Marcus Brutus

780 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The tragedy of brutus in julius caesar

According to Dictionary.com, a tragic hero is a great character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for a downfall (“Tragic Hero” Dictionary.com). Marcus Brutus is often mistaken for a villain because he killed Caeser. In the play Julius Caeser, by William Shakespeare, Brutus is portrayed as the tragic hero through many ways; especially through his honor, the way he does what is best for the greater good, and the introspection of himself.
Marcus Brutus placed all his being on his honor and how he was presented. He always did the honorable thing even if it resulted with him dying. Brutus started the play off by openly stating, “for let the gods so speed me, as i love the name of honor more than i fear death,” (1.2.88-89), which unknowingly foreshadowed the end of the play. By saying that honor meant more to him than death, it showed that Brutus was a man with very strong morals. Many people who have very strong inner morals tend to be more selfless and do what they believe is the correct thing to do. As the conspirators begin to plan out the assassination of Caeser, Brutus still takes the higher, more respectable road. Cassius and many others wanted to kill him because they thought he didn't have the right intentions. Although Brutus agreed, he told them “And, gentle friends, let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully. Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods, not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.” (2.1.171-174). They all were aware that Caeser needed to die before he gained power, but Brutus took the more honorable and noble way to do it. If they killed Caeser in a gruff or butchering way, it would reflect poorly back on them. With every action Brutus preformed, he made sure it was morally right. Honor shows that Brutus is...

... middle of paper ...

...the people. If Brutus was the villain of this play, those thoughts would not have run through his mind. If he killed him for his own selfish greed, he would be rejoicing, not dwelling on the possible negative outcomes.
Julius Caeser by William Shakespeare ended with the death of the tragic hero of the play, Marcus Brutus. Brutus proved himself to be the tragic hero of the play by portraying the amazing qualities of honor, civic duty to Rome, and a deep introspective look on the death of Caeser. He performed the selfless act of killing the man who was destined to become ruler and eventually, killed himself. By definition, a tragic hero is a great character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for a downfall (“Tragic Hero” Dictionary.com). This fits the character of Marcus Brutus to a T.

Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. N.d. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Marcus Brutus: An Honorable Man

    558 Words  | 2 Pages

    Even though Brutus knew that Caeser had turned down the crown three times, he still felt he was too ambitious to rule over Rome. If only Brutus would have had a level head on his shoulders like Antony. If anyone can call a murderer honorable, let them know. The third and final act Brutus committed that left him with a dishonorable image, was that he ran and then killed himself just to avoid battle. In early Rome, a man was thought to be noble and brave if he fell from an enemy’s sword, not if he ran and committed suicide.

    Read More

  • Brutus the Tragic Hero

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s complex play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar contains several tragic heroes; a tragic hero holds high political or social esteem yet possesses an obvious character flaw. This discernible hubris undoubtedly causes the character’s demise or a severe forfeiture, which forces the character to undergo an unfeigned moment of enlightenment and shear reconciliation. Brutus, one of these tragic heroes, is a devout friend of the great Julius Caesar, that is, until he makes many execrable decisions he will soon regret; he becomes involved in a plot to kill the omniscient ruler of Rome during 44 B.C. After committing the crime, Mark Antony, an avid, passionate follower of Caesar, is left alive under Brutus’s orders to take his revenge on the villains who killed his beloved Caesar. After Antony turns a rioting Rome on him and wages war against him and the conspirators, Brutus falls by his own hand, turning the very sword he slaughtered Caesar with against himself. Brutus is unquestionably the tragic hero in this play because he has an innumerable amount of character flaws, he falls because of these flaws, and then comes to grips with them as he bleeds on the planes of Philippi.

    Read More

  • Tragic Heroes And Their Downfalls In Shakespeare's Othello

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dictionary.com defines a tragic hero as “a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat,” Othello is the obvious contender for the tragic hero in Othello, but Iago could also be considered a tragic hero. He starts off as a possible protagonist, but we quickly learn due to his antagonistic qualities that he is destined to be defeated in a grand way. Iago was eventually defeated in a grand way, he was sent to jail for

    Read More

  • Macbeth Tragic Hero Quotes

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    A tragic hero is a person of noble birth or potentially heroic qualities. The role of a tragic hero is common in many of Shakespeare's plays such as Macbeth. The character of Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. A tragic hero often has a noble background. This person is predominantly good, but suffers a terrible fate falling out due to glitches in their personality. The tragic hero has a monstrous downfall, brought out by their fatal flaw. Macbeth is named a tragic hero because he learns through suffering, he is isolated, and he exhibits personal courage in his acceptance of death.

    Read More

  • Brutus Is A Tragic Hero

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ultimately, Brutus’s tragic flaw was his honor, and his demise was his death. Brutus shows that he is honorable through his choices to murder Caesar. Caesar was his close friend, and Brutus cared for him. However, Brutus joined the conspirators because of his honor towards the Roman people. Cassius and the other conspirators had faked and sent letters to Brutus that made him believe that the public did not like Caesar.

    Read More

  • Reasons why Marcus Brutus is and is not a Tragic Hero

    533 Words  | 2 Pages

    The defenition of a tragic hero a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy. This defenition is perpetuated most clearly by one of the major characters. This character is the noble roman Brutus. Brutus is the tragic hero because of the fact that he fulfills the requirements of a tragic hero. He is a person of noble bith. He does have a tragic flaw, he does come to some understanding, and he does finally meet his end due to his tragic flaw. The tragic flaw of Brutus is his idealistic view, which ultimately leads him directly and indirectly into his death.

