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Free Julius Caesar Essays: Marcus Brutus As A Tragic Hero

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In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the main character, Marcus Brutus, is the tragic hero. He is a tragic hero because he is presented as a noble, upright, virtuous man who is concerned for his country, and is tragically led to betray his friend, Julius Caesar. This is also supported by the fact that the other main character, Julius Caesar, dies in the middle of the play. Paired with Brutus’ ideal and goal of preserving and protecting the Republic from all enemies, internal and external; it is clear his character drives the action of the play. He is also the clear protagonist of the story, striving for a noble ideal that he fails to accomplish, and suffering both internal and external conflict as a result, with his failure distinctively marking him as the play’s tragic hero. Brutus is introduced to the play as a well intentioned and respected politician in Rome, with many supporters within the senate, as well as a close friend of Julius Caesar. As he learns of the plot to kill Caesar, he is convinced by the conspirators that Caesar is a tyrant in disguise, and that it is in the best interest of Rome that he should not lead. Brutus’ innocently patriotic love of Rome led him believe that killing Caesar was necessary, a sentiment shared and bolstered by the other conspirators. An excellent example of the conspirators betraying …show more content…

A great man, well respected by his peers, with friends in positions of power. Despite having killed Caesar, he had a valid excuse which he had the people believe. Having thought that killing Caesar was the only way to save Rome from tyranny, even though it was obviously not. When Markus Antony said, "This was the noblest Roman of them all. And say to all the world, 'This was a man!’” He gave an apt description of Brutus, wanting to do what is best for Rome, and yet failing to do so, and suffering both internally and externally from his choices; a true tragic

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732 Words | 3 Pages

Brutus also contains several other characteristics of a tragic hero. For example, Brutus possesses a hamartia. “Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins/ Remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Caesar” (Shakespeare II.1.18-19). In this quote from the story, Brutus is saying that he believes Caesar would abuse the power of being crowned king.

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263 Words | 2 Pages

The second major characteristic of a tragic hero is they must have a hamartia or tragic flaw, Brutus’s tragic flaw is having a noble personality and being extremely trusting because of it. Throughout the play, Brutus makes it a point to not deceive anyone. Everything he does, he does for the benefit of someone else. Caesar was murdered by him with only the best intentions of Rome in his mind, he lied to Portia because he knew she was already stressed out, and he was reluctant to join the conspirators because he cared for Caesar. In his funeral speech to Caesar, he says “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” Brutus loves Rome enough to commit murder on a man that saved his life (III.ii.21-22).

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305 Words | 2 Pages

Brutus and Cassius are two prominent conspirators in the play Julius Caesar; one of these two fits Aristotle's depiction of a tragic hero. The difference between a normal hero and a tragic hero is that the latter will have a tragic flaw that keeps them from succeeding. These characters are often sympathetic and will cleave to the reader's pity. Firstly, we shall discuss Cassius. He was a man of questionable character.

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579 Words | 3 Pages

Brutus was an honorable, kind, and noble friend to Julius Caesar. But Brutus was also part of Caesar’s death. Brutus was a man of Rome and was loved by everyone in Rome. Everything he did was for the good of Rome. But due to his lower intellect, he fell for Cassius' sinister plan to kill Caesar.

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504 Words | 3 Pages

When Brutus was talking to the conspirators Brutus was going back and forth think if he should help the conspirators kill Julius Caesar. He was going back and forth because he was thinking of the power he could have and could rule Rome. The reason behind Brutus killing Caesar was for the better of Rome. If Brutus would not have killed Caesar, Rome would have turned into a dictatorship, and in turn it would have ruined Rome and all of its people. Brutus did not kill Julius just for the power to rule Rome, he killed Julius to save Rome from Caesar’s dictatorship.

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406 Words | 2 Pages

Was Brutus Noble? In Shakespeare 's’ The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar, one of the main characters, Marcus Brutus, is found dead by the noble Mark Antony, and is called “The Noblest Roman Of Them All” (Julius Caesar Act 5, scene 5, 68–72). Antony 's’ statement is a true one for many reasons. The first reason would be that Brutus was a man who valued his friendships over all else.

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763 Words | 4 Pages

In Act 3 Scene 2 Brutus said during his speech, “If that friend then demands to know why Brutus turned against Caesar, this is my answer: Not because I cared for Caesar less, but because I cared for Rome more”. Brutus had courage to kill Caesar, not because he wanted to, but for the good of Rome and its people. During the entirety of the story, Brutus

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802 Words | 4 Pages

When Brutus was speaking to the people of Rome about how he helped assassinate him, he justified it by saying, “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved / Rome more” (3.2.23-24). Even though Brutus is close to Caesar, he has to think about the city he serves first. Brutus wants to do what is best for Rome so if that means he has to harm a friend, he will do so for the greater good of the city he knows and loves. All it took was the conspirator to talk to Brutus a little bit to make him realize Caesar’s potential danger and say “That at his will he may do danger with” (2.1.18).

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974 Words | 4 Pages

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. Just like many other leaders in Julius Caesar, Caesar was corrupted by his power. He wasn’t corrupt in the normal sense, he was socially corrupt in the fact that he didn’t stick to the social norms of respecting fellow senators in

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1268 Words | 6 Pages

The death of Brutus was tragic because it signified the end of a noble and

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677 Words | 3 Pages

The first thing is his pride his pride is his motto. Like Brutus is the type of person to just care about himself his pride is his life. He just doesn't understand that his pride is his flaw like that will be the reason that will end his life. Like due to his pride he did actions that made him look like a straight up fool he killed his best friend and he planned his death out makes it even

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235 Words | 1 Pages

Either way, the decision Brutus made had a massive impact that affected all of Rome. Shakespeare created Brutus to be virtuous. Most people view Brutus as a gentle, honest, selfless, and respectable person. He was described as the “noblest Roman of them all”.

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350 Words | 2 Pages

The noblest Roman of all was Brutus for many reasons. In many cases Brutus would rather chose death over a life with no honor. He claimed all the traits honor; integrity, decency, morality, and rectitude. His decision to kill Caesar was not based on his own views or the views and beliefs of others he made his decision on which would be best for rome and for its people. Brutus was a gentle and honest man who killed caesar for the right reasons and not just so he would have a greater shot at becoming the king of rome.

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1071 Words | 5 Pages

Julius Caesar, is a play based on the true events that occurred in Roman history. The play follows the fictional lives of Caesar and his people leading up to, and after his assassination. Several characters can be labeled as both villainous and heroic at different points in the play due to their actions, however, this does not apply to the character of Marcus Junius Brutus, who remains a hero through the entire play. Brutus is a hero for several reasons, The first reason Brutus is considered to be a hero is because he continuously stands up for what he believes in. Secondly, it is clear that Brutus is a hero because he kills himself as a sacrifice to the roman public.

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927 Words | 4 Pages

Tragic Hero Essay One can say that the actions of a hero do not go well with the actions of the misguided, but when the actions of the hero and the misguided come together, they form a tragic hero. In most of William Shakespeare's plays, there is a tragic hero; a person who possess a tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall. In the play, Julius Caesar, the tragic hero can easily be identified as Marcus Brutus. When analysing the play, one will find that Brutus is the only one who fits the characteristics of a tragic hero. These characteristics are his Noble Personality, his Tragic Flaw, and the pity we feel for his honourable death.

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