The Complexity Of Brutus In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Think about that favorite novel, movie, or TV show. Are there certain characters who are more engaging? Maybe it is because the character is complex, in contrast to that aggravating, perfect protagonist. This is the case with Marcus Brutus in William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Not only is Brutus arguably the most complex character in the entire play, but he is also flawed. Shakespeare develops the complexity of Brutus, the quintessence of humanity’s weaknesses, in order to create a relatable character.
Brutus struggles with naivety, and this in turn develops Brutus into the character Shakespeare desires him to be. Being naive can be defined as lacking in experience, wisdom, or judgement. The trait is shown to the audience

when Brutus states “And for Mark Antony, think not of him, / For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm / When Caesar’s head is off” (JC. 2. 1. 194-196). No doubt Brutus is not using enough judgement here because the audience finds out Mark Antony is not as useless as Brutus portrays him to be. Brutus also argues that there is no need to further murder anyone else other than Caesar, and this is also naive of him. In fact, Mark Antony will cause the conspirators to flee Rome and will incite a brutal civil war that will ultimately lead to Brutus’s death. No, Brutus is not wise at times, but this character, who is often seen as the tragic hero, is more complicated than many give him credit. One can feel better that even the honorable Brutus is not perfect - his naivety can account for that fact. His imperfection also adds realism, and Shakespeare is aiming for that effect.
In addition, the incorporation of Brutus’s arrogance is a brilliant maneuver on Shakespeare’s part in order to allow spectators to identify with Brutus. Arrogance can be difficult to identify, but it is plainly detectable in Brutus’s argument with Cassius. In their dispute, Brutus says “When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous” (JC. 4. 3. 88). There is the notion of conceit here, for Brutus is referring to himself in third person. This suggests Brutus believes himself worthy of the emphasis speaking in third person brings. Another example of this flaw is his point “For I can raise no money by vile means” (JC. 4. 3. 80-84). He is saying he cannot do the disgusting actions that Cassius has done. Brutus is putting Cassius down, and he is forging a pedestal for himself, implying that he is better than Cassius. Of course, arrogance is something humans often experience in themselves or others. It is easy to become conceited, and people, Brutus included, can effortlessly fall victim to this human weakness. Because Shakespeare creates Brutus with this common flaw, more audience members are able to connect to Brutus.
Finally, Shakespeare intentionally gives Brutus the flaw of poor decision making in order to allow his audience to understand this figure.

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

characterization.
Brutus’s numerous faults in the play helps the reader better understand and connect with the tragic hero. Shakespeare is not the only one who utilizes weaknesses as a tool to achieve empathy for his characters; for example, part of what makes Mark Twain’s Huck Finn endearing is his failures, including struggling with a bias for blacks and his excessive willingness to follow Tom Sawyer’s lead. These appealing characters are masterpieces to be enjoyed, so observe how and why the creators did what they did. And let Brutus, full of faults, be a shining example of such a character.