    Read More

  • The Enlightenment of the Great Julius Caesar

    665 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar could definitely be thought of as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character in a story that is high standing in society, but has a flaw that inevitably leads to their downfall. Julius Caesar definitely fits this description. He is a leader in Rome and has everything he could ever want. However, he does have a weakness which will be devastating to his life. There are many people who would like to kill him but Caesar is not worried. Julius Caesar’s flaw is arrogance and believes he is invulnerable. He also, right before his death discovers a discernment more devastating than the knife wounds, and finally he is and unsympathetic character because of many reasons.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Shakespeare’s Marcus Brutus to Other Tragic Heroes

    1388 Words  | 3 Pages

    The tragic hero is one of literatures most used (and sometimes abused) characters. The classical definition of a tragic hero is, “a person with heroic or potentially heroic qualities”. The person is doomed by the Gods or some other supernatural force to destruction or suffering. The hero struggles against the fate, but due to a personal flaw, ultimately fails in the battle against fate. It is my personal opinion that Brutus, as he is portrayed in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, is a tragic hero by this definition.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Tragic Hero (Brutus)

    666 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout most of the play Brutus is constantly internally conflicted. Does he do what he believes is best for Rome or stay loyal to his friend and leader? Should he assist in the murder of one person to benefit many? Although killing Caesar was in the end a bad choice, Brutus always tries to do what is best for Rome and for the people. However even though all of Brutus’ motives are good he still has the tragic flaw of pride, which ultimately leads to his downfall. The reason that Brutus gets caught up in the conspiracy is because Cassias appeals to his pride and flatters him with forged letters from the Roman people saying he is a greater leader then Caesar.

    Read More

  • Brutus, the Noblest Roman of them All

    1845 Words  | 4 Pages

    This is just how Brutus plays by the rules, is honest and wins a respectful burial, even though he loses the battle. Brutus was an honorable and noble man with great character. Shakespeare, in his play Julius Caesar, shows readers what it means to be noble using government, politics and Brutuss experience and constant effort to bring democracy to Rome. He reveals what makes Brutus noble from the rest of the Romans and how taking challenges, risks and being strong, honorable, and able to face sorrows and having moral character is what makes someone noble. Brutus faced many challenges and risks to make Rome a democracy and through it he faced his sorrows like a god and held a good reputation in society.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar: Who is the Better Tragic Hero, Caesar or Brutus?

    1455 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the world today people consider a hero to be someone like Superman or Spider-Man. In the dictionary a hero is considered or defined as a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities. Though a hero is thought to be free of mistakes they all have tragic flaws like everyone else. A tragic flaw is explained by Aristotle’s definition, which says that: a tragic hero as a character of great reputation and prosperity whose misfortune is not due to depravity or vice, for the hero is a virtuous man or woman but to an error in judgment resulting from a tragic flaw. Sometimes this flaw is an excess of virtue. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare people are arguing over who is the perfect tragic hero Julius Caesar or Marcus Brutus. They both fit the criteria of a tragic hero, but Marcus Brutus proves to be the better and more fit of the two.

    Read More

  • A Tragic Hero

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    A tragic hero is defined as a person of high social rank, who has a tragic flaw or flaws that lead to their downfall. These heroes’ downfalls are usually either complete ruin or death. Tragic heroes face their downfall with courage and dignity. While many characters in Julius Caesar could fit these conditions, the person who fits the role of a tragic hero the best is Marcus Brutus. Brutus develops into a tragic hero throughout the play, and this is shown though his qualifications of a tragic hero, his high status, his tragic flaws, and his courage in the face of his death.

    Read More

  • Honorable Betrayal

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    First of all, Marcus Brutus has the character flaw of poor judge of character. He cannot discern a person’s character or true motivation. He, however, acts on his judgments, regardless of whether they are true or not. Brutus feels that Caesar is too ambitious for power, and that he, along with the other eight men plotting the demise of Caesar, must prevent it, “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg— / Which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous— / And kill him in the shell” (911). Brutus decides that Caesar must die because he ambitious. Ambition is not necessarily an evil and virulent thing. Ambition causes men and women to strive towards reaching an attainment. Brutus assumes that Caesar will turn his back on his supporters due to this ambition. One of the most famous lines in Julius Caesar is the dying words of Caesar: “Et tu, Bruté?—Then fall, Caesar” (938). If Caesar had truly turned h...

    Read More

  • Marcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero in Julius Caesar

    528 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is no such thing as the perfect person.  We may dream of such a person, but sadly, everyone has flaws.  These flaws are what make us human.  Something else that makes us human is our need for heroes.  We attribute 'perfect' qualities to our heroes.  In reality even our heroes are flawed.  The closest thing to the idealized person, or hero, is the Shakespearean tragic hero.  The tragic hero is someone of high standing, good character, and a flaw.  While it may be only one flaw, it is often fatal.  An example of a tragic hero can be best seen in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.  Marcus Brutus is a prominent leader and noble citizen of Rome who leads in the assassination of Julius Caesar.  We see that Brutus plays the role of the tragic hero through his noble standing, fatal flaw, and legacy.

    Read More

  • The Greed and Ambition of Marcus Brutus

    962 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, Brutus’ mistakes and flaws are overshadowed by his honorable intentions and genuine motives. In a society littered with dishonorable, deceitful people like Antony, Brutus, with his sense of honor and integrity, contrast them all. Brutus’ greatest weakness is his tendency to believe people who script words to purposely lie or misguide him. Due to his actions, he ends up dying an honorable death of a self-suicide. Having genuine compassion and sympathy towards others is not a bad thing. However, decisions should not be so heavily influenced by the opinions of others. The significance of planning things out before doing them is clearly illustrated, as it is a way to foresee possible complications or problems that may arise. Ironically, the conspirators’ cause is for naught as Antony becomes the tyrant that they fear Caesar would have become.

    Read More

More about Marcus Brutus

Open Document