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The tragedy of brutus in julius caesar
The character of brutus in julius caesar
The character of brutus
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Was Brutus a villain or a hero? Even though he participated in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar, Brutus enjoyed a reputation in his day among Romans as a noble and fair-minded statesman. Brutus believed the action of killing Caesar was necessary to prevent Caesar from becoming a dictator. In Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar” Brutus is a selfless hero because he killed Caesar for the good of the people, he kills himself, and many Romans respected him.
Brutus was respected by many Romans which shows he was a hero in many eyes. Brutus was an important piece to the puzzle in getting rid of Caesar. Cassius needed Brutus to be part of the conspiracy because Brutus would be able to justify for killing Caesar and persuade the Romans he did it for a good cause. After the death of Caesar, Brutus went out to the Roman Forum and said his speech. In Brutus’ speech he tells all the Romans he will kill himself with the same blade he killed Caesar with if they want him to. “I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.” (Act 3 Scene 2 Line
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45-47)Right after he says this all the Romans say “Live, Brutus! Live, Live!” (Act 3 Scene 2 Line 48) He was greatly respected by the Romans because if he wasn’t a hero and respected by the Romans, they would have told Brutus to kill himself. Brutus kills himself because he felt guilty for what he did.
In “Julius Caesar” the other conspirators did not feel any remorse but unlike Brutus, he realized his guilt and Caesar’s ghost entered the scene. Caesar’s ghost tells Brutus “To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.” (Act 4 Scene 3 Line 282) This quote foreshadows Brutus’ death. After he saw Caesar’s ghost he asks Strato to hold his sword and to turn his head away. “Hold then my sword, and turn way thy face, While I do run upon it. Wilt Thou, Strato.” (Act 5 Scene 5 Line Line 47-48) These quotes show Brutus was an honorable man and a selfless hero taking his own life because of the guilt of killing his closest friend. Villains do not kill themselves of guilt because they killed someone. Villains are able to put their feelings down and that is the difference between a hero and a
villain. Brutus killed Caesar for the good of the people because he believed he would become tyrannical and enslave the Romans. At the Roman Forum, he says his speech and tells the Romans he only did it for them. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” ( Act 3 Scene 2 Line 21-22) This quote means that Brutus did love Caesar very much but he loved his country and the Romans more. This shows Brutus was not thinking for himself but for his people. Brutus was a selfless person because he put the Romans before himself in that situation.
William Shakespeare illustrates Marcus Brutus as a tragic hero in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Shakespeare defines tragic hero as a flawed character who has good fortune, and then loses all he has prized, leading to his misfortune, but a tragic hero must have that moment of enlightenment, that moment where a character can see that he caused his own downfall and receives the blame for his own tragedy. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is based on an historical event- the assassination of Julius Caesar; however, the story revolves around the conspirators, not Caesar. The protagonists, Cassius and Brutus, are the main two conspirators: Cassius being the master-mind and Brutus being the face for the conspirators; Cassius tricks Brutus to join the conspirators under the false hope that the people fear Caesar and his authority, and Brutus wanting what the people want gave in to Cassius’s plan. The conspirators planned and acted on the assassination of Julius Caesar in the belief that by killing him, the republic government that held Rome high would last and the ideals of a monarchy would vanish with Caesar’s body. This was not the conclusion; by assassinating Julius Caesar, the man Rome longed for as their king, the conspirators created a king, Caesar’s adopted son. Instead of Brutus and Cassius becoming the heroes and new leaders of Rome, both are banished and hated, creating a struggle for them to receive relief of their power hunger for Rome, resulting in death. Brutus is the tragic hero of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar because he was flawed, caused his own downfall, faced a moment of enlightenment, and showed that he was an honorable man.
Brutus joins a group of conspirators to help kill one of his very close friends because he thinks it will benefit Rome. Although Caesar was one of Brutus’s closest friends, he was part of the conspiracy in his demise. He didn’t do it out of selfish reason or envy like the rest of the conspirators; he did it because he truly believed that it would be the best thing for his country. “Not that I loved Caesar / Less, but that I loved Rome more” (III. ii. 21-22). Brutus said that during his speech at Caesar’s funeral. It basically says his reasoning for the all too great and powerful dictator to he killed. In...
As the play opens, Brutus is known as a Roman nobleman and a member of one of the most illustrious families in Rome. He is first seen in Act I, scene ii, as one of Caesar’s “close friends” who is part of his entourage. But while alone with Cassius he is persuaded into taking a part in the assassination of Caesar. He is weary at first, and it seems as though it took Cassius some time to talk him into agreeing, yet Brutus looked at Caesar as some type of threat as well.
Brutus was a man of noble birth. He had multiple servants and was often referred to as “Lord”, which indicates a certain level of respect for him. He was a very highly thought of person in Rome. At no point did he ever betray anyone, although he did kill Caesar, he did it to better Rome, not to mislead him. Everything he did was for the advantage of someone else. Even after Brutus dies, Marc Antony says “This was the noblest roman of them all; all the conspirators, save only he, did that they did in the envy of Caesar; he only in a general honest thought and common good to all...” This shows that regardless of brutus killing Caesar, he is still considered noble because he had good intentions. Brutus was also the best friend of Julius Caesar, the most powerful man in Rome. Had he been a commoner, Caesar most likely would not have associated with him or trusted him as a friend.
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.
