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Brutus's Tragic Flaw

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Over 400 years ago William Shakespeare wrote the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Though it was written so long ago the tragedy is still performed and enjoyed today. But, despite the title, it seems that Caesar is not the tragedy of the play. Even though he is stabbed 23 times and dies at the betrayal of his closest friend, the real tragedy is Brutus. Brutus was Caesar's close friend who loved him dearly. Shakespeare uses traditional tragic hero characteristics to show the torment Brutus went through in his decision to kill Caesar. Brutus did not want to murder Caesar, he was simply trying to save Rome’s democratic system. Conspirators in the play convinced Brutus that Caesar had too much power and would eventually abuse it. Brutus’s gullibility and nobleness to do …show more content…

This is yet another characteristic of Brutus that makes him a tragic hero. Brutus’s flaw is his gullibility. It is very clear that Brutus only kills Caesar out of believing it is for the “general good” (Shalvi page 71). However, Brutus is tricked by Cassius and the conspirators who use his flaw to their advantage. To do this Cassius writes letters to Brutus that are said to be from the citizens of Rome and, as stated before, this gives Brutus the belief that some people are against Caesar. Brutus doesn’t even check who exactly he letters are from or make sure they are telling the truth. His ignorance leads to his downfall as he is tricked by the conspirators and Cassius. In the play it is obvious that Shakespeare isolates Brutus from the cruel assassination and moral impurity the other conspirators share (Simmons page 62)Each of these traits leading to the death of Caesar all make Brutus a traditional tragic hero. Brutus, as tragic hero, suffers a catastrophe even though all he simply wanted to do was help Rome. But, now he is running from the very city he was trying to save from Caesar’s influence (Shalvi page

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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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Does his sense of patriotism really justify killing a friend and a major political leader? You may notice that Brutus isn't very sympathetic as he is defending what he did.     The dramatic character has a flaw. That flaw maybe one single word, but there can be many parts to that word. For Brutus there are many parts of his flaw that make him the dramatic character.

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Due to his prominence in society, and his naivety, he gets defeated by the Romans, which leads to his downfall. Marcus Brutus is a noble citizen of Rome and a prominent leader who leads the conspirators in the assassination of Julius Caesar. He is naive because he thought everything in the world was good. Brutus thought no one would ever deceive him, which led to his downfall and later his defeat. Marcus Brutus exemplifies a tragic hero because he was killed because due to his tragic flaw.

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Cassius put together a group of conspirators that agreed with his motives to take matters into their own hands and put a stop to the ambitious Caesar. Brutus led these conspirators to finally killing Julius Caesar. After Caesar was killed Brutus said, “If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. ”(Shakespeare 3.2.19-21) The good of his country meant more to Brutus than his own friend’s life.

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar tells the story of Marcus Brutus’ struggle between the conflicting demands of honor, patriotism and loyalty. In the play, Brutus is the quintessential model of what a Roman man should be. He is both well-respected and honorable, and as men with such qualities do, holds himself to the highest standard. This is evidenced by his actions throughout the play, in which he only does what he believes to be the right thing for Rome. His decision to join and later lead the conspiracy against Julius Caesar is not one made out of malice, but rather out of love.

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Brutus truly believes that Caesar's death will benefit Rome. Cassius asked Brutus something about killing Caesar and therefore Brutus agrees with Cassius and other conspirators to kill Caesar. Later, in the play Caesar get stabbed by all the conspirators included Cassius and Brutus; Brutus was the last person to stab Caesar. Later, in the the play Brutus see Caesar ghost which tells people he feels guilty. Shakespeare’s play shows Marcus Brutus is not an honorable man because Brutus was not loyal to Caesar, turns his back on and stab him other words kills his best friend Caesar.

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is one of many plays that Shakespeare wrote. This play tells the story of the planning, killing and the aftermath of Caesar's murder. Brutus and the other conspirators kill Caesar because they believe that he would not be suitable for power and that he would abuse his power. Later on after Caesar's death the conspirators told noble Brutus that they killed him out of anger and hatred and not for the love of Rome. Brutus was hurt and was very depressed that he was the only one who killed Caesar for the good of Rome and that the conspirators killed him for the wrong reason.

