...William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, set in Rome in 44 B.C, focuses on the character of Julius Caesar and his gruesome assassination by the members of the Roman Senate. Mark Antony, Caesar’s best friend, plots his revenge and incites a riot, causing the exile of the conspirators and their impending defeat. The tragic hero with a tragic flaw can be found in the character of Julius Caesar, an example of this being Caesar’s prominence in society as well as his fatal flaw of hubris. Another example is Caesar’s recognition of his fatal flaw following his betrayal and downfall. A third example is Caesar’s redemption, when his death is fully grasped by Marcus Brutus, who was once Caesar’s friend but betrayed him. The tragic hero is Julius Caesar because of his fatal flaw of hubris, his recognition of his flaw in his...
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...Julius Caesar, Brutus is a tragic hero. His tragic flaws are honor, poor judgment, and idealism Cassius and the other conspirators take advantage of Brutus’ honor. The conspirators wrote Brutus fake letters from the public to get him to join them. Once he joined the conspirators, they used him to bring good to killing Caesar. This idea worked until Antony showed up. That’s when Brutus’ second flaw showed itself. The second flaw is Brutus’ poor judgment. His judgment is taken advantage of by Antony. The first sign of this is when Antony talks Brutus into letting him speak at Caesar’s funeral. Another example of Brutus’ poor judgment is how Brutus thinks that Antony could cause no harm to the conspirators and their plan. The judgment Brutus made when he let Antony speak at the funeral was the turning point of the play and it led to the conspirator’s downfall. Brutus’ final act of poor judgment was when he decided to attack Antony and Octavius at Philippi. These decisions lead too many deaths including his. Brutus’ final flaw is his idealism. His idealism leads him to believe everything that everybody tells him. His idealism causes him to believe in Antony and Cassius. Cassius uses Brutus’ idealism by getting him to believe that they are killing Caesar for the betterment of Rome. Antony uses the idealism to get to talk to the com Brutus’ tragic flaws are part of what makes him a tragic hero. In Julius Caesar, Brutus is a great example of a tragic hero. His tragic flaws are honor...
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...Revenge in Julius Caesar Revenge. Revenge causes one to act blindly without reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, however this principle is not always a justified one to follow. In Julius Caesar, Antony seeks to avenge the death of Caesar. Antony acts on emotion which leads to the demise of Brutus, who is a noble man that does not deserve to be killed. Revenge is a central theme within Julius Caesar. Revenge In Julius Caesar Revenge in Julius Caesar Revenge. Revenge causes one to act blindly without reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, however this principle is not ... This is demonstrated through Antony s desire to avenge Caesar s death, and also the return of Julius Caesar s ghost. Revenge is again exemplified through the violent course of action, which is taken by the Plebeians in an attempt to seek justice for the assassination of their Roman superior. The theme of revenge is evident when Antony demonstrates a desire to avenge Caesar s death. After Caesar s death, Antony swears to take revenge on those who Revenge In Julius Caesar Revenge in Julius Caesar Revenge. Revenge causes one to act blindly without reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, however this principle is not ... murdered Caesar, And Caesar s spirit, ranging for revenge, With ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch s voice Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war, That this foul deed shall smell above the earth...
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...Marcus Brutus: Noble Hero with a Tragic Fate In his influential work Poetica, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” According to his analytical studies of literature which this quote appears in, successful tragedies achieve that deeper effect by arousing internal sensations of pity and fear in their audience through intricate character development of a virtuous and respectable protagonist. However, even a seemingly ideal character requires relatable flaws for their audience to connect on an emotional level with them; thus, authors of tragedies also give their heroes a hamartia, which Aristotle defines as a weakness in character. This single...
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...William Shakespeare we see how honorable the character Brutus is. However, there is some argument to that. In this essay, I will be focusing on the points of his flaws, mistakes he made, and that everything he did was for Rome. Throughout the essay, you will see how Brutus is a truly honorable guy. Brutus is portrayed as a tragic hero in the play “Julius Caesar.” We see this through his personal character flaws, mistakes that led to his death and that he did everything for the good of Rome. Brutus had a lot of flaws. One of Brutus’ flaws is that he was too good. An example of this was when he let Mark Antony speak at Caesar's funeral. This goodness was a fatal flaw because Mark Antony turned the people against him and started...
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...play “Julius Caesar” Brutus was an honorable man of Rome that would come to be a tragic hero.This mistaken hero murdered his best friend in rome while the other conspirators for themselves.Brutus may have killed Caesar, but just as Mark Anthony said he was the most honorable man in Rome. In the play “Julius Caesar” Caesar the most beloved general in Rome is stabbed to death by the conspirators.Along with the conspirators is his close friend Brutus. While most conspirators killed Caesar because they did not like the how much power he had. Brutus was thought to have helped kill Caesar in the good of Rome and the fear he is growing too ambisious .Brutus feared that Caesar was becoming ambitious and that is, he was to accept a crown he would have too much power.Tho ceasar wanted the crown he refesed it three times To Brutus this seemed like the most honorable thing to do in Rome.In act 2 scene 1 Brutus Quotes “It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general.He would be crown'd: How that might change his...
