The Real Brutus The definition of honorable is deserving honor and respect; having or showing honesty and good moral character. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Brutus illustrates him as a highly respected, wise, and honorable man. Shakespeare demonstrates the most sympathy and respect to Brutus regardless of him being one of the leaders in Caesar's conspiracy group. However, in the real world Brutus displayed that he was arrogant, power-hungry, and two-faced. The facts of the real Brutus overstate Shakespeare’s portrayal of him. Brutus didn't deserve the respect Antony gave him as he declared him “the noblest Roman of them all” (V.v.68). Throughout the play Shakespeare indicates that Brutus is highly respected in Rome. Cassius himself even recognizes the respect for Brutus and allows for him to be the leader of the conspirators against Caesar. If it were not for the commoner’s admiration and respect for him, Cassius never would have promoted Brutus as the leader. If Brutus had not been respected by the people, the conspiracy group never would have been able to go through with their plan. Cassius comprehended that once Caesar perished the people would respect Brutus enough to listen to him. All the conspirators had high respect for Brutus too because Cassius was the only one who ever questioned any of his decisions. Aside from being highly respected, Brutus was perceived as wise. After Caesar’s death while preparing for war against Antony, Brutus and Cassius began a quarrel near their generals and troops. Brutus presents his wiseness when he asked Cassius to meet him inside his tent so their army won’t hear (IV.ii.42-480). If Brutus had allowed Cassius and him to argue outside their tent their army would have heard; consequently, the ar... ... middle of paper ... ...nt on Brutus seemed to be good friends with Caesar to his face, but behind his back hated the way he ran Rome. He specifically hated Caesar for preparing to destroy the republic. Only someone who demonstrates being two-faced would be good friends with a person to their face and at the same time plotting their death behind their back. The real Brutus differs greatly from Shakespeare’s version. While Shakespeare’s Brutus is a noble, highly respected man, the real Brutus displayed himself as two-faced, arrogant, and unworthy of any respect. Brutus being highly respected and admired by the Roman commoners is the only common feature that the two versions share.The characteristics of the true Brutus overpower Shakespeare’s version of him as noble man; furthermore, Marcus Brutus did not deserve the respect or honorable ceremony Antony provided him after his death.
Brutus killed his dear friend because of his ambition. If only today’s leaders had some ambition! He said that he loves Rome more than Caesar and that is why he committed one of the most dishonorable acts a human being can commit. After the act, Antony appropriately and sarcastically called Brutus an honorable man. Unlike Brutus, Antony knew what honor was.
Although Brutus attempts to act with honor, and despite the fact that he places all of his trust into the honor of others, there are times when Brutus fails to see the most simple and obvious things, such as clear manipulation by Cassius, and this simple flaw leads him to betray his friend and his honor.
He shows just how deceptive he is when he kills Caesar. Brutus was very close to Caesar
Cassius needed a reason to motivate Brutus to join the conspiracy so that the plan would develop. “Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness…” (1.2.34) Cassius is saying that Brutus hasn’t been as affectionate toward him as he typically is. Maybe he suspects something is wrong with Brutus and he thinks it has something to do with Caesar. But I think he didn’t really care about how Brutus was treating him, he was just “buttering him up” so to say. Brutus thinks that Cassius is just being his friend and trying to help, when in reality Cassius is manipulating him. This manipulation of friendship is what drives the rest of the play. Brutus has a hard time seeing through this manipulation of Cassius and it ends up driving him to assassinating his friend, Caesar. Cassius fabricated letters to make them seen like they were from the people of Rome saying that they wanted Brutus as their leader. These letters were really the controlling factor of the assassination because they gave Brutus another reason to assassinate Caesar. Cassius then realized how easy it was to manipulate Brutus. “Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet that noble minds keep ever with their likes; for who so firm that cannot be seduced?” (1.2.320-324) Cassius is saying that even
Brutus was a very selfish and self-centered person. He continually ignored Cassius’ and the conspirators’ ideas. He was the leader and everyone was supposed to go along with them. Not to mention that all of his decisions went against Cassius and they were all the wrong moves. Brutus refused to admit that he was wrong or listen to other people.
Brutus was a devious man, even though what he thought he was doing was right. Brutus told his fellow conspirators to kill Caesar “boldly, but not angerly.”(3.1.256-257) Brutus was one of Caesars right hand men, and yet Brutus kills his own friend. When Antony asks to speak at Caesars funeral, Cassius says no, but Brutus tell him that Antony will speak, but only what Brutus tells him to say. Brutus also embraces the fact that he just killed his friend, and also tells the senators who had just witnessed it to not be afraid, but to stay because ambition has paid its debt.
