Julius Caesar Brutus Character Analysis

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar revolves around one of the central characters Marcus Brutus, a tragic hero who is torn between his loyalty to his friend and duty to his nation. Brutus is honoured as a selfless conspirator, who acts in the pursuit of his public, political responsibilities, his judgment guided by his own personal values and morals. Brutus’s sense of honour and nobility are constantly exploited and taken advantage of by the men he is surrounded by who are filled with abhorrence and jealousy.
Brutus upholds a reputation of honour and nobleness. Brutus is a beloved friend of Julius Caesar. Brutus similarly shares a great love for the people of Rome, and strives to meet the needs of the society. Brutus displays his nobility and honour for his country, when he decides that Caesar cannot be made ruler, insisting that Rome should remain a republic and not be ruled by a dictator. Brutus’s initially opposition to Caesar’s rule is seen in response to flourish and shouting from the Commoners as conveyed in the phrase “What means this shouting? I do fear the people Choose Caesar for their king”. Through this phrase it can be perceived that Brutus fears that Caesar is gaining too much public support, and suspects that this could be …show more content…
The soliloquy also reveals Brutus to be a man of principle who has the interests of Rome, rather than his own interests at heart, as alluded in the quote “It must be by his death, and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general.” Brutus concludes that they must kill Caesar in order to preserve the nation, and this is established in the phrase “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, Which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous/And kill him in the shell.” Brutus uses the serpent’s egg as a metaphor for Caesar who must be eliminated immediately before he grows into a dominating power in