Brutus is a good man who is easily turned evil by men filled with abhorrence and jealousy. In the play, Julius Caesar, Brutus is a Roman who is easily manipulated, decisive, and proud. These contradicting traits of Brutus show us why the reader does not want to believe that Brutus is an antagonist in the story.
Brutus is shown as being easily manipulated in the play. This trait is shown a few times in the play. At the beginning, Brutus is tricked by Cassius into believing that killing Julius Caesar would be for the better of Rome (1, 2, ll. 32-321). Cassius is able to deviously influence Brutus into thinking that Caesar is no different from Brutus. He says, “Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that Caesar?/ Why should that name be sounded more than yours?” (1, 2, ll. 142-143) Cassius also uses many other examples to manipulate Brutus. Later on, when the conspirators gather at Brutus’ home, Brutus believes that the other conspirators are killing Caesar for the good of Rome as well (2, 1, ll.114-116). After Brutus and the conspirators have killed Caesar, Mark Antony masks his anger ...
In the beginning of the Book Cassius uses anecdotes of Caesar’s weakness and faults, argumentum ad antiquatum, and ethos on Brutus to persuade him to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar, this works on Brutus and shows that anyone, even people as stoic as Brutus, can be persuaded by appealing to their motivations. Cassius, a very suspicious character thru ought the play tells Brutus to “be not jealous on me” (827), in the quote he tells Brutus to not be suspicious of him because he is just a friend who genuinely cares. Cassius does this to put himself on Brutus’ side and not seem like a distant person, this allows him to criticize Caesar and suggest that he is a bad influence on Rome which appeals to Brutus’ desire to keeping Rome safe. After setting himself up as a friend to Brutus, Cassius uses harsh anecdotes on the weakness of Caesar to show that he isn’t fit to rule Rome. Cassius recollects on a time when he and Caesar went swimming in the river Tiber and Caesar screamed “Help me, Cassius or I sink” (828) to de...
Brutus appears to be a selfless, thoughtful man who only wants the best for Rome, and is tormented by his fears towards Caesar ruling Rome.
also a man of strong pride and self confidence which led to the fate of this
Throughout the play many characters are not who they turn out to be. Julius Caesar is a very good judge of character, he does not ruts Cassius, he says “ He thinks too much man, such men are dangerous”( shakespeare,1.2.195). Caesar foreshadows now dangerous Cassius is, Cassius is one person who stabs Caesar. Unlike Caesar, Brutus trusts people too much to see who they are. After Caesar 's death, Brutus trusts Marc Antony to give his speech, but Cassius says “ You know not what you do. Do not consent./ that Antony speak in his funeral. I know you how much the people may be moved/ by that which he will utter.” (shakespeare,3.2.333-335). Caesar was an amazing military leader, Brutus was not. Before Caesar becomes king, he gained land back to Rome “ Julius Caesar has just returned to Rome after a long civil war in which he defeated the forces of pompey” (applebee) Caesar led his military to victory and has the chance to take full control of Rome. brutus is a humble military leader company to Caesar. After Brutus won his battle over Octavius’ army, he left his men begin looting. Instead of helping Cassius’ army “ O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,/ who, having some advantages on Octavius/ took it too eagerly. His soldiers fell to spoil/ whilst we by Antony are all enclosed .(Shakespeare,5.3.5-8) Brutus had a bad call when he did not send his army to help Cassius. With Caesars flaw being
Brutus’ tragic flaw was his perception that all men were identical to him in their motives. This factored allowed his decisions to be easily influenced by others whose motives were devious. Cassius was able to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy because Brutus thought the only reason behind the conspiracy was to prevent one man from becoming “Rex.” He allowed Antony’s speech to occur because he was sure that Antony was motivated by the same “honor” which motivated himself.
Brutus’ flaws are not numerous, but the flaws that he does have are major. He is easily manipulated, as shown by Cassius’ trick letters from Roman citizens. Cassius says, “I will this night/ In several hands, in at his windows throw,/ As if they came from several citizens,/ Writings, all tending to the great opinion/ That Rome holds of his name” (899). Brutus holds the opinions of his fellow Roman citizens in high regard and will defend their views with all his might. Cassius sends him these letters to effectively manipulate him. Brutus also does not make good decisions regarding the conspiracy. He allows Mark Antony to speak after he does in the short time following Caesar’s death. Antony has harsh and unforgiving words toward Brutus and the other conspirators during his speech which cause the ultimate decline of Brutus. His speech is a eulogy to Caesar and a belligerent attack on his enemies. “You all did see that on the Lupercal/ I thrice presented him a kingly crown,/ Which he did thrice refu...
