Julius Caesar: Brutus Vs. Cassius

Contrasting Characters

In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Cassius are contrasting characters. They differ in the way they perceive Antony as a threat to the assassination plot, their dominance in personality, and their moral fiber. In Julius Caesar, Brutus is the more naïve, 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. Brutus is very trusting and naïve when he judges Antony. When the subject of killing Antony comes up among the conspirators, Brutus underestimates how dangerous Antony could be and says, “For Antony is but a limb of Caesar”(2.1.178). This statement means Brutus does not think it is necessary to kill Antony and he thinks that without Caesar, Antony is worthless. Another incident where Brutus misjudges Antony is when he allows Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral. Brutus trusts that Antony will not say anything bad about the conspirators or him: “What Antony shall speak I will protest/ He speaks by leave and by permission, / And that we are contented Caesar shall/ Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. / It shall advantage us more than do us wrong”(3.1.263-268). Brutus actually thinks that by letting Antony speak, the conspirators and he will have a better situation for themselves because it will make their plot seem honorable. Cassius, on the other hand, is a very perceptive person; he sees how dangerous Antony can be. He notices that Antony is clever and that he might not be trustworthy. When Brutus suggests that they shouldn’t kill Antony, Cassius says if Antony outlives Caesar, “[They] shall find of [Mark Antony]/ a shrewd contriver” (2.1.170-171). When Brutus gives Antony the right to speak at Caesar’s funeral, Cassius pulls Brutus aside and says, ”You know not what you do. Do/ not consent/ That Antony speak in [Caesar’s] funeral. / Know you how much the people may be moved/ by that which [Antony] will utter”(3.1.255-259)? Cassius sees that Antony is a powerful speaker and that if Antony speaks the people will side with him. This shows that Cassius has a much better idea of how dangerous Antony is.

Although Cassius is correct on how dangerous Antony really is, Brutus’ ideas are used because Brutus is the more dominant character. In the play Cassius is the more passive character and ...

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...proves Cassius is jealous and fears that Caesar will get to become king. He initiates an assassination plot and persuades Brutus to help him. After Cassius comments on how noble Brutus is, he talks about seducing Brutus into allying with him. To show that he says, “Therefore it is meet/ That noble minds keep ever with their likes; / For who so firm that cannot be seduced”(1.2.322-324). The word seduced itself means that Cassius is planning to trick Brutus into helping him. Again, Cassius shows his mischievous nature when he says how he is going to write false letters to Brutus and throw them in his window: “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…” (1.2.227-230). This shows that Cassius is clever but not trustworthy. These examples prove that Brutus and Cassius differ between being noble and honorable, or conniving and mischievous.

Brutus and Cassius have different ways of perceiving people, different personalities, and different values. They contradict each other in these three important ways, but together they play an important part in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.