Analysis Of 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.” 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…”. 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…”. 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…” 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.”. 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. “. 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.”.

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.”, 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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