First one can see that Brutus is the tragic hero by looking at his background and comparing it with the background of a tragic hero. The first of the requirements for a tragic hero is that he has to be of noble birth. Brutus is of noble birth, and this influences many of his traits. For example, Brutus is Brutus is educated and this leads to his flawous idealistic views. Also, he fulfills another requirement, the requirement that he comes into some kind of understanding. In the case of Brutus, he is convinced into believing that he has to kill Ceaser because “That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks into the clouds, scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend”. This shows that Brutus killed Caesar for the good of Rome. Overall, Brutus is the tragic hero because he fulfills all of the background requirements to be a tragic hero.
Brutus was a very selfish and self-centered person. He continually ignored Cassius’ and the conspirators’ ideas. He was the leader and everyone was supposed to go along with them. Not to mention that all of his decisions went against Cassius and they were all the wrong moves. Brutus refused to admit that he was wrong or listen to other people.
In William Shakespeare's classic tragedy “Julius Caesar” the characters are all positioned on a path that leads them to a terrible and disastrous end. Some destroy themselves for the greater good of Rome or just because of their own selfish greed for power. Some characters proceed to destroy others in hopes of protecting the greater good, but lose those closest to them. Cassius leads a dark conspiracy and kills Julius Caesar, but later kills himself. Marc Antony and Octavius track down and kill the assassins that killed Caesar, but lose those they care about most along the way. A true hero will rise to adversity and meet a situation head on to conquer the problem or his foes; however, a tragic hero may do just the opposite. A tragic hero, through errors in judgment and personal flaws, combined with fate and forces often beyond their control ,will fail and bring those around them down as well. No hero has ever been so tragic in literature than Marcus Brutus. Brutus, through persuasion of others, bad decisions, and his personal fears of those around him meets a tragic end. When his beloved wife, Portia, kills herself, he later is compelled to do the same. Brutus’ character flaws bring about his ultimate downfall, which has been judged by critics throughout the ages. Brutus allows his flaws to overshadow his quest to do good, causing him to appear as a weak character. Brutus’ mistakes begin when he lets his thoughts be infiltrated by Cassius. Brutus admits to having an ongoing struggle within him about where his loyalties lie. When Cassius first presents the idea of overthrowing and assassinating Caesar to Brutus, Cassius begins by saying Brutus looks troubled, in response Brutus says, “Be not deceived. If I have veiled my lo...
The fact that Brutus killed Caesar for his country meant that even though he murdered somebody, a friend, he still did it for something much bigger than himself. Like Brutus said, he killed Caesar because it was “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (Julius Caesar Act 3 Scene 2 Shakespeare). I think that is very noble of him, because if it weren’t for the act of murder, he would most definitely be a hero. If it were not for him not giving Caesar a chance first, he would most definitely be a hero. If it weren’t for his morals being manipulated by another person, he would most definitely be a hero. There is a lot of controversy about the topic and what makes Brutus a hero or villain. The question about which one he really is makes you think. I feel that even though he was a good man, the small details made the “villain” side of him surface much more than the “hero”
Last but not least, Brutus suicided to the ghost of Caesar that represented his regretness or remorseness over his death. The Ghost of Caesar makes him feel uncomfortable or regretful of his unforgivable actions. His hands shedded in blood does not make him a villain, but it makes him more of a victim that earns the audience's sympathy. He suicides by running on a sword which is his last death sentence. “Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face, while I do run upon it (875).” Brutus is a villain seen at first, but his death or regretness makes him a victim.
Brutus, in the novel Julius Caesar, went through three simple steps which are necessary in becoming a tragic hero. First he brought down Caesar thinking he had good intentions. Then he realized he had done wrong and knew that there would be consequences. Finally he went through a downfall, but even after death he was still honorable. Good intentions, realization, and an unfortunate but honorable downfall are the qualities that make Brutus a tragic hero and not a villain.
...tus truly defined the definition of being a tragic hero. He took a drastic fall from being high standing Roman senator to committing suicide on the battle field. He also had several fundamental character flaws that defined not only his future but it also defined history as we know it today. His illogical thinking allowed him to justify the killing of Caesar; and his kindness allows Mark Antony to live and become a mighty ruler of Rome. Brutus’ finally has a revelation and his eyes are opened once he is defeated on the battle field during The Battle Philippi. Brutus’ participation in the assassination of Caesar defined his life and the lives of those around him; it also affected the way we look at history today. Without his involvement in the conspiracy the Roman Empire would not have been the same. Brutus’ name will forever be affiliated with the death of Caesar.
Brutus was a loving friend of Julius Caesar and wished anything but death on his comrade, but his love and dedication to the majestic city of Rome would force him to commit anything. He fights a war to defend Rome from a king or emperor's tyrannical rule. When the war was over, even his enemies saw that he was the most respectable Roman of them all. This (Brutus' body) was the noblest Roman of them all. All conspirators, save only he did what they did in envy of great Caesar....
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...
For even his good intentions and conviction that "did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake" could not convince the Roman people to adopt his worldview (4.3.19). And, despite the fact that Brutus "only, in a general honest thought and common good to all, made one of [the conspirators]," he had to die with his vision unfulfilled and with the Roman republic in a worse state than it started the play in (5.5.72-73). Due to the errors Brutus makes throughout the play and the harm that befalls him as a result, he represents the true tragic hero of Julius Caesar. For despite holding one of the few sets of good intentions in the play, Brutus ultimately suffers and dies farther away from achieving his dreams than he started from.