Julius Caesar Marc Antony in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar was murdered by Brutus despite Brutus’s allegations of Caesar’s quest for dictatorship status and supports his argument by manipulating the people’s emotions. Antony’s purpose is for the people to mourn for their lost leader through Brutus’s lies so that they would seek revenge on him. Antony speaks in a driven but sarcastic tone for the citizens of Rome. Marc Antony persuaded the people using pathos, ethos, and logos. In regards to their leaders murder, the Romans turned against the senate, there for Antony’s speech was more persuading than Brutus’s.
He undermines Brutus, conveyed through his lamenting tone “thou art the ruins of the noblest man” to further challanege the perspective that caesars thirst for power was a threat to the roman republic. Shakespeare furthers these conflicting perspectives in Act 3 scene 2 to demonstrate the power of political rhetoric. In the funerary speeches, Brutus’ patriotic tone in “not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved rome more” representes him as a protector of the roman republican values that Caesar threatened. This is sharply
“you all did love him once, not without cause: what cause withholds you then to mourn for him now”(citation). Here Antony depicts how the crowd once did love him but because a man has put false ideas into their heads, they turn on him. A citizen of Rome should stand for their beliefs, not the ones that are put into their heads even if it is by a powerful and honorable man. Not only does Antony show much emotion towards the subject, but so does Brutus when he speaks during his own eulogy. Here Brutus illustrates his love Rome, “not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more” (citation).
As a tragic hero, Brutus maintains noble intentions throughout the play. Grabbing at any opportune moment, Brutus desirably protects the Roman Republic from becoming corrupt and ruled by dictatorship. Cassius and other conspirators felt that Caesar’s ambition and tyrannical ruling reflects upon a dangerous outcome for future Rome. Persuaded by Cassius’s hatred of Caesar’s immediate gain in power and acknowledgement, Brutus constructs a plan for the assassination of Caesar. He greatly fears that “the people// [will] choose Caesar for their king” (I.ii.78-79).
Caesar thinks Cassius is a good man and that he will not cause any trouble. This shows betrayal because later in the play Cassius fulfills his plans to murder Caesar. Another example of betrayal in the play Julius Caesar would be when Marcus Brutus decides to join Cassius. Marcus Brutus is a loyal Roman and a very good friend of Caesar. He believes that for the good of Rome Caesar must die.
(3.3 29+32) The fatal flaw of the third conspirator, Cassius is that he is scared of what will happen to him after he murdered Caesar. Cassius and Brutus though that Anthony will turn Rome against them and realize what they did was wrong and their traitors. Cassius’s famous quote is “” Men at times are masters of their fates; the fault; dear Brutus, is not in our stars. But in ourselves””. (1.2 139-142) In conclusion, these conspirators lead to their own downfall by not listening to each other.
Cassius exclaims to be a “insupportable and touching loss,” shows that Brutus was wrong to kill Caesar, when even Portia, believes that taking her own life is the only way out. Brutus proves that even he felt that the assassination was unjustified. Shakespeare shows this when Brutus gets into an argument with Cassius about, “we now/ contaminate our fingers with base bribes.” A reason why Brutus killed Caesar was that he was corrupting the government and gaining power. This proves that killing Caesar is not bad, because Caesar’s corrupt ways appear in Cassius. Lastly, Brutus finally realizes that the assassination wasn’t right at the end of the play.
Perspectives on the murder of Caesar Most of the conspirators and the plebs: Tyrannicide was a just and proper punishment Viewpoint | Evidence | Anthony and Brutus both expect the plebs to agree that if Caesar was ambitious (if he wanted to be king when he shouldn’t be), then he deserved death. | 3:1 funeral orations | Caesar has a high and rising position and Cassius is jealous of him. He expects to benefit by removing the great man above him. | 1:2 caesar’s scene with the plebs is reported by casca2:2 caesar’s arrogance1:2 cassius’ soliliquy | Casca despises both Caesar’s desire to be king and his attempt to hide his intentions. He believes the murder is just.
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.
Even though the people where on his side until Antony gave his speech, they eventually got a different and more truthful side. “Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe,” (3, 2, 13-16). Even though Brutus says he was loyal to Caesar he got his mind changed and convinced into stabbing Caesar. He may have changed the minds to the people for a short amount of time but then they got to hear the truth about it and revolted on Brutus and his