Brutus Cassius is the Hero in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

2202 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis of caesar character in shakespeare's play julius caesar

Julius Caesar is a liberal play, for it has three heroes, Caesar, Anthony and Brutus, of whom Brutus is the most large souled and sympathetic.(Mary McCarthy’s Theatre Chronicles 1937-1962)

The play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare focuses on two dimensions of Roman

history. The first dimension focuses on Julius Caesar and his rise to dictatorship. The second dimension focuses on Julius Caesar’s assignation and the revenge that his taken to avenge his death. Most scholars and critics of the play have focused on Caesar or Brutus has the hero of the play. This is due to the fact that the events surrounding the play are centered on Caesar the great dictator, his assignation making him the hero. On the other hand the play could also be said to be centered on Brutus who is a character that is internal turmoil makes him the center of attraction torn between the love of a good friend and the love of Rome. Most persons however over look a very important character that one does not get to see his character and greatness until the last part of the play, this character is Anthony. Anthony could also be looked at has the plays hero. A hero can be defined has as a person admired for courage, nobility or a person who exploits especially in the case of a war. Caesar, Brutus and Anthony are heroes of the play Julius Caesar they are only, just given different moments to shine. Each character has a specific time in the play where they are highlighted and seen has a hero in some extent or form.

In the book Shakespeare’s use of Learning by V.K. Whitaker what Shakespeare sources develop has fact he in his play develops a hypothesis. In righting the play Julius Caesar Shakespeare turned to many historical documents has his sources. However in the play out of attempt to make the characters not only great men and leaders of Rome but real people with weaknesses and strengths. He alters the recorded history and makes events and characters more enticing to the audience because they are characters, persons can relate to. This is why the image of large souled and sympathetic could be a characteristic derived form Brutus by writers such as Mary McCarty.

Julius Caesar his held in very high esteems by Shakespeare.

Show More
Related

  • Brutus Bad Leader

    780 Words  | 2 Pages

    shakespeare was one of the most famous writer in the western literary world. his works shine like the morning stars in the sky. julius caesar is one of his masterpiece. it is a script described julius caesar’s assassination and people around him. in julius caesar shakespeare exposes the disadvantages of leadership through the actions, conflicts and failure of brutus. there are many place in the play show that brutus is not a good leader. brutus is a tragic hero in this play, he is a noble man, he want to kill caesar not for himself but for rome. under his leading, the people who followed him to kill caesar going to fail step by step.

    Read More

  • Brutus is the Tragic Hero in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    934 Words  | 2 Pages

    The tragedy “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare should be renamed “Brutus” because Caesar is not the tragic hero. He is only in a small portion of the play and does not possess a major tragic flaw; however Marcus Brutus fits the description of tragic hero much better than Julius Caesar. Typically, tragedies are named after the tragic hero, which Aristotle describes as: a person of noble birth with a tragic flaw that leads to his or her downfall because of that flaw. Brutus exhibits all of these qualities, therefore rightfully naming him a tragic hero.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Tragic Hero (Brutus)

    666 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play the Life and Death of Julius Caesar (just as in all of Shakespeare’s tragedies) there is much death, much tragedy, and of course, a tragic hero. However unlike most of Shakespeare’s plays this time the tragic hero is not particularly obvious. Throughout the play a few main characters present themselves as possibilities for being the tragic hero. But as being a tragic hero is not only having a tragic flaw but also entails much more, there really is only one person to fit the mold. The character Brutus is born into power and is higher/better then we are. He has a tragic flaw that causes his downfall and at the end he realizes his mistake (a trait none of the other characters can really claim).

    Read More

  • How Does Julius Caesar Change Throughout The Play

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare showcases many characters and events that go through many significant changes. One particular character that went through unique changes was Julius Caesar. The 16th century work is a lengthy tragedy about the antagonists Brutus and Cassius fighting with the protagonists Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus over the murder of Julius Caesar. Although the play’s main pushing conflict was the murder of Julius Caesar, he is considered a secondary character, but a protagonist. Throughout the theatrical work Julius Caesar’s actions, alliances, character developments, and internal and external conflicts display his diverse changes.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar: Brutus Is The Protagonist

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    "He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares

    Read More

  • The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar - Tragic Hero

    488 Words  | 1 Pages

    Both Caesar and Brutus were main characters in this play. Two sides formed during the play, and these two characters were the leaders of each side, respectively. Also, each character held a high rank in the Roman society. Caesar was the ruler of the Roman Empire, and could basically do whatever he wanted due to his outstanding power. Brutus was a general for the Empire and he was respected and was seen as a noble man and true “Roman” by many.

    Read More

  • Honorable Betrayal

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    The William Shakespeare play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar tells the story of the assassination of Julius Caesar and the eight conspirators behind it. The play takes place in 44 B.C. in Rome. Marcus Brutus is the protagonist and face-man of the insidious conspiracy. He is also the tragic hero in this classic work of literature. Aristotle’s definition of the tragic hero is a character that has a character flaw, also known as hubris, and experiences a downfall from a high position in society due to this flaw. After this downfall, a tragic hero experiences an enlightenment. Brutus fits Aristotle’s description perfectly. Brutus has a severe character flaw and experiences a downfall from a high position in society. However, he is an honorable character that truly provokes sympathy from the audience.

