Examples Of Brutus As A Tragic Hero

Great Essays
Tragic Hero Essay The tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a play of a tragic hero in this play that is Marcus Brutus. To be a tragic hero that person must have a tragic flaw which in this case has to do with Brutus’s fellow conspirators in their actual intentions of Killing Julius Caesar. Junius Brutus is a very important person to the people of Rome also Marcus Brutus’s ancestor. Junius freed Rome from the tyrannical tarquin kings and in doing so he established the democracy Rome had for many years. Since Brutus is related to Junius Brutus he is very noble person and loved by his people, having a noble background is another trait to being a tragic hero. Shakespeare states Brutus’s nobility and ancestry in his play as he …show more content…
“Antony’s generous nature, ambition, and love of glory would respond to the noble example set by the conspirators.” (Simmons 65) Another of Brutus’s sub category flaws is that he sometimes will believe people are as noble as he is. This is proven in the play by Brutus not killing Antony and also letting him speak at Caesar’s funeral. Brutus thought he would just say his goodbyes and have great speech in honor of Caesar instead he started a war. “Secure in the knowledge that he has acted in all sincerity and for the good of his country.” (Shalvi 72). As Antony spoke he changed the plebeians minds and turned them against the conspirators. Brutus left Antony alone with the people and let him have his say with them. Which was another choice that led to a negative outcome because Antony started the war and Brutus gave him the power to do it. During the war Antony and his men were on their way to Brutus and Cassius so they had to discuss battle strategy and there is when Brutus makes his next mistake. Cassius wanted to stay back and let Antony and Octavius come to them but, Brutus did not believe him and thought that if they let the men come they would gain followers and be too strong to defeat. Cassius let Brutus have his way and they went to meet the opposing side. “It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius is overthrown by noble …show more content…
He trusted his fellow conspirators and they lied and betrayed him, they all killed Caesar. Brutus killed his best friend and the conspirators killed an ambitious, selfish, power hungry dictator. The conspirators were scared and jealous of all the power and publicity Caesar had and was gaining. They used Brutus’s trust against him and got half of what they wanted but, in the end there was a civil war that they lost, Octavius gained all the power as emperor, Brutus lost his democracy, and the rest of the conspirators lost the lives of Cassius and

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Brutus: A Tragic Hero

    • 1287 Words
    • 6 Pages

    One tragic recognition Brutus has is that he acts rashly about killing Caesar. Brutus thinks the conspirators act rashly when they kill Caesar because they do not know how Caesar would act if he would become king because he never because king. They just act out of pure impulsive and do not think through their actions and this is the part that troubles Brutus no taking a step back and instead just going for it. A second tragic recognition Brutus has is he realizes that his great friendship with Cassius is gone. Brutus realizes this because when Cassius comes into his tent they start to fight about stuff because Cassius is taking bribes. With the fighting and disagreements it cause Brutus to realizes that his friendship with Cassius is dissolving. When the ghost of Caesar comes to Brutus and tells him that he will see him at Philippi Brutus realizes that this is an omen. This omen is representing that Brutus is going to die at Philippi and this will avenge…

    • 1287 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This contributes to the claim that he is a tragic hero in the fact that his judgment and decisions were based on logic, and what would be best for Rome as a whole. Brutus even killed Caesar, his friend, for the good of Rome. He also did not want to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar until he received the fake letters from Cassius. These letters were important because it shows that Brutus listened to the public and wanted to do what appeared to be the right thing. Brutus said, “Set honour in one eye and death i ' the other/ And I will look on both indifferently/ For let the gods so speed me as I love/ The name of honour more than I fear death.” (I.ii.86-89). This means that Brutus would rather kill himself than live a life without honor. With his moral uprightness, it was expected that he would still feel guilty for Caesar’s death even if he had good intentions for killing him. He is the only conspirator to stab Caesar not out of envy, anger, or for personal gain, and he still felt at fault. A tragic hero must have some positive qualities in order to be called a hero, and Brutus’s nobility definitely fits the…

    • 1130 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brutus Is A Patriot Essay

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Brutus was a patriot and a savior for the people of Rome because he sacrificed his good friend to ensure that Romans would not be enslaved. His actions showed that the people of Rome and their safety come first; him maintaining a relationship with Julius Caesar was a priority for Brutus. Brutus knew that if he did not follow through with his plan, he would regret it for the rest of his life and Romans would die as slaves. Although some would say that Brutus was untrustworthy, by carrying out this attack, he showed how passionate he was about the citizens of Rome.…

