Societal Lessons in Julius Caesar

They gave him the justification he needed to kill Caesar, which was “its Good of Rome.” The assumption was that Caesar would eventually take the crown, which would never less destroyed Rome according to Brutus thoughts. By making this assumption and joining the other conspirators he set him self up for many problems for him and for Rome. This was one of the fatal mistakes made by Brutus. Brutus actually made two mistakes with Mark Antony. The first was letting Mark Antony live and the second was letting him speak alone at the funeral.

His best friend, Brutus, killed Shakespeare’s tragic hero, Julius Caesar, with honor and respect in order to prevent his future rule as a tyrant. Even though he killed his best friend, Brutus’ actions were justified due to his logic, honorable and non-corrupted intentions for his actions, his respectful intentions and naïve personality being manipulated and misused by others with “less respectful” intentions, and above all, the actual approval of his actions from Caesar himself upon his death. Works Cited Christenbury, Leila, Carol Jago, Deborah Appleman, and Sara Kajder. "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar." Holt Elements of Literature: Student Edition Grade 10 Fourth Course.

So in reality by killing Caesar it wasn’t displaying loyalty and honor it was really showing stupidity. But Brutus’ tragic flaws are the real reason of his own downfall, as well as Rome’s. Unfortunately Rome’s downfall was because Brutus had caused his own downfall. It first started when the conspirators killed Caesar, but what had made the situation worse was allowing Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral. After the funeral the locals of Rome was so moved by Antony’s speech that they were in a blind fury and had to kill any conspirator that they had found, which ended up in the death of Cinna the poet.

Antony then shows his anger towards the conspirators by getting the mob to release their anger by rioting and going out and killing the conspirators. Antony then starts a war against the conspirators and when this war starts Antony changes from the people’s hero to just a normal greedy leader. His hate for Brutus grows over time and with that hate grows greed. Antony starts thinking more about his wealth then about the people that he is supposed to be caring for. In Act 5 Antony expresses his feelings towards Brutus before they go into the battle that will decide who is the rightful ruler of Rome.

He came for his good friend Caesar. As Antony began his speech, he does not discredit Brut... ... middle of paper ... ...er the crowd by examples of irony and the power of repetitions like the ones above. After great uses of irony, rhetorical question, and slight use of antistrophe Antony told the people who murdered their beloved Caesar. Brutus mistake was he made his point to vague that the people of Rome barely had an understanding of Caesar. Brutus mentions how Caesar was ambitious and why he deserves to die.

What Antony does: He speaks to the crowd making them feel sorry for him, ashamed of themselves, and hate the conspirators. He causes them to go into an angry rage in scene 3. What Antony feels: "O pardon me thou…gentle with these butchers." Pg. 582 lines 254-236. Antony has made a deal with the conspirators that have killed his best friend.

Another example of Brutus’ poor judgement is how Brutus thinks that Antony could cause no harm to the conspirators and their plan. The judgement Brutus made when he let Antony speak at the funeral was the turning point of the play and it led to the conspirators downfall. Brutus’ final act of poor judgement was when he decided to attack Antony and Octavius at Philippi. This decision lead to many deaths’s including his. Brutus’ final flaw is his idealism.

Brutus and Anthony both gave powerful speeches at their dear friend’s funeral; they do this to lead the public into making different conclusions. However the reasoning behind each speech differs. Brutus’ aim is to convince the general public why they killed Caesar. They killed Caesar for the good of Rome as Caesar was too ambitious “I have done no more to Caesar they you shall do to Brutus” (Line 32-33). Anthony persuades the public that his friend is not ambitious and manipulates them into avenging Caesar “Now let is work... Take thou what course thou wilt”(Line 257-258).

Brutus recognizes that the “enemies have beat [Brutus and the conspirators].. to a pit” and believes it is honorable “to leap in” themselves “than tarry till” the enemies force them (5.5.23-25). Hence, Brutus requests his servant to assist him in committing suicide and finally utters “Caesar, now be still / I kill’d not thee with half so good a will” (5.5.50-51). Brutus’s action exhibits his understanding of the killing of Caesar, and now views it as irreparable. Furthermore, Brutus takes notice of the fights and unending deaths around him all due to his naivety and failure to judge people’s evil side. As a result, Brutus views suicide as the most appropriate “method” to retain his honor and dignity; otherwise, he would have to encounter the Roman citizens’ criticization and would be humiliated for his actions.

Through his mistake he looses his name, home, and faces the demise of his wife and himself. Brutus truly is the tragic hero of Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus made a voluminous amount of irreversible flaws that cause his own disappointment and demise. His first mistake is the killing of his loyal and trusting friend, Caesar and not giving just cause to the crowd he gathered. “As he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him.. ” (948).