Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is a renowned play that was written in the 15th century. When most people read this play, their main interest is the assassination of Julius Caesar and how the plan was conspired. However, many fail to notice the way the conspiracy was masterminded. The character responsible for the assassination was (ironically) Caesar's close friend, Marcus Brutus. Thus, it could be argued that the play is particularly about Brutus and the various reasons that led him to kill his friend. The reader can easily observe Brutus' pride in his status, reputation, and honor. However, he is not always reasonable and demonstrates immaturity very often. He is also an extremely hypocritical character who behaves in a certain way to satisfy …show more content…
his moral and ethical values and standards. In addition, his actions are contradictory.
From the beginning of the play, Brutus is confronted with the temptation of conspiring against Caesar in a simple conversation with Cassius. His desire to contrive against Caesar is unjustifiable considering the close friendship between the two men. Caesar is an individual who does not excessively misuse or abuse his power. As Brutus is guided by his honor and love for Rome, the same attribute makes Cassius want Brutus to join in the conspiracy against Caesar. The conspiracy could become successful with Brutus as a useful addition owing to his honor and reputation. Inclusion of Brutus in the opponents' side could naturally attract more people to revolt against Caesar. Brutus' honor makes him completely naive to this fact. He does not recognize the meanings behind the letters placed around for him that indicated waning signals about the approaching times. He is also unable to realize the negative roles played by Cassius, Casca, and Antony in the overall scenario. For instance, he completely underestimates Antony as his opponent and loses control over the discussion that took place at the …show more content…
capital directly after the assassination. The most significant moment is when Brutus puts his naive thinking on display in the Forum scene. He presents all the reasons for his support of the assassination of Caesar and leaves the Forum completely convinced that he has satisfied and justified the assassination for the Roman people. The speech given by him touches the Romans emotionally with such an overwhelming sentiment that they could not make a reasonable conclusion about the conspirators' brutal action. As mentioned earlier, Brutus and Caesar enjoyed a strong relationship. Yet, Brutus loved Rome and its people more. The conflict which led Brutus to think that Caesar was not an appropriate leader for the Roman Empire was his conflict with Caesar's power and ambition. In one of the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius; "If it aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently..." (Act 1, Scene 2, ll. 85-89). As he is speaking to Cassius, "he then unto the ladder turns his back..." (Act 2, Scene 1, Line 25). This quote suggests that Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turns his back on the people of Rome. It is the sole reason Brutus conspired and plotted the assassination. Brutus even says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might change his nature..." (Act 2, Scene 1- ll.11-13). It pinpoints that the conspiracy was in no way personal for Brutus. Caesar's connection with Brutus was also extremely strong whereby Caesar shows immense respect for Brutus by letting him close to him. For Caesar, Brutus is a noble man who does the right thing regardless of any danger to himself. Caesar's last line before he breathes his last indicates his respect for Brutus as he says: "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar" (Act 3, scene 1, line 77). Caesar acknowledges that Brutus must have had a solid reason to plot and accomplish such a senseless act. Marcus Brutus was a good friend to Julius Caesar - but not good enough.