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In Julius Caesar, by Shakespeare, the true hero lies not within Caesar or Cassius, but Brutus. When looking at these characters more closely it's obvious that Brutus is the real, but a tragic hero because Brutus had heroic qualities and died because of it. This is shown many times throughout the play. It is shown in every act of every scene and shows Caesars true honor and nobility. Anybody who has read Julius Caesar knows tat he was ambitious and the reason that Brutus killed his best friend was for the good of Rome and not himself.…

    • 342 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brutus As A Villain Essay

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Even though I believe Brutus is a villain in the story, I don’t believe he is a bad person. Brutus may have done bad things and was senseless in some of his actions, but like a tragic hero, throughout the story he does do many positive things to benefit Rome. An example of him putting Rome first is said in the quote,…

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    First, Brutus possesses the fatal flaw of being easily manipulated/tricked. This ultimately is Brutus’s downfall as he is easily controlled by his peers. In the beginning of play, Brutus is seen upset and “at war” with himself. Cassius attempts to boost his mood, by telling him how well-respected he is. At this time, Cassius is also trying to persuade Brutus to join the conspirators in killing Caesar. Aware that Brutus would never kill Caesar, Cassius convinces him that he would be a better ruler for Rome than Caesar. Cassius says “ ‘Tis just/And it is very much lamented, Brutus/ That you have no such mirrors as will…

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Brutus makes some negative decisions that he thinks will help him and the other conspirators but it does not turn out that way. The first decision that Brutus makes that turns out to be a mistake is not killing Antony when they killed Caesar. Brutus did not want to kill anyone else without good reason. He thought that Antony would back down after Caesar was gone. He thought that Antony was nothing without Caesar. Brutus made a wrong decision because that was not the case. Antony stepped up and took control, becoming a leader. In act three Antony starts talking to the crowd about Caesar’s love for them “ Why, friends, you go to do you know not what: Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?” (III.ii.236-237). This quote shows Antony getting the crowd angry after saying all that Caesar has done for them. The next mistake Brutus made making him a tragic hero was allowing Antony to speak at the Funeral. This was a bigger mistake than he realized. Antony was allowed to speak if he spoke after Brutus, at the same podium. When Antony spoke he was civil but purposely got the crowd revved up. He said things that he knew would make them mad. Getting the crowd angry was all apart of his plan. “ Brutus insisted that they should only act with strict justice, and he also held out hope that Antony might undergo a change of heart” (Simmons, 64). The last mistake that Brutus made was…

    • 1208 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Friends and coworkers alike should be people one is able to rely on. In the times of ancient Rome, however, these luxuries are hard to come by. Julius Caesar’s friends and fellow government officials, people he should be able to trust, assassinate him at a Senate meeting on the Ides of March. However, Caesar is not the character in the play to be betrayed and manipulated. His good friend, Brutus, also struggles with not being able to trust the people Brutus thought he could. According to Aristotle’s definition of tragic hero, the tragic hero of William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is Brutus because he fits all five characteristics: nobility, hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and catharsis.…

    • 1700 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Julius Caesar Flaws

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Julius Caesar is a tragedy about a ruler that is murdered by a group of conspirators, they go into a civil war with Caesar’s right hand man. William Shakespeare, in his tragedy Julius Caesar, proved that anyone with nobility, good intentions and the ability to recognize flaws will be a true hero. Brutus was trying to do everything he could for the people of Rome. Brutus explained why he killed Caesar, “That at his will he may do danger with. / The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins / Remorse from power” (II.i.17-19). Brutus was afraid that Caesar will become a tyrant and start treating people like slaves. Brutus was a great friend of Caesar, but he also became Caesar’s worst enemy. He betrayed Caesar’s trust and joined the assassination…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “For let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honor more than I fear death” (Iii 94-95). He ends up killing his best friend over his love for Rome and to keep his honor, but he ends up losing Rome and brings it further into a civil war. Cassius’ quote in Act I Scene II is so important, “Thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that is disposed” Brutus believes Cassius’ plot and kills Caesar. Then, because he didn’t want sole power of Rome, he leaves, giving Antony the opportunity to take over. While explaining to Rome how Caesar is not ambitious, this leaves the Roman people to have a grudge against Brutus. Brutus loses all of his power and most of all he lost his wife Portia. “Have made themselves so strong- for with her death that tidings came- with this she fell distract, and swallow’d fire.” When Brutus heard the death of his wife he sounded very sad, and this caused him to want to die on the battlefield rather than be put in chains and taken back to Rome. Since Brutus did die on that battlefield it shows how he lost it all, everything he loves and cares about, even his own…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Brutus Flaws

