Theme Of Honour In Julius Caesar

In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the outcome of a character’s actions is often dependent on human traits. These characteristics can significantly improve or degrade the character’s situation, and in Brutus’ case, his commitment to honour causes him more harm than good. Throughout the play, Brutus’ obsession with honour and the belief that others possess it leads him to make naïve decisions, misjudge the people of Rome, and overestimate the motives of his closest friends. Thus, he is easily manipulated and ultimately these struggles culminate in his downfall.
Brutus’ honour is a main topic of discussion throughout the play, as it fuels his decisions, often influencing them to become derogatory and bear unfavorable consequences. To begin, Brutus is led by honour to follow in his ancestors’ footsteps, and overthrow the ruler of Rome. Brutus believes Caesar’s death to be beneficial to all those living in Rome and thus lets honour persuade him to assassinate the dictator, as proven when he says to Cassius, “Set honor in one eye and …show more content…
Shakespeare demonstrates the effects in many different situations, ranging from the assassination of Julius Caesar, to the riveting arguments between former close friends, Brutus and Cassius. More significantly, however, he proves that the main character, Brutus, is easily manipulated, as his fixation on honour and the belief others possess it makes him misjudge his friends, the citizens, and leads him to make naive decisions. The combined effects of these factors ultimately lead to his death. Shakespeare shows that the main characters of the play are guided by the dominant traits they possess. All in all, honour may bring devastating consequences if misappropriated in any scenario, whether it be whether it be during the Roman revolution or today, in the 21st