    Read More

  • Brutus: A True Tragic Hero

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is the story about the men who conspired and followed through with the assassination of the great Julius Caesar. These men fear that Caesar will take the crown and become the next king of Rome. The roman people had a true averse feeling toward the idea of monarchy. So in order to prevent this they come up with a plan to end Caesars life, which is duly followed through on March 15, 44 B.C. Out of these conspirators there is one man that stands out to be a tragic hero, and that is a man by the name of Brutus. He was a great friend of Caesar who ultimately became one of Caesars worst adversaries. He betrayed Caesars trust and friendship when he agreed to be part of the assassination plot. A tragic hero is someone who is in a place of high standings or a place of power. This leads to a huge fall from greatness to death. A tragic hero must have many deep complex character flaws that are revealed throughout the course of the story. They then must ultimately accept responsibility for their mistakes; along with being humbled and enlightened. Brutus demonstrates all of the attributes of a tragic hero.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar - A Tragic Hero

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout many of Shakespeare's plays, a tragic hero is identified; a heroic figure that possesses a character flaw that leads to his defeat. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, there has been controversies over who is actually the tragic hero. Many people agree that Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero. However, others argue and identify Julius Caesar as the tragic hero. After examining these two characters, a conclusion is easily drawn. Brutus is the tragic hero of this play because when a person who possesses such heroic qualities dies, it is a true tragedy.

    Read More

  • Brutus the Tragic Hero

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s complex play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar contains several tragic heroes; a tragic hero holds high political or social esteem yet possesses an obvious character flaw. This discernible hubris undoubtedly causes the character’s demise or a severe forfeiture, which forces the character to undergo an unfeigned moment of enlightenment and shear reconciliation. Brutus, one of these tragic heroes, is a devout friend of the great Julius Caesar, that is, until he makes many execrable decisions he will soon regret; he becomes involved in a plot to kill the omniscient ruler of Rome during 44 B.C. After committing the crime, Mark Antony, an avid, passionate follower of Caesar, is left alive under Brutus’s orders to take his revenge on the villains who killed his beloved Caesar. After Antony turns a rioting Rome on him and wages war against him and the conspirators, Brutus falls by his own hand, turning the very sword he slaughtered Caesar with against himself. Brutus is unquestionably the tragic hero in this play because he has an innumerable amount of character flaws, he falls because of these flaws, and then comes to grips with them as he bleeds on the planes of Philippi.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar - A Comparison of Brutus and Cassius

    1631 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the play Julius Caesar, written and preformed by William Shakespeare, there are many characters, but two, Brutus and Cassius, stood out. The play begins in Rome where a celebration of Julius Caesar's victory over the former ruler of Rome, Pompeii. The victory leads to Caesar's betrayal by his jealous companions. Senators and other high status figures are jealous of Caesar's new and growing power, while others, like Brutus, fear the tyrannical rule Caesar could enforce. The conspirators, Brutus and Cassius being the most important, assassinate Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, better known as Antony, and Octavius Caesar, Caesar's heir to the thrown, revenge Caesar's death. Antony convinces the Roman populous to destroy the conspirators and eventually begins a war with Cassius and Brutus' armies. Both Cassius and Brutus commit suicide to save their honor and Antony and Octavius win the war. The characterizations of Brutus and Cassius show a distinct contrast in their character traits and motives for the assassination of Julius Caesar.

    Read More

  • Comparison of the Two Speeches in Julius Caesar

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, two speeches are given to the people of Rome about Caesar's death. In Act 3, Scene 2 of this play Brutus and Antony both try to sway the minds of the Romans toward their views. Brutus tried to make the people believe he killed Caesar for a noble cause. Antony tried to persuade the people that the conspirators committed an act of brutality toward Caesar and were traitors. The effectiveness and ineffectiveness of both Antony's and Brutus's speech to the people are conveyed through tone and rhetorical devices.

    Read More

  • Marcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero in Julius Caesar

    528 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is no such thing as the perfect person.  We may dream of such a person, but sadly, everyone has flaws.  These flaws are what make us human.  Something else that makes us human is our need for heroes.  We attribute 'perfect' qualities to our heroes.  In reality even our heroes are flawed.  The closest thing to the idealized person, or hero, is the Shakespearean tragic hero.  The tragic hero is someone of high standing, good character, and a flaw.  While it may be only one flaw, it is often fatal.  An example of a tragic hero can be best seen in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.  Marcus Brutus is a prominent leader and noble citizen of Rome who leads in the assassination of Julius Caesar.  We see that Brutus plays the role of the tragic hero through his noble standing, fatal flaw, and legacy.

    Read More

  • Why Is Julius Caesar A Tragic Hero

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    Julius Caesar may have been a noble person, but the people of Rome did not think so. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare shows the Caesar comes to an unhappy end when he is murdered by the people he loved most. Within this play Julius Caesar is portrayed as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as “the main character of a tragedy [who is] usually dignified, courageous, and high ranking” (Novel Study Guide). Also vital to defining a tragic hero is that, “the hero’s downfall is caused by a tragic flaw” (Novel Study Guide). It is evident that Julius Caesar is William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a tragic hero given that he is of noble stature, has a fatal flaw and comes to an unhappy end.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar And Brutus Comparison Essay

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    Julius Caesar is a play written by William Shakespeare. The play tells the tragedy of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was one of the greatest leader of Roman history. Caesar had many victorious moments in history and continued to grow more and more powerful. When he had started to govern Rome hatred by some people had grew. He had liberally gave many a spot to hold an important position. Even though he helped the nobility, they had betrayed him. They secretly were planning a way to cause Caesar’s death. Then plan was portrayed by Cassius and he had convinced Brutus to join along with his plan also. On March 15th they had circled around Caesar and stabbed him numerous of times thus, Caesar had fallen to the ground by his last stab by Brutus. Throughout the entire play Caesar and Brutus are notably different. Caesar is very egoistic, while Brutus is very considerate and is mannerly to others. Caesar is an extrovert, while Brutus is an introvert. Caesar is ambitious and Brutus is not ambitious.

    Read More

More about Brutus Cassius is the Hero in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Open Document