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...Brutus Brutus emerges as the most complex character in Julius Caesar and is also the play’s tragic hero. In his soliloquies, the audience gains insight into the complexities of his motives. He is a powerful public figure, but he appears also as a husband, a master to his servants, a dignified military leader, and a loving friend. The conflicting value systems that battle with each other in the play as a whole are enacted on a microcosmic level in Brutus’s mind. Even after Brutus has committed the assassination with the other members of the conspiracy, questions remain as to whether, in light of his friendship with Caesar, the murder was a noble, decidedly selfless act or proof of a truly evil callousness, a gross indifference to the ties of friendship and a failure to be moved by the power of a truly great man. Brutus’s rigid idealism is both his greatest virtue and his most deadly flaw. In the world of the play, where self-serving ambition seems to dominate all other motivations, Brutus lives up to Antony’s elegiac description of him as “the noblest of Romans.” However, his commitment to principle repeatedly leads him to make miscalculations: wanting to curtail violence, he ignores Cassius’s suggestion that the conspirators kill Antony as well as Caesar. In another moment of naïve idealism, he again ignores Cassius’s advice and allows Antony to speak a funeral oration over Caesar’s body. As a result, Brutus forfeits the authority of having the last word on the murder and thus...
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...found in the play were fortune-tellers. Before Caesar goes to Senate House, he asked soothsayers and fortune-tellers about it, and they advised him not to go out on that day (Act II scene ii). This is what they said: “Opening up the innards of a sacrifice, they couldn’t find a heart inside the beast.” From these warnings, and assassination of Caesar, we conclude that Caesar was proud of himself, believing himself as eternal as the North Star. Through the play, we find out that he is unable to separate his public image from his private image, which lead to his death. Also, He ignores all warnings and threats against his life, because of his ambition and seduction by the people’s increasing idealization and idolization of his image. Brutus was one of the most complex characters in this story, and his strong...
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...Cassius and Brutus. Both characters committed suicide in these scenes, but the way they each did it exposed their morals. Without the use of dramatic effect, the play would not have been as effective in developing its major concepts. Julius Caesar consistently provoked the question of whether fate or free will controls our lives. Ultimately the plot determined that fate and free will do not work individually, but in conjunction. In Act 5 Scene 3 after Cassius sends Titinius off to discover whose tents have been set on fire and Pindarus to watch uphill he declares,” This day I breathed first. Time is come round, / And where I did begin, there shall I end. / My life is run his compass.” (5.3.24-26). Cassius expresses that he will die on his birthday because his life has made a complete circle. Here the reader may infer that Cassius is just listening to his inner wisdom that he will die today. However, Cassius took it upon himself to ask Pindarus to stab him with his sword after being misinformed that Titinius has been captured by their opposing force. His actions are a complete contradiction because initially Cassius believed he was going to die because of his fate, but then committed suicide which is an act of free will. Cassius’ decision shows that he is a coward because he was too afraid to be killed the opposing army. In Act 5 Scene 5 Brutus asked his old friend Volumnius to assist him in his suicide by holding his sword so he can run directly into it. Brutus reveals...
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...For instance, Brutus was illustrated as a very honorable man who would do anything for the good of Rome in the beginning of this tragedy. At a foot race, he even says to Cassius," If it be aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death i'th' other, and I will look on both indifferently"(Act I, scene ii, lines 87-89). This clearly displays Brutus being honorable because he said that he would rather die than let Rome fall, which is not the case later on in this play. This affects the work as a whole because Shakespeare wanted his audience to see the dire transition in Brutus's conscience. The characterization of Brutus undoubtedly demonstrates that the lens is true because he was a noble, honorable man and transform into a person that is the complete...
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...murdered as the conspirators try to prevent him from ascending to the throne as the next leader of Rome. By placing their own egotistical interests and misconceptions before Rome’s, the conspirators wrongfully murdered Julius Caesar. Throughout the play, Brutus continually questions whether or not he should follow through with the plan to assassinate Caesar. He even makes the remark several times that Caesar personally did nothing to him saying, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the question” (II.i.10). Brutus recognizes that other than his own fears for the future, Caesar has done nothing to deserve death. The conspirators repeatedly claim that because of Caesar’s unruly ambition, he would take the throne and expose his greedy, selfish side, although he has never shown any sign to actually having one. Convincing Brutus of this, they become obsessed with the idea that Julius Caesar would become a megalomaniac after his rise to the throne, making this the main incentive that the conspirators have against him, eventually making a rash decision to “sacrifice” him, supposedly for the good of Rome. Brutus continues later on to proclaim, “Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented, would run to these and these extremities; and therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, which, hatch’d, would as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell” (II.i.30)...