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All Brutus wished to do was serve his country, and yet he ended up almost destroying the very thing he strived to protect. He allowed the conspirators to conspire against Caesar even though he held no malice toward Caesar. He enabled Cassius to influence his decisions and in the end, most of the events that transpire in the play are all a direct result of Brutus’s misjudgment, which is why Brutus’s story is the tragedy of the play. If he had realized how naive and egocentric he was, Brutus would not have made the mistakes he made. It is evident that everybody but Brutus realizes how noble and genuinely honorable he is, in the quote, “Yes, every man of them; and no man here but honors you; and every one doth wish you had but that opinion of yourself” (Shakespeare).

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One of William Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, Julius Caesar, creates a cast of many diverse characters that are compelled by their human flaws- the most prominent of those characters being Brutus. As much as the Roman people envy Brutus's nobility, he still falls victim to the most common of human imperfections; imperfections of naivety and ignorance among other things. Brutus displays no hidden or selfish motives for assassinating Caesar, other than for the benefit of the Roman people; because of this, Brutus his easily susceptible to believe what he wants to be true. This is something Cassius uses to his advantage, managing to deceive Brutus's moral code by convincing him to betray his friend. Brutus is immediately manipulated by

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Shakespeare uses the over dramatic style of Brutus’ dialogue, to give him a narcissistic hubris, or fatal flaw. This contributes to the plot of the story, by giving Brutus a motive for killing Caesar, because he feels that with Caesar taking over Rome, Rome will be doomed to the wrath of Caesar. Brutus felt that he would be the savior of Rome, by getting rid of, or cleansing Rome of Caesar. This, however was not the case, and Brutus was forever faced with the guilt that he killed Caesar. He was not the only one who fought with these struggles of maintaining his sanity in public.

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Throughout many of Shakespeare’s plays and tragedies, a tragic hero shines though the story and is identified as the character who possesses a flaw that eventually leads to their defeat or death. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, there has been much debate about who is the tragic hero in this play. Many people agree that Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero; however, others argue it is Caius Cassius. After examining these two specific characters, a conclusion is more easily drawn. Marcus Brutus can be identified as the tragic hero of this play because he is a person that has heroic qualities such as nobility and affection; however, it is his strong love for his country and people that lead to his disastrous demise.

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Brutus' reputation was seen as noble because he cared about his country more than anything else. Brutus’ real intention behind killing Caesar shows how noble he really is. Unlike other characters involved in the conspiracy group, Brutus was the only one who cared about the people and country while planning the murder. “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him.” (3.2.24-27).

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Brutus was of noble birth and he had a tragic flaw, which was his honor. He suffered a catastrophe which was Caesar’s assassination. Brutus also had complexity, which Shakespeare liked to add to most of his characters.. He hesitated to join the conspirators at first, but he knew he had to for the good of Rome and its people. He also made three choices that greatly affected his life and the people around him.

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Marcus Brutus, the star idealist in Julius Caesar, is a strong character who strives for the greater good of Rome and evidently displays his loyalty towards a better future. His need for approval from the people of Rome and himself takes away his ability to see clearly and thus causing a chaotic ending result in the play. Brutus’s love for honour allows him to be manipulated by the egoistic Cassius who convinces Brutus to assassinate Caesar. He is persuaded through his evident flaw, being too idealistic, and his patriotic loyalty to Rome. He attempts to justify his actions by explaining his idealistic beliefs but these actions are still faced with consequences.

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He is devoted and utterly selfless for the good of his country. For instance, Brutus stabs Caesar because he is tricked into thinking that the citizens fear Caesar. Keeping this in mind, Brutus kills Caesar to satisfy and ease his people, demonstrating that he prioritizes his country over his friendship with Caesar. Though Brutus ended Caesar’s life, Brutus still holds some loyalty to friends and says, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved/ Rome more.” (3.2.50-60)

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