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.
Brutus doesn’t want the Romans to be slaves under Caesar’s leadership. The citizens cheer for Brutus and his apparent kindness saying that he should be the new Caesar. They believe Brutus’s words and that Caesar was a tyrant who needed to be assassinated. However, the citizens’ fickle attitude shows when Antony gives his funeral speech. Antony tears down Brutus’s defenses saying that Caesar wasn’t ambitious because he thrice refused the crown.
And trust no one, but yourself. The hook relates to the book because Caesar trusted Brutus very much but he was betrayed by him. If Caesar would have never trusted Brutus, then maybe he wouldn’t have gotten killed. Or at least he would’ve not felt betrayed by Brutus. The conspirators assassinated Caesar for personal, political, and philosophical reasons.
Both characters show signs of guilty conscience later in the play and eventually die for their tragic flaws. Brutus and Macbeth have similar situations; however, there is much difference in the characteristics and personality of the characters. Brutus’s intention is reasonable and straightforward while Macbeth commits the crime because of his ambitious and corrupt characteristics. Brutus murders Caesar for his country and well being of the people whereas Macbeth does it for his own self gain. Brutus is a Roman nobleman who loves his country greatly.
Brutus' tragic flaw is that he is nationalistic, very gullible, and is too honest. These flaws allowed people to manipulate his trust, his honesty, and his patriotic beliefs. During Caesars rein, the public was mostly pleased with having Julius Caesar as their emperor but there were people who were outraged and were determined to stop this from happening. The conspirators, as they were called, were a group made up of senators and men of high status in Rome. The two most important men were Marcus Brutus and Cassius.
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.
“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
Shakespeare sees rhetoric as one of the most powerful forces in the world; able to topple kings and crown them. The play, Julius Caesar, examines what gives rhetoric its power by putting Brutus's speech against Mark Antony's. Shakespeare shows Antony's rhetoric to be superior by the effect he has on the plebeians. To be sure, Antony does not have it easy. He is already a man distrusted by the conspirators for his friendship with Caesar.
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.