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...Julius Caesar Scrapbook Brutus By Carleigh Gifford For Mr. Young English Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 Act 1 Dear Diary, Caesar has returned from his victorious battle against Pompei. All of the commoners of Rome welcome Caesar back with great joy because they love him. On the other hand, I heard that the tribunes were very unhappy that Caesar was back and that they were destroying all of the decorations that were made to honour him. When Caesar entered with all of his friends, he was warned by the soothsayer to beware of the ides of March. After hearing the crowd go wild, Casca informed Cassius and I that Caesar was offered the crown three times and refused it all three times. This confused me a little bit because I know how much Caesar wanted to be emperor of Rome. I want to put some thought into my decision to make sure I do the right thing. This evening, the weather was very strange and violent. Everyone thought that it was a bad sign, but Cassius truly believed that it was to scare off Caesar and that no one else should take it as seriously. I can’t sleep, because I can’t get what Cassius had said to me, off my mind. Is killing Caesar really for the good of Rome? Brutus Act 2 Dear Diary, Today I have decided to agree with Cassius that killing Caesar would be the right thing to do. I’m only agreeing to this because I truly believe that murdering Caesar would be for the good of Rome. If the conspirators and I don’t kill him...
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...Julius Caesar full title · The Tragedy of Julius Caesar author · William Shakespeare type of work · Play genre · Tragic drama, historical drama language · English time and place written · 1599, in London date of first publication · Published in the First Folio of 1623, probably from the theater company’s official promptbook rather than from Shakespeare’s manuscript publisher · Edward Blount and William Jaggard headed the group of five men who undertook the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio narrator · None climax · Cassius’s death (V.iii), upon ordering his servant, Pindarus, to stab him, marks the point at which it becomes clear that the murdered Caesar has been avenged, and that Cassius, Brutus, and the other conspirators have lost in their attempt to keep Rome a republic rather than an empire. Ironically, the conspirators’ defeat is not yet as certain as Cassius believes, but his death helps bring about defeat for his side. protagonists · Brutus and Cassius antagonists · Antony and Octavius setting (time) · 44 b.c. setting (place) · Ancient Rome, toward the end of the Roman republic point of view · The play sustains no single point of view; however, the audience acquires the most insight into Brutus’s mind over the course of the action falling action · Titinius’ realization that Cassius has died wrongly assuming defeat; Titinius’ suicide; Brutus’s discovery of the two corpses; the final struggle between Brutus’s men and the troops...
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...Peter Delich Italian 230 Research Paper Julius Caesar Julius Caesar; he came, he saw, and he conquered. Caesar is one of the most well-known Emperors of Rome and one of the most influential historical figures. Caesar was a politician and general of the late Roman republic, who greatly extended the Roman Empire before seizing power and making himself dictator of Rome, paving the way for the imperial system. The story of Caesar’s rise to power and fall from grace is one that has been told since the time of the Romans. His accomplishments and contributions to Roman society and the world will surely never be forgotten. Julius Caesar was a distinguished general, influential politician, and a fierce dictator. Julius Caesar was born in Rome around July 13, 100 BC. Although, he hailed from Roman aristocrats, his family was far from rich. When Caesar was 16 his father, Gaius Caesar, died. “His family was closely connected with the Marian faction in Roman politics” (Historical Figures, Julius Caesar par. 2). At around the time of his father's death, Caesar made a large effort to side with the country's nobility. “His marriage to Cornelia, the daughter of a noble, had drawn the ire of Rome's dictator, Sulla, who ordered the young Roman to divorce his wife or risk losing his property” (Caesar Julius, par 5). Caesar refused and found escape in the military, serving first in the province of Asia and then in Cilicia. Following the death of Sulla, Caesar returned to Rome to begin his...
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...An Observation of Life What is it about Shakespeare’s characters and stories that make us all able to relate in some way or another 400 years after they are written? Maybe it’s his take on inner conflict, or is it how he never portrays a hero as perfect, or a villain as all evil? There is a certain universal truth about the human condition in every story. Whether it is the tragic outcome of unchecked greed and ambition, an unrelenting desire for revenge, or the pursuit of love, his representation of human nature is just as real and as relevant today, as it has been through the centuries. Most of Shakespeare’s characters are complex personalities led into tragedy by their shortcomings (Johnson). Even Shakespeare’s heroes are never just heroes; Shakespeare tends to build his stories through “false heroes” such as Othello, Anthony and Brutus, and “good villains” or “villains with a conscious” like Macbeth (Johnson). It is this type of inner conflict that makes Shakespeare’s stories so insightful and relatable. People love to identify with the hero. They like to think of themselves as heroes in their own lives and the success of a hero in a story makes them feel better about their chances of success in their own lives. While a hero may be the object of any story, a hero is only as great as the obstacle he can overcome (Pattison). The obstacle can be almost anything, it could be a tornado ripping through a city or a killer great white shark, but it is the human villain that develops...
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