Imagine being put in a position where you had to choose your best friend or your country. That is exactly the position Brutus was put in, in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. If you were put in this position what would you do? How deep is your friendship and loyalty; and where does it lie more between your friend and your country? The title of the play and the fact that Brutus killed Caesar makes it seem like Brutus is the villain. Because Brutus’ reason for killing Caesar was for the good of Rome, he is the protagonist.
Corruption is defined as dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by powerful people, and just like its definition, corruption and power go hand in hand. The more power a person has, generally, the easier it is for them to be corrupted. Just like in Julius Caesar where power and corruption are very prevalent, and most of the leaders in Julius Caesar became corrupted by their power, but in some rare cases leaders have avoided corruption, these people are very valuable in society, and must not be taken for granted.
Intro: “Belief can be manipulated. Only knowledge is dangerous” as Frank Herbert once said. People may manipulate others to do their biddings in order to achieve their personal goals. No matter how hard it is, manipulators eventually reach their prey. This is the plan Cassius uses to initiate his final plan, to kill Caesar. Cassius wants Brutus to think that if Throughout the play Julius Caesar, written by William shakespeare, Cassius uses manipulation to form his group of conspirators and make them perform his biddings. Most importantly, Cassius turns Brutus, one of Caesar’s greatest friends, to his side through various creative tactics.
Brutus is a person in Julius Caesar that you would not expect to want power. His ways of trying to obtain power are less obvious than other characters. In Julius Caesar, Brutus is a friend of Caesar, but notices that Caesar is acting ambitious like that of a tyrant. Brutus realises that he, himself values the good of Rome more than Caesar. Brutus through the ways of realising danger, being leader, and persuasion tries to gain power in the great empire of Rome.
In “Julius Caesar”, by William Shakespeare, Marcus brutus plays the role of the Tragic hero due to his character flaw of being too Naive. The conspiracy to assassinate Roman dictator Julius Caesar is Instigated by senator Cassius, who uses Brutus to carry out his plan. He chooses Brutus to lead the assassination because Brutus is a nobleman who is greatly respected by the society. Cassius’s plan is to include Brutus in the conspiracy so the people of Rome would look at the assassination as a noble act. He convinces Brutus that Caesar will turn out to be an over-powered tyrannical leader once pronounced king. Most of the senators are involved in the conspiracy out of envy of Caesar, except for Brutus who does it out of his love for Rome. Caesar’s assassination leads to a need for a new leader in Rome. This is where two sides split up, the conspirators, and the ones loyal to Caesar. These two sides consist of Brutus and Cassius as the conspirators and Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus as the loyal ones to Caesar. The two sides battle it out at Philippi, which turns out to the the final resting place for Brutus and Cassius, who lose at the end. In “Julius Caesar” William Shakespeare uses Metaphors and hyperboles to prove that Marcus brutus is the Tragic Hero due to his naivety.
Cassius is a foil to Brutus due to their reasons for killing Caesar. Cassius's reasons goes more towards fear and jealousy, and hs more of a selfish reason to end Caesar's life. While Brutus's motive is, wholeheartedly, for the good of Rome, and his loyalty towards Rome is greater than his of Caesars. An example for Cassius being selfish and fearful is when he sent forged letter to Brutus just to get him to help him kill Caesar. Brutus's every action in this play is for the good of Rome, he was hesitant at first because he did not believe he was a threat to Rome and the citizens until Cassius sent the forged letters. So, they both wanted to kill Caesar but have completely different
“ Stoicism’s primary tenets state that we should not wish for things to be other than they are. Acceptance of fate and the realization of providence lead to complete freedom from the passions.” (qtd Gann) Brutus does not submit to the natural world, instead, he makes choices to change certain outcomes in his life. To answer to the reason for Brutus’ downfall, which was ‘his own doing’, the term is specific to the actions of Brutus himself, thus Brutus experienced downfall due to his attempts to change fate, ultimately due to his failure as a Stoic. This leads him to join the conspiracy of assassinating Caesar, which opposes the nature that Caesar was to
Foil characters are two or more characters that are opposite to each other. By contrasting to each other, each character’s personality is highlighted and differentiated from one another. In Julius Caesar, there are twofold foils. Cassius is a foil to Brutus while Antony is a foil to Brutus as well. Thus, Cassius and Antony are more similar to each other even though it was Cassius and Brutus who killed Caesar and Antony was on Caesar’s side. Brutus is the man of liberty, honor and Rome. He is an idealist and is well respected. Cassius has something that Brutus does not, such as ability of manipulating people and experiences as a good soldier. Similarly, Antony is a practical man, but he still knows how to admit and acknowledge someone else’s good sides unlike Cassius who’s always jealous. Eventually, Brutus loses and kills himself but he still thinks he won and earns “glory” since he never made shameful decisions.
Friends can turn on you in a heartbeat even if you thought you knew them. People you trust and care for can change their mind in an instant and turn against you to do harm to you. The story Julius Caesar shows this between the honorable Brutus and Caesar. Caesar thought Brutus was a trustworthy person but for Brutus there is something more important to him then Caesar. Brutus is a great soldier and an honorable man and we may know people like this. Brutus is an honorable man because he cares about Rome and would do anything to protect it.
“Et tu, Brute?” Caesar uttered his last words as he witnesses Brutus stab him, “Then fall Caesar!” Brutus was that of the most trusted of Caesar. He was persuaded into political extremism which pushed him to conspire with envious senators and ultimately, participate in the brutal assassination of Caesar, who was ruthlessly stabbed 33 times, so he could become active ruler in Rome in the works of William Shakespeare derived from the play Julius Caesar. With what is being claimed, Brutus couldn’t possibly have been a honest man but a traitor.
Julius Caesar defeats Pompey. Cassius is worried that Caesar is ambitious and will become a tyrant. He warns the noble Brutus and wants him to side with him. Brutus had a hard time to think about what he should do. The Assassination of Julius Caesar,Cassius, Brutus, and the other plotters
In Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, Antony remarks in the end of the play, ‘“All the conspirators save only he Did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought”. Brutus, throughout the play, struggles with himself as he strives to become honorable,
Through his hubris, the pleasurable shaming of the victim in one's overconfidence, Brutus meets the criteria for a tragic hero when he claims himself above Caesar in terms of leadership ability. During a conversation with his close friend Cassius, one of the initial conspirators who convinces him to join their
Change is inevitable. In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, many characters changed drastically throughout this work. Some Changed for the good, and some changed for the bad. The character that changed the most was the brave and noble, Marcus Brutus. This primary character was the
Time and time again, we are disappointed by the government. It can never provide us with the leadership we need. We deserve a ruler willing to give anything for us. Not just the for rich but for the poor. Marcus Brutus is the one that will give us rights and control; he will be the true liberator of Rome. Brutus entrusts all of you with his life. For he gave you all the dagger to kill him; if you felt it fit (JC. III. 2. 48-50). Brutus will not act as a king but rather as sole representative of Rome and its people.