Everywhere one turns in life, someone will be there to compare them to someone else who has come before them. However if one digs deep enough, when comparing two people you will always find both differences as well as similarities. In William Shakespeare’s “the Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, Brutus and Cassius differ in both their personalities as well as their decision making, however there are similarities in their leadership. Firstly, throughout the play Brutus and Cassius exhibit how their personalities are so vastly different. When Brutus is questioned as to whether he wishes for Caesar to be king, he tells Cassius, “I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well,” (I.ii.5). In saying this, Brutus shows both his reliability and dependability as a friend. Thus, Brutus is willing to stand by Caesar even if and when it is not the easiest nor most popular thing to do. In contrast, Cassius finds no difficulty in throwing other under the bus, particularly when …show more content…
When Brutus ponders what he would say if questioned about why he assisted in killing Caesar he says, “…[it is] not I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more,” (III.ii. ?). Brutus openly admits that while Caesar is a dear friend of his, the fate of Rome is more important to him. This shows that Brutus is an honorable man who believes that the downfall of one can be justified when it benefits the rest. However, Cassius wishes to eliminate Caesar because he envies Caesar and his power (I.i.5-6). While Cassius pretends that he wants to remove Caesar from power because he is getting too tyrannical, in reality Cassius is motivated by greed and jealousy. This shows that he is shallow and is only concerned with what he wants. Throughout the play we see that when it comes time to making decisions, Brutus typically considers all those affected, while Cassius thinks solely of himself when making
Cassius, a very suspicious character throughout 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 keep 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 a time when he and Caesar went swimming in the river Tiber and Caesar screamed “Help me, Cassius or I sink” (828) to depict Caesar as a little baby compared to the colossus he is said to be.... ... middle of paper ...
Cassius truly believes Caesar has a frail state of mind and is unfit to have any form of authority in Rome. At first glance, his words and ideology seem to strive for the end of tyranny and become the savior of Romans, but it is clear he puts more emphasis on his rank rather than the well-being of others. When he states that their ranks were not their fault and should be taken into their own hands he intends to take his place by force with no regards for the Roman people or government. Additionally, Cassius shouldn’t be commended for saving Caesar from drowning because he remembrances on that deed to convince others that Caesar is feeble than most, yet he is treated like a god. Cassius’s greed for power motivates his murderous motivations but his ability to manipulate others to his will is also evident in his words. He refers to Caesar’s overwhelming power similar to a Colossus while he and the others “…walk under his huge legs… ” or are hidden in his glory. In reality though, the senators are more esteemed than despised. Another way Cassius misleads others is by faking Caesar’s fascist behaviors toward the commoners. He does so by forging negative letters about “Caesar’s Ambition” for Brutus to be pressured into joining his cause. Consumed by envy, he convinces Brutus to assassinate Caesar for the righteousness of the people but his incentive has
also a man of strong pride and self confidence which led to the fate of this
Brutus’ ignorance creates an expectation that develops a path which leads him awry. When Brutus mentions,“ I would not Cassius; yet I love him well” (1.2.81-88 ), he portrays his internal conflict. Brutus depicts the rendering struggle between Cassius’ acquisitions and Caesar’s actions. His oblivion toward the truth and goodwill concerning the greater health of Rome prompt him astray. He acts with the innocence of a child, deceive and swindle by Cassius, Brutus is an
Initially, Brutus was wary of Cassius when Brutus said, “Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius?” (1.2.69). Subsequently, Brutus is persuaded as he states, “.what you have said / I will consider” (1.2.176-177). Cassius is willing to control any person who stands in his way. Cassius successfully turned Brutus against his best friend in order to achieve what Cassius believes to be best for Rome.
Brutus and Cassius are two men of very different personalities, leadership and philosophies. Yet, the duo managed to stick together as allies, friends and lovers until their respective deaths. In theory such a pair is impossible, yet these two proved this wrong as they worked together to not only have a conspiracy to assassinate “the foremost man of all this world” but to also put up a valiant battle against Antony and Octavius. As this pair was defeated, could it have been possible that if they hadn’t so many differences between them, they could have succeeded in their endeavors. The world may never know, as Shakespeare seems to have no plans on writing a sequel to this amazing play.
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.
Brutus has a naive view of the world. He is unable to see through the roles being played by Cassius, Casca, and Antony. He does not even recognize the fake letters were sent from Cassius. Then Brutus says,“You shall not blame us Antony, in your funeral speech, but speak all the good you can of Caesar.
The Ways Shakespeare Reveals the Characters of Brutus and Cassius in the Play Julius Caesar
They differ in the way they perceive Antony as a threat to the assassination plot, their dominance in personality, and their moral obligation. In Julius Caesar, Brutus is the more na ve, dominant. and noble character, while Cassius is the more perceptive, submissive. and manipulative person. Brutus and Cassius are very different in the way they perceive Antony.
Shakespeare introduces Cassius as one who is not fond of Julius Caesar. This is due to the fact that he is a higher rank and acts high and mighty. Brutus talks with Cassius about Caesar at the beginning of the play and Cassius says that Caesar is just like everyone else
Cassius is a least honorable man because he is jealous that Caesar has the power and he doesn't. He is trying to have a Brutus plot in killing him because he's mad and fiercely dislikes Caesar. Cassius knows that if he and his associates conspire against the popular and beloved Caesar, the Roman people will respond with rage and violence. Cassius was once friends with Julius Caesar, but as he knows Caesar has the power and he doesn't. Cassius is very upset that he's giving a variety of reasons that Brutus should kill him. Cassius wants Brutus to join him so he can be on the Cassius side so that Cassius can have Brutus kill Caesar. Cassius is a bad person he wants to trick Brutus into just killing Caesar because that's what Cassius wants.
Julius Caesar - A Comparison of Brutus and Cassius In the play Julius Caesar, written and performed 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 ambition possessed by each character, leads Caesar, Brutus, and Cassius to power. It will be the same ambition, that quest for power, that makes each one susceptible to their own weakness. For Caesar, it will be his ego and inability to heed warnings, Brutus his love of Rome, and Cassius his dedication to power. These qualities prove that although intentions may be noble, ambition can make a person ruthless and blind them to their original goals. Ambition kills those who lose sight of their conscience and although it may prove beneficial in many instances, in this case, it leads the characters to lose all that they
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.