List of characters in Julius Caesar Play Brutus - A supporter of the republic who believes strongly in a government guided by the votes of senators. While Brutus loves Caesar as a friend, he opposes the ascension of any single man to the position of dictator, and he fears that Caesar aspires to such power. Brutus’s inflexible sense of honor makes it easy for Caesar’s enemies to manipulate him into believing that Caesar must die in order to preserve the republic. While the other conspirators act out of envy and rivalry, only Brutus truly believes that Caesar’s death will benefit Rome. 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.
Caesar was offered a crown and although he refused it, some thought he was not sincere. In his arrogance he insulted the senate. When he was made Dictator for Life, certain members of the senate saw the danger to the Republic and began planning his assassination. Brutus uses rhetorical questions to gain the crowds maintain and lift the crowd’s attention; however, Mark Antony uses emotionally charged rhetoric devices.
Anthony uses the term, "an honorable man" as more of an insult than a compliment. He spits it out angrily, wanting the crowd to know that he doesnt beleive for a second that it describes the assassins. After he gets done talking about "Honorable Brutus" he takes out Caesars will but does not read it until the crowd has to literally beg and force him to do so. He talks about the robe Caesar was wearing, the first time he wore it was the day he overcame Nervii. When Brustus stuck his mighty dagger into Caesar it was the unkindest cut of them all.
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.
Julius Caesar: Brutus' Moral Ambiguity Shakepeare's intruiging play Julius Caesar tells a tale of a honorable man who puts his personal interests aside and pulls off a devastating move in order to protect Rome. When Caesar returns to Rome after killing General Pompey, he is given a hero's welcome but his crowning as king becomes a major conflict all throughtout the city and strikes fear in the hearts of many people. Marcus Brutus, a dear friend of Caesar is revealed as a morally ambiguous protagonist of the play as he is pressured into defending his highest values and becomes involved in plotting the assasination. Although Brutus' actions may seem questionable and ultimately lead to Caesar's death, his decision is made with good intentions that can be seen through his patriotism for Rome, idealistic views of the world, and moral obligations. Marcus Brutus was in fact one of the conspirators that murdered Caesar.
After Caesar is killed, Antony becomes very mournful and outrage by the treachery of the conspirators that killed Caesar. Antony asks for just to a speech at Caesars funeral and Brutus grants him that one wish. Antony is a very intelligent man and he has the ability to manipulate a crowd with his speeches. For example in Act 3 During Antony speech he says But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
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.
But Caesar really loved Rome that anything happened in Rome good or bad affected him. Like Antony said “When the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. In other words Antony is just saying that Caesar really loved and cared about Rome no matter what. Lastly in Act 3 Scene 2 Mark Antony has now seen the assassination of his dear beloved Caesar and he wants to say a speech at his funeral. But in order to do this he must get in the good graces of the conspirators; therefore Rome can know what happen to their beloved Caesar.
They didn’t like all the vicissitude that Caesar was endeavoring to make to their country. They considered Caesar’s power as a disregard and disrespect to authority, tradition, and Roman rules. Caesar had many occasions to challenge Roman commanders and many of their opponents, which lead to many civil wars. But his decision to cross Rubicon was against the Roman law. Julius Caesar’s zeal and overconfidence that he became invincible in both Rome and battle, because his soldiers resected and doted him; he mentally conceived that he could pursue whatever he wanted.
Mark Antony has asked the conspirators for permission to carry Caesar’s body outside and make a funeral speech in his honor. Brutus agrees but Cassius fears and predicts Antony will betray them. Brutus ignores Cassius’ warning and walks to the pulpit of the Capitol to speak before a group of citizens, while Cassius does the same with another group. Brutus begins his speech with a lot of confidence, even though deep inside he feels guilty and struggles to understand what he has done. He calls the Romans his friends and speaks with a sense of honor (15-17) and patriotism (23-24).