Analysis Of Brutus Essay, Research Paper
William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is
mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character
who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus,
a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a
person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus’ relationship to
Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to the
plot, the truth can be revealed.
Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Caesar, has a
strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with
Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In Roman times,
the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if
he/she is close to him/her. In many points of the play, Brutus was
talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears his
power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, “What
means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their
king…yet I love him well.” as he is speaking to Cassius. Brutus loves
Caesar, but would not allow him to “climber-upward…He then unto the
ladder turns his back…”. As the quote says, Brutus would not allow
Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome.
After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about
Caesar’s death. “Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity to
the general wrong of Rome…”. Brutus says that Antony cannot see their
(members of the conspiracy) hearts, which are full of pity. Again, this
shows how Brutus loved Caesar but cared for the life of Rome and its
people more. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against
Caesar. For Brutus says to himself, “I know no personal cause to spurn
at him…How that might change his nature…” Caesar’s relationship
with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar
shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him
and does the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of
March, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar’s last line is: “Et tu,
Brute?–Then fall, Caesar.”. This shows that Caesar would not die
without Brutus’ stab. Caesar realizes that there must be a noble reason
for this assassination if Brutus was in it. This again shows how much
Caesar respects Brutus. Brutus and Caesar both respect each other, but
in different ways.
Marcus Brutus had a very important role in the conspiracy
against Caesar. He was the “back-bone” of the plan. According to
Cassius, Brutus’ main purpose in the conspiracy is for an insurance
policy. The people will think, since Brutus is noble to Caesar, that
there is a good reason for Caesar’s assassination. Brutus will also be
the leader of the conspiracy for another “insurance policy” for the
assassination. Cassius is the one who declares this, “Brutus shall
lead the way, and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and
best hearts of Rome. “. Again, if Brutus leads the way, the people will
think that the death of Julius Caesar wasn’t such a bad thing. Brutus
also declares to himself that his role in the conspiracy is to save
Rome. He says to the people that, “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.”.
If Brutus was not in the plot of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
the conspiracy would probably not have worked. Since Brutus “…loved
Rome more.”, he decided to be a part of the conspiracy. If he hadn’t
loved Rome more than Caesar, he would not have joined in the
assassination of Julius Caesar. Cassius and the rest of the
conspirators would probably not have continued on without Brutus
because they would have no “insurance” afterwards. The people would
think that there was no reason for Caesar’s death and most likely
beheaded all the conspirators. Also, if Brutus was not in the play, the
whole end of the play would not ever occur. Brutus would not be there
to have an army or kill himself, and Cassius will already be beheaded.
If Brutus was not in the play, the title would have absolutely no
meaning.
Marcus Brutus was a good friend to Julius Caesar, but not good
enough. He had moral values dealing with Rome and its people. Brutus’
values then made him join a conspiracy against Caesar put together by
Cassius. Brutus joined this mainly because he didn’t want Caesar to
turn his back on Rome so there would be a reasonable reason for
killing Caesar. If Brutus wasn’t in the play, there would be no
“Tragedy” in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
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