Brutus had a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. I think during Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is a close friend or relative to him/her. Brutus loved Caesar but feared his power and ambition. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "If it aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently…,,"(act 1, scene 2, ll.85-89), as he is speaking to Cassius. "He then unto the ladder turns his back..."(act 2, scene 1, line 25). As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back on the people of Rome. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. Brutus says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might change his nature..."(act 2, scene 1, and ll.11-13)
Although some believe that Brutus conspires against Caesar out of jealousy, Brutus actually plots against Caesar for the good of Rome. To demonstrate, when Brutus justifies his motives for the conspiracy, Brutus claims, “Not that I loved
Brutus was a man of noble birth. He had multiple servants and was often referred to as “Lord”, which indicates a certain level of respect for him. He was a very highly thought of person in Rome. At no point did he ever betray anyone, although he did kill Caesar, he did it to better Rome, not to mislead him. Everything he did was for the advantage of someone else. Even after Brutus dies, Marc Antony says “This was the noblest roman of them all; all the conspirators, save only he, did that they did in the envy of Caesar; he only in a general honest thought and common good to all...” This shows that regardless of brutus killing Caesar, he is still considered noble because he had good intentions. Brutus was also the best friend of Julius Caesar, the most powerful man in Rome. Had he been a commoner, Caesar most likely would not have associated with him or trusted him as a friend.
Brutus has several tragic flaws. One of these tragic flaws is how he trusts people a lot. Brutus says that he “know[s] that we shall have [Antony] well to a friend” (1140). He trusts Antony will be a friend of the conspirators, yet he seems to not realize that Antony is obliviously against them, because they killed his friend. Brutus trusts Antony so much, that he lets Antony speak to the public alone. Antony turns the people against Brutus and the conspirators, leading to the wars where Brutus takes his own life. Brutus also receives letters, supposedly from the people of Rome. As he reads the letter out loud, Brutus remarks “‘Speak, strike, redress!’ Am I entreated to speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise, if thy redress will follow, thy receivest thy full petition at the hand of Brutus” (1118).
During Caesar’s funeral, he is very respectful to those who mourn and sends his condolences to those who are very lost without their leader. In addition, Brutus knows how hurt Mark Antony is by Caesar’s death, so Brutus lets him speak at his funeral. Also,Cassius theorizes that Mark Antony may be dangerous and that they should kill him along with Caesar. However, Brutus declines his proposal because he thinks that Mark Antony is not a bad man and also thinks that he will have nothing left when his leader is dead. Casca says, “Oh, he sits high in all peoples hearts, and that which would appear offense in us, his countenance, like the richest alchemy, will change to virtue and to worthiness” (I.iii.159-162), this quote basically means that because of his honor, that he was very respected and loved by the people of Rome. Furthermore, Brutus’ honor and respect shows to all the citizens in Rome and he is mainly well known by these two traits. Overall, Brutus perfectly fits into all the categories that define a hero. Brutus is a true inspiration, not only to me, but to everyone who reads the
Both Cassius and Brutus conspire against Caesar, yet Shakespeare depicts Brutus as doing a noble job compared to Cassius as doing a greedy and envious task. Cassius believes that he is stronger than Caesar. Therefore, Cassius does not understand why Caesar is in power and he is not. Cassius is also envious of Caesar. In Act I Scene II, Cassius describes to Brutus the time he had to save Caesar in a swimming race. Since then, Cassius feels superior to Caesar. In Cassius’ mind, kings’ right to rule should be based off of strength, not intelligence or virtue. On the other hand, Brutus knows that although a king should be strong, he must also be virtuous. Brutus always elaborates on the topic of honor. In fact, his first priority is to keep his own honor intact and Brutus fears that Caesar will change when he is crowned. Brutus says, “He would be crowned: How that might change his nature, there’s the question.” (Act II, Scene I, Page 49, lines 12-14) He senses Caesar’s greed for power, and ...
If then that friend demands why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. " 3.2.19-24. -. His concentration on honor and nobility ends up being used against him by Cassius, who instigates him to kill his best friend. Cassius knows how naive and how moral Brutus is and he uses this information to help him kill Caesar.
Brutus is considered an honorable man by all those who live in Rome. He is a close friend of Caesar, husband of Portia, and is also a Senator. Brutus is drawn into killing Caesar by Cassius, who was jealous of Caesar's degree of power. Brutus was pulled into the scheme by letters brought to his house by Decius to make him think that the people of Rome wanted him to replace Caesar. Brutus also feels that Caesar is being given too much power and will destroy Rome's democracy. Brutus' reason for killing Caesar is to benefit Rome, he proves this when he states"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." After losing to Mark Antony and Octavious, Brutus runs onto his own sword. He sticks to his beliefs, not altering them for others.
The play Julius Caesar depicts Brutus to be an extremely noble being who is well respected and honored by all Romans, even his enemies. Brutus was a loving friend of Julius Caesar and wished anything but death on his comrade, but his love and dedication to the majestic city of Rome would force him to commit anything. He fights a war to defend Rome from a king or emperor's tyrannical rule. When the war was finished, even his enemies saw that he was the most respectable Roman of them all.