He held his moral values for Rome and its people above his values for friendship. Brutus' values for Rome led him to join a conspiracy against Caesar that was particularly put together by Cassius. Brutus mainly joined as he did not t want Caesar to turn his back on Rome. At certain times throughout the play, Brutus' trustworthiness was so constant that it made him seem rather dim-witted. He was also the most morally strong character in the play. The leadership qualities in him encouraged and urged him to execute the assassination of Caesar as it was the "best thing to do for the public and for himself". Brutus also possesses certain qualities such as idealism, nobility, and uprightness that makes him somewhat of a tragic hero. His greatest flaw is his love for Rome and its people turning into naivety. Yet, his morality may also be considered one of the most admirable traits. He did not desire for the assassination of a close friend; he desired the best for the public. Brutus finds Caesar's desire of pride to be revolting. However, he has his own problems with pride. Brutus shows great pride when it comes to his family. Cassius uses this weakness to his advantage in Act one, Scene two, when he tries to convince Brutus that he should take over Caesar's throne. Cassius asks: "'Caesar?' Why should that name be sounded more than yours?" Brutus is an idealist who holds honor above everything else. Therefore,
he wanted to get rid of Caesar as the emperor was moving away from the idea of a Roman Empire to an empire under his sole power. Once Brutus made up his mind, he rarely questioned anyone. He did not even give a second thought to abstain from killing Caesar. He is also certainly accustomed to having his way without argument due to which he rarely listens to other's opinions. Shakespeare uses Brutus' character as a way to portray that there is always a right way to fight for what you believe in and support your cause. Brutus is, however, an extreme version. In modern-day circumstances, people can protest or start a petition if they demand a change and are passionate about their country. Of course, these are entirely different times. As a matter of fact, Brutus' personality can be compared to a rubber band. He is easily stretched out but he could also easily return to its original form. Yet, a piece of elastic will also wear out and has to be thrown out. Brutus is quickly persuaded and manipulated by Cassius and the other conspirators but always sticks with his same moral values. He does everything with the same intention to bring improvements in his beloved Rome. Similar to a rubber band, it is stretched and used and then immediately thrown to the side. Brutus does not receive the same attention as Julius Caesar even though the play is even more of a tragedy concerning Brutus.
In the beginning of the Book Cassius uses anecdotes of Caesar’s weakness and faults, argumentum ad antiquatum, and ethos on Brutus to persuade him to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar, this works on Brutus and shows that anyone, even people as stoic as Brutus, can be persuaded by appealing to their motivations. Cassius, a very suspicious character thru ought 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 keeping 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 on a time when he and Caesar went swimming in the river Tiber and Caesar screamed “Help me, Cassius or I sink” (828) to de...
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
Cassius needed a reason to motivate Brutus to join the conspiracy so that the plan would develop. “Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness…” (1.2.34) Cassius is saying that Brutus hasn’t been as affectionate toward him as he typically is. Maybe he suspects something is wrong with Brutus and he thinks it has something to do with Caesar. But I think he didn’t really care about how Brutus was treating him, he was just “buttering him up” so to say. Brutus thinks that Cassius is just being his friend and trying to help, when in reality Cassius is manipulating him. This manipulation of friendship is what drives the rest of the play. Brutus has a hard time seeing through this manipulation of Cassius and it ends up driving him to assassinating his friend, Caesar. Cassius fabricated letters to make them seen like they were from the people of Rome saying that they wanted Brutus as their leader. These letters were really the controlling factor of the assassination because they gave Brutus another reason to assassinate Caesar. Cassius then realized how easy it was to manipulate Brutus. “Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet that noble minds keep ever with their likes; for who so firm that cannot be seduced?” (1.2.320-324) Cassius is saying that even
Throughout the play many characters are not who they turn out to be. Julius Caesar is a very good judge of character, he does not ruts Cassius, he says “ He thinks too much man, such men are dangerous”( shakespeare,1.2.195). Caesar foreshadows now dangerous Cassius is, Cassius is one person who stabs Caesar. Unlike Caesar, Brutus trusts people too much to see who they are. After Caesar 's death, Brutus trusts Marc Antony to give his speech, but Cassius says “ You know not what you do. Do not consent./ that Antony speak in his funeral. I know you how much the people may be moved/ by that which he will utter.” (shakespeare,3.2.333-335). Caesar was an amazing military leader, Brutus was not. Before Caesar becomes king, he gained land back to Rome “ Julius Caesar has just returned to Rome after a long civil war in which he defeated the forces of pompey” (applebee) Caesar led his military to victory and has the chance to take full control of Rome. brutus is a humble military leader company to Caesar. After Brutus won his battle over Octavius’ army, he left his men begin looting. Instead of helping Cassius’ army “ O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,/ who, having some advantages on Octavius/ took it too eagerly. His soldiers fell to spoil/ whilst we by Antony are all enclosed .(Shakespeare,5.3.5-8) Brutus had a bad call when he did not send his army to help Cassius. With Caesars flaw being
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.
