More handpicked essays just for you.
The analysis of Brutus as a tragic hero
The analysis of Brutus as a tragic hero
The analysis of Brutus as a tragic hero
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: The analysis of Brutus as a tragic hero
The title of the historic tragedy Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare implies that Caesar is the tragic hero. Although Caesar is a universal character, William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar should have been titled Brutus because he is the real tragic hero. The classical definition of a tragic hero is a person who is neither completely virtuous nor utterly villainous and falls from great status caused by a tragic flaw or error in judgment (bisd303.org). As all heroes do, tragic heroes often fall in line with archetypes. Tragic heroes repeatedly enjoy free choice, endure a punishment that exceeds their crime, undergo a course of enlightenment, and harvest a catharsis or a purging of human emotions in readers (Crowther). Tragic heroes are never perfect and are either killed by the end of the story or have fallen so far from their previous high status that they have nothing left from their old life. More powerful than Brutus, Caesar is a tyrant that talks in third person, which shows his arrogant and egocentric personality. To be a tragic hero, a character must show traits of being...
A hero is defined by their actions in the real world. One may be a hero to a whole population of people or just one. No matter what, each of these heroes earn their titles through their actions. In the play, Julius Caesar, by Shakespeare, the main characters embodies the question of who the tragic hero is. On one end, the story consists of the military leader Caesar, who is going to become ruler, but is assassinated through waging fear that he is going to rule as a tyrant. On the other end, the story consists of the character Brutus who backstabbed his best friend, Caesar, to preserve Rome as a republic. To decide who the tragic hero is, one must look at the traits that help identify what makes up one. The definition of a tragic hero, consists of the traits of reputation, prosperity, virtue, and a tragic flaw. Both characters embody these traits, but Brutus is the clearer choice for being tragic hero.
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. I came to this conclusion due to the fact that Brutus shares many similarities with other tragic heroes in literature such as Oedipus, Hamlet, and Ralph from Lord of the Flies. All four characters share the two critical traits that are needed to be tragic heroes: a tragic flaw that eventually leads to a tragic downfall. The tragic hero was defined by Aristotle, yet the “invention” of the tragic hero goes to Sophocles.
In the play the Life and Death of Julius Caesar (just as in all of Shakespeare’s tragedies) there is much death, much tragedy, and of course, a tragic hero. However unlike most of Shakespeare’s plays this time the tragic hero is not particularly obvious. Throughout the play a few main characters present themselves as possibilities for being the tragic hero. But as being a tragic hero is not only having a tragic flaw but also entails much more, there really is only one person to fit the mold. The character Brutus is born into power and is higher/better then we are. He has a tragic flaw that causes his downfall and at the end he realizes his mistake (a trait none of the other characters can really claim).
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.
Brutus is considered the tragic hero because his attributes of being a good friend and a trustworthy person, his flaws includes trusting others too much and poor judgment; also his role in the play in Julius Caesar is being a back stabber and trusting Antony, this is what caused him being a tragic hero for Julius Caesar.
Julius Caesar no doubt is an utter tragedy, which contains disloyalty, betrayal, and corruption. Every character has a certain role in the play. But the most complex character would have to be Marcus Brutus. I believe that Brutus is a tragic hero in this play because he presents many different qualities involving nobility, high birth and of course a tragic flaw.
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.
“And I am Brutus, I? Brutus, my country’s friend; know me for Brutus!” (“V.iv.2638”). The Tragedy of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare is about how characters react to different symbols in their lifetime, and what those actions lead to. Brutus is the tragic hero of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar because this character was manipulated, he was honorable, and he died a devastating death.
F. Scott Fitzgerald once said “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy” Most heroes possess tragic flaws and character traits that make them tragic. Literature throughout history depicts archetypal tragic heroes and qualities which are illustrated in William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Although Brutus takes part in killing Caesar, he remains the focus as a tragic hero of the Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare because of his naivety, internal struggle, and noble character.
Both Brutus and Caesar are thought to be tragic heroes; however, Brutus is the driving force of the plot whose death marks the end of the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, and is therefore the real tragic hero. A hero, by definition, is someone who is respected for outstanding morals and honor. But a tragic hero also has a tragic flaw, a fault that causes his or her downfall. Brutus’ tragic flaw is his tendency to trust the wrong people, and this is what causes a lot of the conflicts in the play. Brutus is also in all five acts with a peak in the third, another mark of a tragic hero. Lastly, Brutus fits the description of being of noble birth and of having a strong moral compass.
William Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar around 1599. The role of the `tragic hero' is extremely important as many of the characters in Julius Caesar exemplify the `tragic hero' qualities. Marcus Brutus, and Julius Caesar, display all the qualities of the `tragic hero': they are great men, with character flaws, and as a result of a mistake in decision-making many people suffer. In Cassius one can see these same qualities. Cassius can be seen as another tragic hero in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
A tragic hero can be described as a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is
In the novel “Julius Caesar”, people often argue on which is the true protagonist of this great novel whether it’s Julius Caesar or Brutus because Brutus had more character development than Caesar but people often counter this argument by stating that it is titled after Caesar, so we’re going to compare and contrast them.
A tragic hero is someone who sacrifices their money and time for someone or something they believe in but a tragic hero is someone who sacrifices his life for what he or she believes. Soldiers who die in battle, polices who die on the call of duty, and civilians who sacrifice their life to save another is a form of a tragic hero. Achilles, Hector, Beowulf, and Hamlet are all an example of a Tragic Hero. A hero is someone who must suffer more than he deserves, must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, must have a weakness, and a tragic hero must face with a very serious decision that he has to make.
A tragic hero is a protagonist who makes a judgmental flaw which inevitably lead to their downfall. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Macbeth and Jay Gatsby are both portrayed as tragic heroes through nobility, anagnorisis and tragic flaws which lead to their destruction. Gatsby are both portrayed as tragic heroes through their nobility, anagnorisis, and their tragic flaws which lead to their downfall.