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 …show more content…
Although Shakespeare named his famous tragedy after its most well-known figure whom the plot’s conflict primarily surrounds, the Roman Dictator Julius Caesar, he focuses primarily on protagonist Marcus Brutus (Brutus) because of his assets, painful experiences, and final fate that clearly verify his position as a tragic hero. Traits and events backed by textual evidence that support this claim include his impressive integrity that serves him publicly, his tragic flaw which takes the form of an idealistic view of the world and leads to his ultimate downfall, and the distress he endures in every aspect of his life. Through identifying Brutus’ role as a tragic hero, readers of Julius Caesar can themselves recognize and appreciate this popular literary trend in other works and better understand Shakespeare’s underlying theme that points out that every personal attribute considered a strength can also act as a weakness. Brutus exemplifies this truth since Rome knows him solely as a man with great virtue and aptitude before others exploit …show more content…
Immediately upon agreeing to join the plot to assassinate Caesar, Brutus begins to grow uneasy and grieves at the thought of killing a man whom he loves as a friend. His wife, Portia, even takes notice of this when she refers to Brutus’ distress, saying “It will not let you eat nor talk nor sleep, / And could it work so much upon your shape / As it hath much prevailed on your condition, / I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord, / Make me acquainted with your cause of grief” (2.1.271-276). In remarking about Brutus’ lack of appetite along with his ability to communicate and rest, Portia proves that her husband experiences mental torment due to his stressful circumstances and convinces him to confide in her at a later time. However, he never does so because the population threatens his life and drives him out of town after the plot unfolds and Antony interferes, which leads to Brutus’ emotional anguish as well. Without the company of her husband and with the fear that Rome will turn against her violently as well for simply her relationship with a conspirator, Portia no longer can cope after Brutus leaves and ends up committing suicide by swallowing coals. As one would expect, this occurrence takes a major toll on Brutus, which he proves when he argues with Cassius furiously,