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Critically analyze the role of brutus in julius caesar
Brutus as a ruler
Critically analyze the role of brutus in julius caesar
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Brutus joining the conspiracy will help everyone overall because Brutus is so highly respected by everyone in Rome. “Oh, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, and that which would appear offensive in us, His countenance” (Pg.46) This is especially good because he could persuade them about things and convince them the Caesar was getting too powerful and ambitious. Brutus saw how the people weren’t liking Caesar becoming too powerful so he wanted to put a stop to that as soon as he could. Now that Brutus had overlooked everything and joined the conspirators it only provided the conspiracy legitimacy because they now had Brutus, the powerful and highly respected citizen of Rome as the figurehead of it all. This could also negatively affect
There are many pros and cons as to Brutus being the plot. A pro for Brutus being in the plot would be that he could help the public and make thing great unto the people. Since the people enjoy Brutus, he could get things done and nobody complain about the way he's running the state. Because not many people really like Caesar, Brutus would be helping his friendship with Caesar by taking
Cassius needed a reason to motivate Brutus to join the conspiracy so that the plan would develop. “Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness…” (1.2.34) Cassius is saying that Brutus hasn’t been as affectionate toward him as he typically is. Maybe he suspects something is wrong with Brutus and he thinks it has something to do with Caesar. But I think he didn’t really care about how Brutus was treating him, he was just “buttering him up” so to say. Brutus thinks that Cassius is just being his friend and trying to help, when in reality Cassius is manipulating him. This manipulation of friendship is what drives the rest of the play. Brutus has a hard time seeing through this manipulation of Cassius and it ends up driving him to assassinating his friend, Caesar. Cassius fabricated letters to make them seen like they were from the people of Rome saying that they wanted Brutus as their leader. These letters were really the controlling factor of the assassination because they gave Brutus another reason to assassinate Caesar. Cassius then realized how easy it was to manipulate Brutus. “Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet that noble minds keep ever with their likes; for who so firm that cannot be seduced?” (1.2.320-324) Cassius is saying that even
Brutus used his knowledge of Caesar to convince himself that it was the right choice he was making. He knew that the power would go to his friend?s head eclipsing his reason and putting his beloved Rome into the hands of a tyrant. Brutus had a choice to make, Rome or Caesar? In the end, his loyalty to Rome exceeded his faithfulness to his close friend. Which poses the question, if Antony truly believed that Caesar would be a horrible dictator, would he have joined the conspirators? From his actions and behavior in the play, he probably would have stood by his friend. When he says, "I shall remember.
First, Cassius and the conspirators used his honor for Rome to convince him to join them. Their fake letters from the citizens that they sent Brutus assisted in making his decision. Brutus said, “It must be by his death. And for my part/I know no personal cause to spurn at him, /But for the general.”(II.i.10-12) His extreme honorability to Rome had blinded him from the real reasons why the other conspirators wanted him to join. Cassius only wanted Caesar dead because of his jealousy and Brutus would have been a great asset. Brutus did not have any personal reasons for Caesar’s assassination. However, it was his assumptions on what may happen to Rome that caused him to join the conspiracy.
He has two opposing desires that he has to choose between. These are killing Caesar to preserve democracy in Rome and to save Caesar, since he is a friend of Brutus. A quote from J.L. Simmons that summarizes this well is, “Certainly the material lends itself to a conflict between private and public affections” (Simmons 64). Brutus wants to kill Caesar for Rome because the citizens of Rome want to preserve democracy and Caesar is preventing that by being dictator for life. A quote that puts this in other words is, “The ultimate factor in persuading Brutus to join the conspiracy is his belief that his countrymen wish him to act on their behalf” (Shalvi 71). Killing Caesar would be a choice made for not himself, but the citizens of Rome while saving him would be for himself and to preserve his friendship with Caesar. Saving Caesar would be a deed for himself and would strengthen his relationship with Caesar. He could have warned Caesar of the conspirators’ plans and put a stop to them. Brutus ultimately makes the choice of following through and assassinating Caesar. His plan was for this to be a honorable action, but it ended up negative on his behalf. The majority of the citizens in Rome did not take this lightly and wanted revenge for his actions. This is the main mistake made by Brutus that lead to his own
One of the pros to adding Brutus into the plot to dethrone Caesar would be that, since Brutus is loved by majority of Rome, the people would listen to him. This is the main reason Casca wants to add Brutus into the plan. Another pro would be that it would be easier to for Brutus to get closer to Caesar, than it would be for Casca or Cassius to. This is evident as Casca states,
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.
