ipl-logo

The Downfall Of Brutus In The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

799 Words4 Pages

Throughout history, there have been several tragic heroes who’ve each had certain factors contributing to their downfall. In the play “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” by Shakespeare, Brutus, the main protagonist, shows certain qualities that exemplify his title as the tragic hero. It is apparent that Brutus’s lack of insight and pure honor were catalysts pertaining to the chaos in his society and eventually his downfall. Brutus is an egocentric man who believes that everyone, as in the conspirators, has the same motives as him. The conspirators use this to their advantage because they knew that Brutus would join their cause if it was perceived as fundamental for Rome. Brutus is oblivious to the fact that the conspirators are killing Caesar …show more content…

In Brutus’s point of view, he killed Caesar for the good of Rome. The fear of Caesar acciquring a surplus amount of power and becoming corrupt from it is what fueled Brutus' decision. While Brutus was in his garden, he contemplated heavily on whether he should kill Caesar or not because on one hand Caesar is his friend but on the other hand Brutus has to do what's best for Rome. Eventually, Brutus reached a consensus with himself by comparing Caesar to a snake .“And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell.” It is apparent that Brutus believes that if he didn't kill Caesar immediately, he would have become an unscrupulous leader, hence the serpent reference, and would have brought down Rome. Brutus’s main problem was choosing between his best friend and Rome and in the end, he chose Rome because he is an honorable man who was willing to lose his best friend just so Rome could prosper. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”. Because he loved Rome more, Brutus’s pure honor could not allow Ceasar to live and corrupt what he dearly cherished. In contrast to this, Brutus contradicts himself when he doesn't kill Mark Antony because he didn't believe he withheld any power and allowed him to speak at Caesar's funeral which caused disorder in Rome. Seeing that

Show More
Related
993 Words | 4 Pages

Brutus and the senators had made a plan to kill Caesar. Even though Caesar was his friend, Brutus joins the conspiracyagainst Caesar’s life because he feels that Caesar’s death is better for Rome. Brutus did not want to allow Caesar to rise to power and turn his back onto the people of Rome. Brutus felt like Caesar was being a dictator. “Which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, And kill him in a shell” (2,1,33-34) Similar to how Cady, Janice and Damian made a plan to destroy Regina.

Read More
644 Words | 3 Pages

In act ii Brutus makes a claim that supports his reason for murdering Caesar by stating “And for my part I know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general”(II, i, 10-12). In this sentence Brutus is using a form of pathos. This is considered pathos because he is saying Caesar should be killed for the people of Rome. From this statement it can be interpreted that Brutus joined the conspiracy for the needs of the people.

Read More
755 Words | 4 Pages

Near the beginning of act II, Brutus has a soliloquy in which he is trying to decide whether joining the conspiracy is the right thing to do. He discusses reasons for why killing Caesar may be appropriate for the current situation of him being crowned king. Brutus also reveals his thoughts about some of Caesar’s behavior and what could happen (based on human nature) if he is given power. In the end, he decides to join with the conspiracy and kill Caesar.

Read More
588 Words | 3 Pages

The conspirators recognized how much the Roman citizens loved Brutus. So, because of this, they did everything they could to make Brutus feel like Caesar was controlling and too ambitious. At some point, the conspirators even write fake letters to Brutus pretending to be citizens. They even go as far as doing each letter in a different handwriting. “Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe?

Read More
900 Words | 4 Pages

They said, “Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.” (173-175). His flaw, however, is in thinking that killing Caesar will ensure that Rome's early ideal of a Republic will continue. When Brutus realizes his error in trusting the other conspirators and in committing a dishonorable act, he loses his compass, falling into despair. After the battle in Act 5, Brutus further realizes that his actions will lead to a version of Rome exactly the opposite of what he had in mind.

Read More
742 Words | 3 Pages

The claim that is most often evoked when portraying Brutus as a betrayer is that he murdered Caesar, his so-called beloved friend, by literally stabbing him in the back. However, this claim misinterprets Brutus’s character entirely and paints him to be a cold-blooded killer who murdered anyone who opposed him. Contrary to what this claim implies, Brutus was loyal, loving and noble to a fault. Brutus killed Caesar not because he wanted to, but because he felt he had to for the betterment of Rome and to protect its citizens. He believed in that truth so much that he expressed it to Caius Cassius and the conspirators, “Let us be sacrificers but not butchers…

Read More
893 Words | 4 Pages

Brutus killed Caesar out of honor because he felt it was the best thing to do for the people of Rome. Brutus only wanted what was best for the people of Rome and the people around him. This can be seen in his speech in Act III, Scene ii, lines 18 through 19, “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.” Brutus explains that he killed Caesar not out of hate for him but because he felt it was for the good of Rome. Brutus was also an honorable man and the people around him knew that he was.

Read More
677 Words | 3 Pages

At first Brutus did not regret killing Caesar, but later on he starts to. He believed that what he did was for the better of the people. The people who were persuaded by Antony then turned on the conspirators, after they just praised Brutus and wanted to crown him. This act on Caesar would have never happened in the first place if it was not for Cassius convincing Brutus to join them. This then leads to Brutus and Cassius fleeing from Rome, and being hunted down by Antony and the people of Rome.

Read More
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.

Read More
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

Read More
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).

Read More
974 Words | 4 Pages

And while Brutus did work in part with other conspirators, which eventually led to him killing Caesar, he did it for a more morally sound reason which was that Caesar was going to cause the downfall of Rome because he was too ambitious, which is ironic because Caesar's death led to a string of unfit leaders, and civil unrest that eventually led to the downfall of the roman empire. Brutus was also focused on preventing corruption. “The name of Cassius honors this corruption,/ And chastisement doth therefore hide his head (IV.iii.15-6)... Remember March, the ides of March remember./ Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake” (IV.iii.18-9).

Read More
405 Words | 2 Pages

Also Brutus didn’t kill Caesar for the good of Rome even if that is what he claims. the readers know that he killed Caesar for his own personal agenda and after he did it, the idea that Caesar was ambitious and that he had done a patriotic act were all thoughts for him to get over the fact that he just murdered the one man who trusted him the

Read More
498 Words | 2 Pages

This is an example of logos, which Brutus states as a factual outcome causing a reaction of fear. This fear that Brutus has brought upon himself is what causes him to focus on a possible calamity that could occur with Caesar as king; however, nothing has happened yet which is where the line of fact and fabrication is blurred. Brutus has made himself paranoid about a future with Caesar and thinks that the only way to prevent it is to kill him; Shakespear’s use of comparing Caesar to a serpent shows Brutus’ paranoia as he has left room for no other outcomes as a serpent is a predator and is guaranteed to harm something. After Brutus and the other conspirators have succeeded in their assassination, Brutus goes to give a speech justifying Caesar’s death to the people of Rome, Brutus addresses not only the citizens but friends of Caesar that, “Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less that his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer; Not that I lov’d Caesar less, but that I lov’d Rome more” (Shakespeare

Read More
574 Words | 3 Pages

Brutus has a vision, and he intends it to work out in every way he plans. In a sense he achieves what he wants, and killing Caesar may have been crucial to his short-lived success.

Read More

More about The Downfall Of Brutus In The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

Related Topics

Open Document