Julius Ceaser – The Importance Of Brutus Essay, Research Paper

Throughout

Julius Caesar, Brutus’s actions have very extensive ramifications, I wish to

review his actions, and the motivating factors behind those actions. I intend

to prove that Brutus had a strong and well grounded personae. He had good

intentions; however, he made one fatal mistake and that was his downfall. He

had many positive qualities. I wish to bring these to the light and delve into

how they affected the plot.Brutus is

a very sincere man. He truly believes that his role in Cassius’s assassination

plot is for the good of Rome and her citizens. This becomes very apparent when

he says, "But for the general. He would be crown’d: How that might change

his nature, there’s the question." (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 12-14) This

truly innocent way of thinking allows him to be persuaded by Cassius to go

against Caesar. He is also an honest man. He refuses to take a bribe in lines

75-78 of Act 4, Scene 3. "By any indirection: I did send to you for gold to

pay my legions, which you denied me: was thatdone like

Cassius?" This is an honesty that gained him the respect of the people.

Brutus was a naive man as well. Sincerity is often misconstrued as being naive;

however, I will treat each as a separate characteristic. Brutus’s naive spirit

is mostly shown not in onesingle

action, but in the overall willingness he has to believe that those around him

are essentially good. "Only be patient till we have appeased the

multitude, beside themselves with fear, and then we will deliver you the cause

why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him, have thus proceeded." (Act

3, Scene 1, Lines 179-183); And alsowhen he

said: "So fare you well at once; for Brutus’ tongue hath almost ended his

life’s history: night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest." (Act 5,

Scene 5, Lines 38-42) Brutus was also of noble birth. This isn’t really a

character trait, but it is one reason why he may have been in such a high

ranking political position. "I will with patience hear, and find a time

both meet to hear and answer such high things. Till then, my noble friend, chew

upon this: Brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of

Rome. (Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 169-173)Brutus is

also a philosophical thinker. He has predetermined ideas on life that govern

his actions and decisions throughout the play. Such examples are his

unwillingness to let the conspirators kill Marc Antony in their zealous goal to

create a political coup. "For Antony is but a limb of Caesar: Let us be

sacrificers, but notbutchers,

Caius. (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 166-168) He also allows Antony to speak at

Ceasar’s funeral, and on top of that allows him to speak last. Allowing him to

be the latter speaker at the funeral is a very important matter. Some can say

it was a blunder, others might say it was Brutus’s way of being honorable.

Speaking last to a crowd like that allowed him to effectively get the last word

and impart his thoughts as first and foremost to the crowd. The crowd believes

in what the conspirators did until Antony spoke, and if the crowd believes in

the conspirator’s cause, then the outcome would be much different. "Our

arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts of brothers’ temper, do receive you

in with all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence. Cassius: Your voice shall

be as strong as any man’s in the disposing of new dignities."(Act 3, Scene

1, Lines175-179)

Another point in which Brutus stood up for the philosophy by which he lived was

at the battle of Phillipi where he decided to risk everything. This strategic

viewpoint is either a sound or unsound decision, depending on your point of

view. Regardless ofthat it is

what Brutus believes in, and he stood up for it.I

initially began this thesis having the opposite point of view. I thought that

Brutus was a poor template for the role that Shakespeare put him in. However, I

soon realized that Brutus, in fact, was a staple of moral fortitude because of

the reasons I havepreviously

stated. The plot revolves around Brutus and thus his actions are often

scrutinized and are important to understand. Brutus is a statue of honor and

should be recognized as such.