Cassius' Manipulation of Brutus, the Noblest Roman of Them All, in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

687 Words2 Pages

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 ...

Show More
Related

  • Brutus and Antony’s Use of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Loyalty Quotes

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Brutus is a Good Leader in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    332 Words  | 1 Pages

    Even though he is a smart and take charge character, he is also quite deceptive. He shows just how deceptive he is when he kills Caesar. Brutus was very close to Caesar. and he still killed him. Brutus was the only character of the conspirators that was killed.

    Read More

  • The Audiences' Perception of Cassius and Brutus in Shakespeare

    2471 Words  | 5 Pages

    les of this when he is attempting to manipulate Brutus to join the conspiracy. Brutus gives us the impression that he is very indecisive and hesitant; we also see that he is very quiet and that Cassius overrules him in the conversation; we do however go on to find out that Brutus isn’t really like this. In Act 2 Scene 1, we see Brutus’ true characteristics; he takes charge of the conspiracy and he is very commanding; Cassius steps down. Cassius is overwhelmed by Brutus’ character and has to let Brutus take over. In Act 4 Scene 3 we see some negative

    Read More

  • Quotes Of Manipulation In Julius Caesar

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Cassius and Brutus in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    2689 Words  | 6 Pages

    his ally not for who he is, but what he could become. It is for this

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Tragic Hero (Brutus)

    666 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Marcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    1276 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first element of a Shakespearean tragedy is the requirement of a tragic hero. This tragic hero must be a person of nobility whose moral decisions will influence society in one way or another. He or she has some sort of tragic flaw and is forced to make a decision at some point that will lead to his or her suffering and death. In Julius Caesar, you can see that Brutus meets these requirements. For example, a Plebian (citizen of Rome) says, "The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence!" (3.2.11). When looking for a tragic flaw in Brutus, we find many - he is easily influenced, has difficulty in looking ahead, is too proud for capture, is naïve to the whole picture, and has split loyalties. I believe the flaw that has the greatest influence on Brutus and his decisions is that he is easily influenced. Because of the strong influences others have on Brutus, the conspirators easily persuade him to make decisions he probably wouldn't have otherwise made...

    Read More

  • Brutus was a cautious, devious, and naive man

    453 Words  | 1 Pages

    Brutus was a devious man, even though what he thought he was doing was right. Brutus told his fellow conspirators to kill Caesar “boldly, but not angerly.”(3.1.256-257) Brutus was one of Caesars right hand men, and yet Brutus kills his own friend. When Antony asks to speak at Caesars funeral, Cassius says no, but Brutus tell him that Antony will speak, but only what Brutus tells him to say. Brutus also embraces the fact that he just killed his friend, and also tells the senators who had just witnessed it to not be afraid, but to stay because ambition has paid its debt.

    Read More

  • Why Is Brutus A Villain

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Why Cassius is the Greatest Manipulator in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

    818 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...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."

    Read More

  • The Complexity Of Brutus In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Manipulation in Julius Caesar

    993 Words  | 2 Pages

    By manipulating Brutus into thinking the people have a certain view of Caesar, Cassius is able to convince him to do what he did not consider as an option earlier. If it had not been for Cassius leading him with the words of the Romans, Brutus may never have approved of Caesar’s death or joined the conspirators, as they wanted him to. transition. Antony’s successful rebellion is a product of manipulation. He is able to turn a large crowd that was opposing him and bend them to his will.

    Read More

  • Cassius vs. Brutus in Julius Caesar

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    Both Cassius and Brutus play major roles in the play Julius Caesar. Cassius and Brutus both plan Caesar’s death. Although they are working towards a common goal, Cassius and Brutus have very different motivations for doing this. On the one hand, Cassius sees it as a way to gain more power for himself while destroying the king and all his power. On the other hand, Brutus believes that in killing Caesar he is preserving peace for the Romans’ future years. Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses different techniques to create biased characterizations of the two men so that readers and viewers develop identical attitudes towards each of them. In Julius Caesar, Cassius is portrayed as a greedy villain while Brutus is depicted as an honorable hero.

    Read More

  • The calamities of Julius Caesar

    494 Words  | 1 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about Cassius' Manipulation of Brutus, the Noblest Roman of Them All, in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Open Document