Throughout most of the play Brutus is constantly internally conflicted. Does he do what he believes is best for Rome or stay loyal to his friend and leader? Should he assist in the murder of one person to benefit many? Although killing Caesar was in the end a bad choice, Brutus always tries to do what is best for Rome and for the people. However even though all of Brutus’ motives are good he still has the tragic flaw of pride, which ultimately leads to his downfall. The reason that Brutus gets caught up in the conspiracy is because Cassias appeals to his pride and flatters him with forged letters from the Roman people saying he is a greater leader then Caesar.
Manipulation is used heavily throughout this tragedy for characters benefits, especially when Cassius manipulates Brutus. Cassius desperately attempts to persuade Brutus and other senators to coalesce the conspiracy. He exhorts Brutus to join by flattering and glorifying him. Cassius expresses,
One of the many reasons why Brutus is the implicit tragic hero was based on his aristocratic personality. Brutus exemplifies this personality by never once deluding anyone. Albeit, he was the found guilty murderer of his comrade Julius Caesar; he only meant good out of it, benefiting Rome the most. Which was most of what he did, Brutus’ way, benefiting others. As for even Antony in Act V, Scene V
In the following passage, Cassius and Brutus are speaking an aside to each other after Brutus allows Mark Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral: “Know you how much the people may be moved / By which that he will utter? / BRUTUS By your pardon, / I will myself into the pulpit first / And show the reason of our Caesar’s death” (JC. 3. 1. 258-262). A few things can be seen about Brutus’s analytical skills in this passage. First, Brutus is rash, for he rejects Cassius’s advice swiftly and without a second thought. And second, he believes that he knows what conditions Mark Antony needs to follow. Brutus decides that Mark Antony will speak from the same platform after he himself justifies Caesar’s death. The audience realizes that this decision is not wise. When Mark Antony delivers a powerful speech using eloquent rhetoric, the crowd is even more influenced by Antony’s speech simply because of the arrangement. Not only did Antony give a more powerful speech, but it resonates greater with the Romans because it is the last thing they hear before they are called to action. Brutus manages to make costly mistakes, but Shakespeare uses this human trait in his
Throughout the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the audience constantly sees Brutus, an honorable man, go against his own beliefs because of men filled with hatred and jealousy. Brutus
...es, “He is a great observer, and he looks. Quite through the deeds of men.” (I.2.203) In other words, he looks through what men do to search their feelings and motive allowing the ambitious Cassius to manipulate. Cassius himself acknowledges that he can manipulates and or seduces. “Therefore it is meet That noble minds keep ever with their likes; for who so firm that cannot be seduced?”(1.2.307) Even though Cassius thinks Brutus is a "noble" guy, he also thinks that just about anyone, including Brutus, can be manipulated or "seduced."
I believe Brutus is a villain. The fine line that distinguishes a person as either a hero or a villain, or even a good and a bad person, is unclear. That makes the play so very unique. You, the reader, have to figure it out for yourself. Since I believe he is a villain, I have to have clear reasons to think so: he killed a man. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Brutus’s claim was that Caesar’s flaw was his ambition, and he also said that his
Cassius, main conspirator in this play, initially draws Brutus into the inner circle. From the beginning of the play, Cassius seeks Brutus for the newest addition to the plot and knows if Brutus is added, the plot will be successful. Even in the first scene of Act II Cassius is flattering Brutus in order to entice Brutus into joining the murderous group. "Your hidden worthiness into your eye, that you might see your shadow. I have heard where many of the best respect in Rome, speaking of Brutus, and groaning underneath this age's yolk, have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes." (p. 350 ln. 55-60) This quote depicts when Cassius first starts to flatter Brutus and say Brutus is the most respected and noble man in Rome. These compliments and forms of flattery are what first showed Brutus was kind of man the people see him as and what time of power Brutus could produce in himself.
The play Julius Caesar depicts Brutus to be an extremely noble being who is well respected and honored by all Romans, even his enemies. Brutus was a loving friend of Julius Caesar and wished anything but death on his comrade, but his love and dedication to the majestic city of Rome would force him to commit anything. He fights a war to defend Rome from a king or emperor's tyrannical rule. When the war was finished, even his enemies saw that he was the most respectable Roman of them all.