Caesar

Caesar Essay

Brutus consists of the characteristics and traits that make up a tragic hero. They are his good character, his superiority over others, his tragic flaws, and his tragic realization. Without these characteristics, Brutus would not be perceived as a tragic hero. These characteristics were developed through his idealism. Throughout this play, Brutus shows signs of these traits and gives the reader more reasons to believe that he is a tragic hero. More than anything, he showed his sense of good character through his idealism.

Out of all the characters in the play, Brutus displays his good character most effectively. When the conspirators were planning on other individuals that should be killed along with Caesar, Brutus stated that he did not want their cause to seem full of hatred and envy.

"Our course will seem too bloody, Caiuss Cassius,

To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,

Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;

For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.

Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius." II, i, lines 169-173

Brutus states that he, along with the rest of the conspirators, should kill Caesar in such a way that it does not seem that they slaughtered him. His good character is displayed by the love and care he shares for his wife and his fellow senators. After the conspirators left Brutus' house that night, Portia woke up and was worried about him. Instead of swiftly and harshly sending her away because he was deep in thought about the conspiracy, he shows signs of concern.

"Portia! What mean you? Wherefore rise you now?

It is not for your health thus to commit

Your weak condition to the raw cold morning." II, i, lines 245-247

Although he does not open up with his wife, it is notable that he cares about her throughout the play. The good character towards his fellow senators is seen whenever he refers to them as his "brothers". At the end of the play, Antony talks about how Brutus was the only one in the conspiracy who did not kill Caesar for personal gain.

"All the conspirators save only he

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;

He, only in a general honest thought

And common good to all, made one of them." V, v, lines 74-77

His good character did have a negative effect on his downfall due to his inability to see other people's motives and intentions. However, this same quality also led to his superior personality.

The play does not focus mainly on the character of Caesar, but the character of Brutus due to his superiority. His personality had a strong effect on people and they, in turn, followed him and looked to him as their leader. That night when the conspirators came to visit Brutus, they came to recruit him as their leader.

"...and no man here

But honors you; and every one doth wish

You had that opinion of yourself.

Which every noble Roman bears of you." II, i, lines 93-96

Before the conspirators decided to make Brutus their leader, Cassius was in charge. However, the rest of the conspirators along with Cassius believed the real superior leader was Brutus and the people of Rome would believe they had a just reason for killing Caesar if he was in charge. During the time he led the conspiracy, Brutus made some tragic mistakes that led to his downfall.

Brutus makes some misjudgments that eventually cost him his life. When the conspirators wanted to bring Cicero into the conspiracy, Brutus refused.

"...he will never follow anything

That other men begin." II, i, lines 157-158

Antony is a major contribution to Brutus' downfall. When suggested by Cassius that Antony should be killed along with Caesar, Brutus disagreed because he did not want to show hatred in their actions. If Brutus would have agreed to kill Antony, the opposition against the conspirators would not have been so strong and Brutus would not have met his fate at the end. Although Brutus made a mistake in not killing Antony, he still could have saved himself had he not left after making his speech at Caesar's funeral. After his departure, Antony lured the crowd onto his side and made Brutus and the conspirators seem like the enemy, even though he referred to them as "noble" men. There was still a possibility Brutus could have saved himself. As Cassius suggested, Brutus should have waited for the enemy