First of all, the conspiracy needed him to keep from looking like an offensive group that was just out to murder in cold blood. They also desperately needed leadership. “O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, and that which would appear offense in us his countenance, like richest alchemy, will change to virtue and worthiness.”( 1218) This highlights the fact that even the brains behind the conspiracy- Cassius, admitted that Brutus was needed for the conspiracy. This
Brutus is wrong to join the conspiracy because he loves Caesar, and Caesar loves Brutus as well. Brutus loves Caesar and, in the beginning, doesn’t really want any harm to come to him.
To start off, Brutus is a villain because of how he turns on his friend for power, and caused all of his fellow conspirators to be killed. Brutus did this because he knew that if this was done, he would be one of the highest in power. With his stance already in Rome at the time of Julius Caesar’s tyranny, he was always striving for more. This ended with him being one of the big name in the assassination. He is also a villain because he causes the death of his fellow conspirators because he allowed Marc Antony to not only stay alive, but let him speak at Julius Caesar’s funeral. This led to Marc Antony turning the citizens of Rome against the conspirators.
(transition), Cassius uses a fair amount of trickery in order to recruit Brutus for his conspiracy. Many of the conspirators voice their desire to have Brutus on their side during the conspiracy. Casca states the benefits of working with Brutus by saying, “Oh, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, / And that which would appear offense in us, / His countenance, like richest alchemy, / Will change to virtue and to worthiness” (I,iii,159-162). The senators believe that anything they do to Caesar will look bad in the eyes of the people, but Brutus, whom the plebeians love, will make their actions appear honorable. In order to achieve this, Cassius creates a plan in order to prod Brutus in favor of the assassination:
Brutus's fatal flaw is his trustworthy nature. He joins the conspiracy not because he "loved Caesar less but loved Rome more." ( ) Brutus joins the conspiracy under the impression that he is preventing Caesar's tyranny and saving the people of Rome. He also trusts the motives of the other conspirators. In entering the conspiracy he is also responsible for the death of Caesar and the movement of the plot. The civil war is a direct result of Caesar's assassination and eventually Brutus's own death. Brutus's fall is definitely caused by his trustworthy nature.
Brutus has gained the most power by agreeing to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar. By doing this, Brutus has most of the senators wanting him to have the most power. For example, Brutus and Cassius were arguing about whether Cicero would join the conspiracy. When Brutus says, “O name him not! Let us not break with him, / For he will never follow anything/ That other men begin” (A2, s1, line 156-158). After Brutus says this, all of the other men agree to what he has said. This shows that the senators respect and honor Brutus, thus giving him power. They think that Brutus is just as much of a king as Caesar is to the common people. Brutus has also always been seen as honorable and very valuable to the Roman society and to the common people. If Brutus did, in fact, join the conspiracy, the senators believe that the common people will forgive him. For example, when Brutus says, “I know no personal cause to spurn at him, /But for the general: he would be crowned” (A2, s1, line 11-12). This means Brutus has no reason to have anything against Caesar then the wellness of the people of Rome. Brutus is an elected official who wants more for the good of the people of Rome than committing a terrible crime. The people, senators, and everyone in Rome respect and think highly of Brutus. Brutus has the most power in Rome because he is the most honorable person, and he is for the common good. At this time, Brutus has
Brutus is considered an honorable, noble man in Rome and it is important to Cassius that he becomes part of the conspiracy. In Act 1, Cassius and Brutus agree that Caesar becoming king would be detrimental to Rome. Cassius starts off persuading Brutus by describing how weak Caesar is. He states, “he had a fever when he was Spain, and when the fit was on him, I did mark how he did shake; ‘tis true, this god did shake” (I.ii.119-121). Cassius is trying to show Brutus that Caesar is not perfect or better than everyone else. In fact, he is weak and infirm. Next, Cassius makes the point that Caesar is too powerful and if he becomes king, he will rule over the people “like a Colossus” (I.ii.136). Brutus says he will consider joining the conspiracy if it is
Caesar is always looking forward to succeed and gain power. As they parade through the streets of Rome Casca tells Brutus how Caesar was offered a crown by Marc Antony. Although Caesar did not accept it and pushed it away he would have really wanted it. “Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again; but to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it” (I.ii.243-245). On the other hand, Brutus was not ambitious. Brutus joined the conspiracy because he was afraid that Caesar’s ambition will over power Rome. “Shall Rome, &c.' Thus must I piece it out: Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome?” (II.i.656). He explains how Rome should not be ruled by one person, as agreeing to the conspirators and thus, joining them