (I, ii, 88-89) to Cassius, which shows he is honorable. If Brutus wasn’t honorable, he wouldn’t have fallen into Cassius hands and join his side.
• “O Julius Caesar, thou art might yet” – said by Brutus when he finds his friends killed by the army of Antony and Lepidus. • “This was the noblest Roman of them all” – said by Antony when he finds Brutus dead. • “So call the field, and let’s away / To part the glories of this happy day.” – said by Lepidus as he ends the play. PERSPECTIVES OF CHARACTERS Brutus: At first, he does not commit to Cassius’ conspiracy to assassinate Caesar. He is convinced by letters written by Cinna that the civilians of Rome request him to prevent Caesar from gaining power.
Cassius is all bent out of shape because he thinks Caesar is running around acting like a king. Without coming right out and saying so directly, Cassius (who has been plotting against Caesar with a group of conspirators) suggests that maybe Brutus should lead Rome. Brutus says he gets what Cassius is saying, but he is also good friends with Caesar, so he needs a little time to think about