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Critically analyze the role of brutus in julius caesar
Character of brutus
Critically analyze the role of brutus in julius caesar
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Although not prominent in most lives nowadays, nobility and honor are crucial to a character the audience can root for. Nobility is having or showing high moral principles or ideals; this is a favorite trait in heroes from stories everywhere. In Julius Caesar, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, The story focuses on Brutus who, although portrayed as the epitome of nobility, cannot wield his trait correctly and is spun into a whirlwind of disaster. In this, Shakespeare shows just how much of a blessing and a curse one feature can be to the noble Brutus.
What begins most of the trouble is Brutus’s honor being known not just by himself but by everyone else as well. The main reason the conspirators want him on their side is because he is an upright man. In planning Caesar’s murder, Brutus states, “Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends, / Let’s kill him boldly but not wrathfully” (II.i.184-185). Even though they are plotting the death of a fellow man, Brutus feels the need to be civil about it.
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In Antony’s speech he repeatedly and sarcastically calls Brutus an honorable man. As it stands, Brutus is honorable as shown by how his funeral speech does not fall on deaf ears. The people understand his position because it is not an unreasonable one. Unlike the other conspirators, Brutus only wants to do what is best for Rome which, indeed, makes him honorable. However, Antony knows as well as anyone else that honor is no longer relevant. In his funeral speech, Antony proclaims, “For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. / Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! / This was the most unkindest cut of all” (III.ii.193-195). Caesar had been an upright man just like Brutus and Brutus had murdered him. Majority rules and this majority agrees that murder is murder no matter who commits it or for what
The second henious act Brutus commits is murder on his dear friend Caeser. After commiting the crime he said "If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caeser’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caeser was no less than his". Brutus killed his dear friend because of ambition. If only today’s leaders had some ambition! He said that he love Rome more than Caeser and that is why he commited one of the most dishonorable acts a humn being can commit. After the act, Antony appropriately and sarcastically called Brutus an honorable man. Unlike Brutus, Antony knew what honor was. Even though Brutus knew that Caeser had turned down the crown three times, he still felt he was to ambitious to rule over Rome. If only Brutus would have had a level head on his shoulders like Antony. If anyone can call a murderer honorable, let them be known.
Brutus put his trust in Antony to not turn on him at the funeral. He was lead to believe that Antony would only speak good of the conspirators and defend them for the actions they have made. He trusted Antony when he told him he would not express such hate and talk of the bad they did and then later turned against them for the vengeance of Caesar. Brutus told Antony, “You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, But speak all good you can devise of Caesar” (III.i.245-246). He told him that the only way he is going to be able to speak at Caesar’s funeral is if he speaks good of the conspirators. After Antony said his speech, the whole crowd immediately switched and sided with him against them. They wanted nothing more than for Brutus, Cassius and the other contributors to be dead. This reveals that Brutus is shameful for putting his trust in someone who was so close to Caesar. Brutus trusted that Antony wouldn't do anything and just imagined he would be to scared to step up and speak out. This leads to Brutus losing the trust he had for Antony and starting a war between the people and the conspirators. As the war was about to proceed, they all prepped for what was about to happen. Antony and his army completely dominated Brutus’ and lead to many of them fleeing for their lives. Many people died by genocide while other committed suicide. Brutus was among the ones of suicide. He no longer wanted to be alive and felt that he had lived and fulfill what he had wanted. People were dead and he knew he was going to be one of them. Brutus’ last words were, “Caesar, now be still; I killed not thee with half so good a will” (V.v.50-51). He wanted Caesar to know that he can now be at rest because the vengeance he was looking for has been given. Because of all the trust he put in the people that were taking advantage of him, he ended up finishing his life. This reveals that Brutus really did
Specifically, Brutus has too much pride in himself to realize that he might have a wrong political standpoint, and that killing Caesar might not have been the best option. “Stoop, Romans, stoop, and let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood up to the elbows, and besmear our swords. Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace, and, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, let's all cry "Peace, freedom, and liberty” (3.1.117)! Brutus shows pride in his actions and thinks it will only bring out great in the world. However, Caesar is going to take the crown when he is slain by Brutus and the conspirators. Turmoil is inevitable which causes a war to break out and many people to
The definition of a tragic hero is perceived as on who is neither wicked nor purely innocent, one who “is brave and noble but guilty of the tragic flaw of assuming that honorable ends justify dishonorable means”. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus takes the role of the tragic hero. Brutus’s honor, nobility, and self-righteousness makes him “a tragic figure, if not the hero” (Catherine C. Dominic).
