Marcus Brutus Essay, Research Paper
Marcus Brutus 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. (http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/m_brutus.sum.html)
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 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.”(Shakesspeare, act 1, scene 2,85-89), 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…”(act 2, scene 1, 24,26). As the quote says, Fite
2 Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto
the people of Rome.Brutus had honored Caesar but Brutus felt that Caesar
was to ambitious. Brutus also felt that Caesar made the romans as slaves.
Therefore, Brutus is an honorable man. Brutus is a noble man who was
revered by many. Brutus had joined the conspiracy because he had the desire
to help the commoners. He was a follower of idealism, where the romans
would possess peace, liberty and freedom. Brutus wanted the kill Caesar,
because he believed that all of the people of Rome would eventually be slaves,
thus Brutus resorted to the assassination ofCaesar.(Ferguson 145) 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…”(Shakesspeare, act 3, scene 1, 185-186). Brutus says that Antony
cannot see the members of the conspiracys 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…”(Shakespeare, act 2, scene1, 1,13) 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, Fite 3 as
Caesar was assassinated, Caesar’s last line is: “Et tu, Brute?–Then fall,
Caesar.”(Shakespeare, act 3, scene 1, 85). 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.(http://www.pei- asia.com/history/ROMAN/BRUTUS/BRUTUS.HT)
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.(Bowers, 38-42) 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.(47) 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. “(Shakespeare, act 3, scene 1, 135-136).
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.”(Act 3,scene 2, 21-24). If Brutus was
not in the plot Fite 4 of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the conspiracy would
probably not have worked.(Bowers, 53) Since Brutus “…loved Rome
more.”(Shakespeare, Act 3,scene2, 23-24), he decided to be a part of he
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.(Wilson, 87-89) 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.(90) If Brutus wasn’t in the play, there would be no
“Tragedy” in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.