Examples Of Delusions In Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, delves into the inner workings of its characters' minds, revealing a distorted sense of self where they see themselves more as characters than people, which, in turn, influences their actions, both consciously and subconsciously. The characters' varied and intense self-delusions lead them to make decisions, which have a lasting impact on the overall play. These self-delusions that show role-playing are mainly focused on Brutus, Cassius and Antony and the effect they have on their individual actions and mindsets.

In his 1978 article, Van Laan argues that Brutus's self-delusion of nobility influenced his actions in Julius Caesar. Specifically, Lann notes that Brutus's perception of himself as an honorable

This delusion is evident when Brutus rationalizes his decision to assassinate Caesar by claiming that it was an act of noble patriotism. He believes that by killing Caesar, he is protecting the Roman Republic and preserving its values, but in reality he does not care that deeply about Rome, rather making it himself seem virtuous in the public eye. SInce the most valued thing to Brutus is his honorability, he is easily manipulated by Cassius, because Cassius is aware of this intense characteristic and uses it against him. Cassius knows that Brutus can give the conspirators inside information because of their close friendship, but Brutus is oblivious to what is happening to him because he is more focused on being an honorable man. “There was a Brutus once that would have brooked / Th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome / As easily as a king,” (I.ii. 168-170). Cassius uses Brutus’s strong morals, mentioning how an honorable person would help him, in an attempt to join the conspirators. This self-delusion is further demonstrated when Brutus is unable to recognize the implications of his decision and fails to see that he is actually destroying Rome's values. By justifying his actions as noble patriotism, Brutus fails to recognize the consequences of his actions and the cost of his ambition.