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’ leadership and compassion for others make him a popular figure amongst the Roman people, and it is his reputation that establishes him as an influential individual. For example, despite the fact that Brutus loves Caesar like a brother, he warily joins the conspiracy to assassinate him. He does this because he believes that Caesar’s ambition would become tyranny and that Caesar’s death is a necessary evil in order to preserve the liberties of the Roman people. In his own words Brutus claims, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general.”(Act 2, Scene 1, Page 1116). In addition, Brutus takes the reins of authority from Cassius and becomes the leader of the conspiracy. He gains this prerogative because of his convincing tongue and powerful influence. His leadership is evidenced when he begins to challenge Cassius’ ideas. When Cassius asks the conspirators to “swear our resolution”(Act 2...
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.
Throughout the play, Brutus speaks about honor and his loyalty to his country. These two concepts become major conflicts for him when it comes to his friendship and loyalty to Caesar. Brutus life is conducted by the concept of honor. He constantly throughout the play speaks of how honorable he is and how honorable men should live. He 's very proud of how Romans view him as a noble and honorable man, who fights for what is right and is always following the moral and ethical code. Brutus ends up using the concept of honor and loyalty to his country as a reason why Caesar must die. He 's convinced that his countrymen will thank him for saving them from a tyrant and that Rome would be much better off without Caesar, but it ends up being a big miscalculation
In the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, one of the main characters, Brutus, is faced with a major problem. He has to decide whether or not to join the conspiracy, which is to kill his best friend Caesar or let him get crowned king. Thoughout the play he has to decide and his choice may effect Rome forever. Brutus decides to join the conspirators and help kill Julius Caesar. His actions show that he is a very patriotic, one who loves his country and upholds its interests, citizen of Rome. First, he shows great courage in killing Caesar for the love of his country. Second, all the people of Rome adore him because of his loyalty and finally, Brutus is willing to stand up to the fact that he helped kill Julius Caesar.
Brutus was the only man in the conspiracy with good intentions. Brutus wants to assassinate Caesar for the good of Rome. The other conspirators are all doing it for their own selfish reasons. Brutus’ motives, for joining the conspirators, indicate that he was very public-minded and morally conscientious. When Brutus says “But for the general. He would be crown’d: How that might change his nature, there’s the question:” (II, i, l 12-14) He was stating that it will be for the good of Rome to assassinate Caesar. Also he did not want their assassination to seem too gruesome, this shows he was morally conscientious. When Cassius said that they should also kill Antony, Brutus says “Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius”.
Brutus was a trusted friend of Caesar and an honorable man, or so you thought. In William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus is presented as a loyal companion to Caesar showing himself as honorable only to turn around and betray his friend by death. This to me does not sound like the act of an honorable man. Can a man who is honored, be honorable? Brutus was a noble man in Rome and a good friend to the leader Caesar. Many looked up to Brutus as an honest man, and a person to trust and confide in. Trust is a basis in a friendship, and the one thing that failed to enter the relationship between Caesar and Brutus, leading to the one thing to drive their friendship apart. He may be looked apon as honored but was definitely not an honorable man. Someone who kills one of his own because he was persuaded to by the thoughts and ideas of others is easily manipulated and therefore cannot be thought of as honorable. He does not have strong character if he does not have faith in himself. "Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face while I do run apon it." (Shakespeare The Tragedy of Julius Caesar 5. 3. line 49) These were words Brutus spoke moments before killing himself, dying full of shame. How could a man who does not have the strength to carry on with his life, be considered honorable? Half of having the title of being honorable, is having faith in yourself, a quality which Brutus showed he did not have by timorously taking his own life. Inner weakness portrays itself in an outer manifestations of lies and anger. How can these characteristics be considered honorable? Like a chameleon, Brutus changed his words and ideas to fit the political climate, betraying Caesar, his country, and eventually himself. Brutus, having no self-assurance, or confidence he resulted to being a follower right down to his death. These are all signs of a weak person. With so much going for him, he lost it all to an easy way out of a difficult situation.
