Julius Ceaser Essay: Brutus Character Analysis Marcus 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.”(act

1, scene 2, ll.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, ll.24,26). 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?”(act 3, scene 1, ll.185-186). 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?”(act 2, scene1,

ll. 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, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar?s last

line is: “Et tu, Brute?–Then fall, Caesar.”(act 3, scene 1, l.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.

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. “(act

3, scene 1, ll.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,ll.21-24).

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.”(Act 3,scene2, ll.23-24), 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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