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus plays the role of tragic hero. This is shown through his nobility, his fatal flaw, and his downfall. Brutus was an honorable man who took part in the conspiracy not because he “loved Caesar less but that [he] loved Rome more”. He joins the conspiracy against Caesar due to his trustworthy nature and he trusts that the motives of the other conspirators are as driven by patriotism as his are. Blinded by his patriotism, Brutus commits the murder of his good friend with the help…

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He was the only major character in the play that fully committed to making his decisions through a moral and ethical code. Even though he committed himself to principle, this repeatedly causes him to make miscalculations. He makes decisions that unconsciously hypocritical. He naively believed that everything that people told him was true. When the conspirators wrote fake letters to him, became conflicted with himself. He had to choose between his loyalty to Rome and his loyalty to his friend. Since he naively believed the letters were real, he decided that his loyalty would go to Rome and joined the conspirators. Once he joined them, they used him to kill Caesar. His tragic flaw of poor judgement showed when he was taken advantage of by Antony. Cassius had suggested that Brutus all the conspirators to kill Antony too so that they could prevent any future conflict since Antony had worked for Caesar, but Brutus did not listen and let him live. Wanting to reduce the amount of violence, he ignores Cassius’s advice again and instead allows Antony…

    • 1100 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Because of this writing style, Shakespeare shows the audience internal conflict in his characters. Marcus Brutus was a very hesitant character, he constantly second guessed his decisions and pondered whether they were the correct choice. In the article Brutus’ Personal Failure is the Central Tragedy, the author says, “Brutus is the only one of the conspiritors who is portrayed as inwardly debating the justification for commiting the ‘dreadful thing’”. Almost immediately after the brutal stabbing of Caesar, Brutus doubts his hasty decision. On one hand, the killing of Caesar stopped the tyrannical reign and would hopefully restore freedom to all of Rome. Brutus said “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.” (III.ii.20-23). In the article Shakespeare’s Brutus: A man torn by conflicting values, the author said “If there were any noble attempt done in all this conspiracle, they refferre it wholly unto Brutus.” On the other hand, Caesar was Brutus’s close friend and did a lot of great things for the people of Rome. Brutus said, “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his.” (III.ii.18-20). This is the first incident where Shakespeare shows the internal conflicts of Brutus. Throughout the play, this…

    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Without Caesar’s sudden popularity, he would not be in power. Because he manipulates and captures the attention of all Romans, they are attracted to him. Cassius explains this to Brutus as he tries to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy, telling him, “I was born free as Caesar. So were you. / We both have fed as well, and we can both / Endure the winter’s cold as well as he” (I.ii.99-101). What Cassius implies by saying this is that Caesar does not have any special attributes and should not be protected. He is not someone sent from the gods to better Rome, and should not be treated so. The Romans, however, do not believe this, and think Caesar could do no harm, because of what they hear of him. They do not hear of the bad he does, and are left in the dark. To bring them out of this, it is important that Brutus joins the conspiracy to guide Rome away from the type of rule Caesar used and serve as a better leader. At the time after Caesar’s death, the Romans are confused, and can be easily manipulated. They will believe whatever they may hear. When Brutus speaks at Caesar’s funeral, he immediately turns the crowd from rambunctious and hassled to content with Caesar’s death. Minutes later, Antony convinces the same crowd to avenge Caesar’s death. This displays the Romans’ vulnerability at the time, and how simple it was to change their viewpoint. Because of this, they need to have a truthful leader who will not take advantage of them, as Caesar would have. Brutus exhibits this by saying “If it be aught toward the general good, / Set honor in one eye and death i ' th ' other, / And I will look on both indifferently” (I.ii.87-89). Here, Brutus expresses that he is willing to die to protect the general good, showing he is deeply concerned with the safety of Rome, whereas other leaders may be concerned with themselves and how much power they hold. He…

    • 1403 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brutus being naive is also a reason what came to his downfall. Having the state of mind that everything was all under control and individuals had a quality of being honorable and noble men he was. Brutus had a lot of trust in men and figured that they will not turn their back and he to him like how they did to Caesar. Brutus allows Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral but can not talk anything bad about the conspirators. “And you shall speak in the same pulpit whereto I am going. After my speech is ended.” (AIII,S 1 L, 255) Speaking at the funeral, Antony goes against the rules that Brutus sets and makes the crowd go against…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays