Caesar Essay, Research Paper

My Friend or My Enemy?

Brutus was a trusted friend of Caesar and an honorable man, or so you thought. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus is presented as a loyal companion to Caesar showing himself as honorable only to turn around and betray his friend by death. This to me does not sound like the act of an honorable man. Can a man who is honored, be honorable?

Brutus was a noble man in Rome and a good friend to the leader Caesar. Many looked up to Brutus as an honest man, and a person to trust and confide in. Trust is a basis in a friendship, and the one thing that failed to enter the relationship between Caesar and Brutus, leading to the one thing to drive their friendship apart. He may be looked apon as honored but was definitely not an honorable man. Someone who kills one of his own because he was persuaded to by the thoughts and ideas of others is easily manipulated and therefore cannot be thought of as honorable. He does not have strong character if he does not have faith in himself.

“Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face while I do run apon it.” (Shakespeare The Tragedy of Julius Caesar 5. 3. line 49) These were words Brutus spoke moments before killing himself, dying full of shame. How could a man who does not have the strength to carry on with his life, be considered honorable? Half of having the title of being honorable, is having faith in yourself, a quality which Brutus showed he did not have by timorously taking his own life. Inner weakness portrays itself in an outer manifestations of lies and anger. How can these characteristics be considered honorable?

Like a chameleon, Brutus changed his words and ideas to fit the political climate, betraying Caesar, his country, and eventually himself. Brutus, having no self-assurance, or confidence he resulted to being a follower right down to his death. These are all signs of a weak person. With so much going for him, he lost it all to an easy way out of a difficult situation. We are all presented with effortless ways to get out of complicated circumstances, but it’s not always the best.

As loyal and trustworthy as Brutus was first thought to be, his true side was eventually shown in the end. He was no friend to Caesar, or anyone else. Betrayal, lies, suicide, and murder were result of a weak and deceitful man. This man showed he was anything but honorable in anyway. On who is honored can’t always be honorable.