Loyalty and honor, those two things may seem similar but often in life they can create many inner conflicts and can get in the way for the greater good of others. In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Shakespeare willfully constructs a character by the name of Brutus who is often faced with the serious dilemma of whether to be loyal to a long time friend or honor his great country of Rome by getting rid of his long time friend. He makes the choice of honor for the greater good of his beloved country. His leadership, restraint and honor make him a very important commodity.
Brutus was one of many Romans with noble bloodlines. Although Brutus was noble, he never used it to get ahead. There are many times when Brutus could have used the fact that he is truly noble but he didn’t. Many people argue that a noble man wouldn’t have killed Caesar. In some ways that is true, but Brutus’ case was different. A noble man would only for the good of others and that is what Brutus did. He killed Caesar because 7he was afraid of how powerful he could become. Even then he had a hard time doing it, and that is what separates Brutus from the other conspirators. Every other conspirator had little or no reason to kill Caesar. Brutus was willing to do anything for Rome. During his speech about Caesar’s murder Brutus stated “I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death” (III.ii.45-46). This shows how Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (III.ii.20-22). He was too passionate about his country to let Caesar turn it into a dictatorship. Mark Antony and Octavius recognized that Brutus was the one noble roman. In his final speech mark Antony said “This was the noblest roman of them all. / All the conspirators save only he/ Did that they did i...
Throughout Julius Caesar Brutus acts in accordance with his morals, which makes his eventual fall all the more tragic as Brutus genuinely believed his actions benefitted the future of Rome. Unlike most of the self-interested people around him, Brutus genuinely cares for the continued well-being of the Roman republic. Brutus sees Caesar's rise to power and imminent crowning as a danger to the freedom of the people in Rome since, "crown [Caesar] that, and then I grant we put a sting in him that at his will he may do danger with. Th' abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power" (2.1.15-19). Brutus knows that many past rulers have turned into tyrants and oppressed their people after gaining substantial authority, and fears that the same tragedy will befall Rome if the Senate crowns Caesar. And although Brutus conspires to kill Caesar rather than finding a peaceful solution to this disagreement, he tells the other conspirators to limit their violence as "this shall make our purpose necessary and not envious, which so appearing to the common eyes, we shall be called purgers, not murderers" (2.1.175-178). Brutus' constant requests to preform the assassination quickly and honorably reveal his concern about the fate of the Romans acts as the motivation behind his actions (unlike the other conspirators who "did that they did in envy of great Caesar") (5.5.71).
From this point on, Brutus has to justify the rest of his actions as honorable and proper for the wellbeing of the Roman citizens. Even though he betrayed Caesar, he has to prove to himself (and others) that he is still an honorable and noble man. The fact that Brutus had to debate whether or not to join the conspiracy influences his later actions that change what happens in the play. One of the most important examples of this is when Cassius urges the group to kill Antony with Caesar. Brutus disagrees by saying “… Antony is but a limb of Caesar. / Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius” (Act 2, Scene 1 Lines 165-166). The decision to keep Mark Antony alive was fueled by Brutus’s naivety and lack of knowledge of what Antony was capable of doing. Furthermore, Brutus did not allow the group to kill Antony because if they did, it would seem as if they were doing this for personal gain and not for the good of Rome. Brutus could not afford to the let people even