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.
William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a tragic drama, set in Ancient Rome about the horrendous death of Julius Caesar. Brutus, leader of the conspiracy against Caesar, begins as Caesar’s friend. Cassius, instigator of the conspirator, manipulates Brutus into killing Caesar. Brutus agrees to this plan because of his plans for Rome. The bond between these two connects when Brutus agrees to Cassius about killing Caesar for the best of Rome. Cassius, very power hungry, comes up with a plan that will succeed in both of them killing Caesar. They both rely on each other because they want the power that Caesar has been requested to make the best of Rome. This dream of making Rome better was manipulated by Cassius to Brutus. However,
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.
Brutus is a good man who is easily turned evil by men filled with abhorrence and jealousy. In the play, Julius Caesar, Brutus is a Roman who is easily manipulated, decisive, and proud. These contradicting traits of Brutus show us why the reader does not want to believe that Brutus is an antagonist in the story.
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, written and preformed 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 conspirators, Brutus and Cassius being the most important, assassinate Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, better known as Antony, and Octavius Caesar, Caesar's heir to the thrown, revenge Caesar's death. Antony convinces the Roman populous to destroy the conspirators and eventually begins a war with Cassius and Brutus' armies. Both Cassius and Brutus commit suicide to save their honor and Antony and Octavius win the war. The characterizations of Brutus and Cassius show a distinct contrast in their character traits and motives for the assassination of Julius Caesar.
In this play, Cassius’ motivation is completely inspired by evil and hatred. His jealousy of Caesar and greed for power drives him to create the conspiracy and start plotting the death of Caesar. While talking to Casca, he says, “What trash is Rome, / What rubbish and what offal, when is serves / For the bas matter to illuminate / So vile a thing as Caesar!” (I.iii.109-112). This shows some of the true feelings Cassius has about Caesar. He believes that Caesar is not worthy of his power and does not want anyone to hold more power than him. Although he justifies the killing of Caesar as an act for freedom from tyranny, his motivation is full of bad intent. In an attempt to disguise his true motives, Cassius convinces Brutus, an honorable and well-respected man, to join the conspiracy. He tells Brutus, “Brutus and Caesar-what should be in that “Caesar”? / Why should that name be sounded more than yours? / Write them together, yours is as fair a name. / Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well. / ...
(transition), Cassius uses a fair amount of trickery in order to recruit Brutus for his conspiracy. Many of the conspirators voice their desire to have Brutus on their side during the conspiracy. Casca states the benefits of working with Brutus by saying, “Oh, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, / And that which would appear offense in us, / His countenance, like richest alchemy, / Will change to virtue and to worthiness” (I,iii,159-162). The senators believe that anything they do to Caesar will look bad in the eyes of the people, but Brutus, whom the plebeians love, will make their actions appear honorable. In order to achieve this, Cassius creates a plan in order to prod Brutus in favor of the assassination:
Brutus’ tragic flaw was his perception that all men were identical to him in their motives. This factored allowed his decisions to be easily influenced by others whose motives were devious. Cassius was able to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy because Brutus thought the only reason behind the conspiracy was to prevent one man from becoming “Rex.” He allowed Antony’s speech to occur because he was sure that Antony was motivated by the same “honor” which motivated himself.
Brutus had a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. I think during Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is a close friend or relative to him/her. Brutus loved Caesar but feared his power and ambition. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "If it aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently…,,"(act 1, scene 2, ll.85-89), as he is speaking to Cassius. "He then unto the ladder turns his back..."(act 2, scene 1, line 25). As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back on the people of Rome. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. Brutus says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might change his nature..."(act 2, scene 1, and ll.11-13)