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.
Influenced by the belief of Brutus disliking Caesar, some may think that the idea of assassinating Caesar is for selfish reasons, or that Brutus has a personal enmity against Caesar. Referring to his original motives, he particularly says, “I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general” (II.i.11-12). Brutus displays no personal intention to ambush Caesar, except to do what was favorable for the well being of Rome.
(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.
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.
Many of the conspirators kill Caesar out of envy and greed, while only Brutus did it out of love for Rome. Brutus follows the code of honor. Brutus betrays his friend, Julius Caesar, for the good of Rome. After the conspirators kill Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, and Antony make a funeral speech. Brutus says “With this I depart: that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.” (III, ii, Li.
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.
Shakespeare presents conflicting perspectives about the event as both an act of brutal murder and an act for the greater good of rome in Act 3 Scene 1. Shakespeare uses Brtuu’s perspective to religiously justify the act, conveyed through the highly symbolic imagery “let us bathe our hands in caesars blood up to our elbows”. This graphic action on stage is highly confronting for his audience, encouraging them to question the reasoning behind the assassination. This is immediately followed by Anotony’s soliloquy; here he is positioned on stage with caesars body, a prop which allows him to maniulate the crowd to transgress from Brutus perspective of the killing as a divine sacrifice to ac act of meaningless butchery. 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.
Another reason why Brutus could be a patriot because he said he no matter what he would die for Rome making it a better place. What makes this statement invalid is that the people of Rome would probably prefer Brutus suffering in prison for the rest of his life facing what he has done like a man, instead of being a coward and killing himself before he was captured. I believe Brutus is a betrayer for the reason he killed not only his closest friend, but Caesar the soon to be mighty leader of Rome. Already killing a friend of yours who trusted you to be at their very side, shows how much of a coward Brutus was. Another thing is the people he decided to collaborate with had a totally different motive of killing Caesar.
He believes that for the good of Rome Caesar must die. He believes this because; he thinks that no man should have that much power. Another example of betrayal would be when Antony tells Brutus that he wants to join the conspirators, when really he wants to revenge Caesars death. This shows betrayal because Antony made a promise to Brutus that he did not keep. All of the examples I have listed in the paragraphs above portray betrayal, a common motif.
Then in tautology, Brutus explains that they're trying to kill Caesar with the intention of protecting Rome not just to assassinate him. "Let us be sacrificers but not butchers...Let’s kill him boldly but not wrathfully.let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods,not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds (Act ll, Sc. 1 173 179-181). Brutus constantly mentions to the conspirators that he's murdering Caesar for Rome not for his own benefit. Rhetorical speech devices are used to help back up what the characters are saying in this case to back up Brutus and his logical