The Contradiction of Brutus
Despite his primary goal to prevent Rome from falling into the hands of a dictator who would ruin Rome from the inside out, Brutus himself ironically acts like a totalitarian, tyrannical, despot. Even though Brutus meets up with the other patricians planning to kill Caesar because of his threat as a king, Brutus ironically acts like a king when he overrides the other’s ideas to enforce his own logic. When Cassius confronts him in the second scene, Brutus first reveals his concern for Julius becoming the tyrant of Rome and therefore diminishing his power as a patrician once in power. Brutus first directly admits that he does “fear the people [c]hoose Caesar for their king,” (1.2.85-86) and furthermore is convinced …show more content…
Even when the people around him recognize the conspirators’ plot to kill Caesar, his pride obscures the danger killing him. In the second scene, Caesar’s first, Shakespeare introduces Caesar to be extremely prideful even to the point of considering himself invulnerable when a soothsayer predicts his demise. Not only does Caesar call the fortune teller “a dreamer” (1.2.29), but Shakespeare also confirms that this is not just a denial of superstitions because Caesar also commands Antony to, during a festival, “touch Calphurnia” (1.2.8) because it will, “in this holy chase, [s]hake off their sterile curse” (1.2.10-11). Shakespeare reveals Caesar’s pride through this contradiction of belief in which he thinks that this ceremony can bring fertility, but with the same credibility, he discounts a Roman soothsayer because no harm could ever come to him, the great Caesar. Furthermore, Caesar notices the danger that Cassius may present to him, but instead of considering possible implications, he instead chooses to ignore Cassius because of his pride. After noting that “Cassius has a lean and hungry look” (1.2.204), he thinks that “[s]uch men are dangerous” (1.2.205), but then concludes that Cassius could not be dangerous to him “for always I am Caesar” (1.2.222). Again, Caesar is brought evidence of his future demise, and again, Caesar’s pride deceives him into a false sense of security that condemns him to death. Even when he does die, he chooses to resign by his own word rather than at the stab of a conspirator. Seeing the senators' betrayal, he proclaims “Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar” (3.1.85). Instead of letting another kill the powerful Caesar, he instead proclaims his own death and accepts it rather than allowing himself to die at another man's will. From the start, Caesar's flaw is his arrogance which blinds him
Despite his primary goal to prevent Rome from falling into the hands of a dictator who would ruin Rome from the inside out, Brutus himself ironically acts like a totalitarian, tyrannical, despot. Even though Brutus meets up with the other patricians planning to kill Caesar because of his threat as a king, Brutus ironically acts like a king when he overrides the other’s ideas to enforce his own logic. When Cassius confronts him in the second scene, Brutus first reveals his concern for Julius becoming the tyrant of Rome and therefore diminishing his power as a patrician once in power. Brutus first directly admits that he does “fear the people [c]hoose Caesar for their king,” (1.2.85-86) and furthermore is convinced …show more content…
Even when the people around him recognize the conspirators’ plot to kill Caesar, his pride obscures the danger killing him. In the second scene, Caesar’s first, Shakespeare introduces Caesar to be extremely prideful even to the point of considering himself invulnerable when a soothsayer predicts his demise. Not only does Caesar call the fortune teller “a dreamer” (1.2.29), but Shakespeare also confirms that this is not just a denial of superstitions because Caesar also commands Antony to, during a festival, “touch Calphurnia” (1.2.8) because it will, “in this holy chase, [s]hake off their sterile curse” (1.2.10-11). Shakespeare reveals Caesar’s pride through this contradiction of belief in which he thinks that this ceremony can bring fertility, but with the same credibility, he discounts a Roman soothsayer because no harm could ever come to him, the great Caesar. Furthermore, Caesar notices the danger that Cassius may present to him, but instead of considering possible implications, he instead chooses to ignore Cassius because of his pride. After noting that “Cassius has a lean and hungry look” (1.2.204), he thinks that “[s]uch men are dangerous” (1.2.205), but then concludes that Cassius could not be dangerous to him “for always I am Caesar” (1.2.222). Again, Caesar is brought evidence of his future demise, and again, Caesar’s pride deceives him into a false sense of security that condemns him to death. Even when he does die, he chooses to resign by his own word rather than at the stab of a conspirator. Seeing the senators' betrayal, he proclaims “Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar” (3.1.85). Instead of letting another kill the powerful Caesar, he instead proclaims his own death and accepts it rather than allowing himself to die at another man's will. From the start, Caesar's flaw is his arrogance which blinds him