In William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, he uses a complex character, Marcus Brutus to demonstrate the idea of a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a person of noble birth who suffers a catastrophe. Shakespeare displays the idea of a tragic hero by including his traditional elements, adding complexity to Brutus, and presenting him with an internal conflict. In this case, Shakespeare uses the concept of a tragic flaw to establish his interpretation of a tragic hero. An ancestor of Marcus Brutus is Junius Brutus. Junius Brutus made a large impact on history. His claim to fame is overthrowing tyrannical kings and developing Rome’s democracy. His significance in history is seen when the play reads, “O, you and I have heard our fathers
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On one hand, Caesar is Brutus’s friend and he loves him. Brutus shows his affection for Caesar when he states, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (III.ii.20-21). The reader recognizes Brutus’s admiration for Caesar when he expresses the words above. On the other side Caesar’s power is dangerous for Rome. Brutus fears that Caesar will destroy the democracy Brutus’s ancestors once worked so hard to build. Brutus shows his apprehension when he states, “I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king” (I.ii.78-79). This presents Brutus’s fear of the democracy crumbling at the helm of Caesar. Brutus compares Caesar to a serpent’s egg when he says, “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg which, hatch’d, would, as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell” (II.i.31-32). Brutus believes that Caesar has the potential to become destructive. He worries that Caesar will grow into a poisonous snake if he gains more authority and abuses it. To rule out the possibility of Caesar taking advantage of his power Brutus only knows one way to stop the egg from hatching, to kill Caesar. Brutus’s conflict is introduced when he says, “Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept. Between the dreadful thing and the first motion, all the interim is like a phantasma, or a hideous dream: The Genius and the mortal instruments are then in the council; and the state of man, like to a little kingdom, suffers then the nature of an insurrection” (II.i.61-69). Brutus is in his garden late at night contemplating his thoughts. In Simmons article he notes “According to Plutarch, the answer was that Brutus put the good of his country above his friendship with Caesar” (Simmons 61). Although Brutus struggles with his decision, ultimately he chooses Rome over his friend. He suffers hesitation and doubt due to his opposing
On one hand, Caesar is Brutus’s friend and he loves him. Brutus shows his affection for Caesar when he states, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (III.ii.20-21). The reader recognizes Brutus’s admiration for Caesar when he expresses the words above. On the other side Caesar’s power is dangerous for Rome. Brutus fears that Caesar will destroy the democracy Brutus’s ancestors once worked so hard to build. Brutus shows his apprehension when he states, “I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king” (I.ii.78-79). This presents Brutus’s fear of the democracy crumbling at the helm of Caesar. Brutus compares Caesar to a serpent’s egg when he says, “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg which, hatch’d, would, as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell” (II.i.31-32). Brutus believes that Caesar has the potential to become destructive. He worries that Caesar will grow into a poisonous snake if he gains more authority and abuses it. To rule out the possibility of Caesar taking advantage of his power Brutus only knows one way to stop the egg from hatching, to kill Caesar. Brutus’s conflict is introduced when he says, “Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept. Between the dreadful thing and the first motion, all the interim is like a phantasma, or a hideous dream: The Genius and the mortal instruments are then in the council; and the state of man, like to a little kingdom, suffers then the nature of an insurrection” (II.i.61-69). Brutus is in his garden late at night contemplating his thoughts. In Simmons article he notes “According to Plutarch, the answer was that Brutus put the good of his country above his friendship with Caesar” (Simmons 61). Although Brutus struggles with his decision, ultimately he chooses Rome over his friend. He suffers hesitation and doubt due to his opposing