Brutus, A Tragic Hero Essay, Research Paper

Brutus, A Tragic Hero

“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome

more.” (Shakespeare 3.2.21-24)

William Shakespeare s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is based mainly on the assassination of Julius Caesar. Ironically Brutus, Caesar s loyal friend, who was fashioned by Cassius and the Conspirators, is the one who made the assassination happen. Artemidorus, Calpurnia, and the Soothsayer were just a few who warned Caesar of what was to come on the Ides of March (March 15), but he turned his back. The conspirators killed Caesar because he was too “ambitious,” and left Antony to live, which was a mistake. At the end of the play, Antony and Caesar’s nephew, Actavius, defeat Brutus and Cassius’s army at the battle of Phillipi. Indeed, Brutus was the tragic hero in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.

As a tragic hero, Brutus was dignified, courageous and high ranking.

First, he was dignified because he was a member of the Senate, and honored by the commoners, who believed he was an honorable man. Second, he was high ranking as a Senator and a close friend to Julius Caesar. Third, he was courageous because he decided to be a part of the conspiracy not for his own personal gain but for the good of Rome. Also, a tragic hero needs to have a tragic flaw. Brutus’s tragic flaw is that he is naive. The conspirators needed Brutus because he was considered honorable. The conspirators led him to believe that Caesar was ambitious and wanted to be the king of Rome. As a tragic hero, Brutus was dignified, courageous, and high ranking, but he was na ve and so he had a tragic flaw.

Moreover, Brutus was a tragic hero for other reasons. His downfall was beyond his control and in the end, despite his death, he gains self-knowledge or wisdom. Brutus’s downfall was beyond his control. His tragic flaw of being naive led him to be fashioned by Cassius and the conspirators. Equally important, he cared for Rome more than Caesar, his loyal friend. As a tragic hero, Brutus gains self-knowledge, but Brutus never states his regret for killing Caesar. The reader gets the impression that Brutus was remorseful when he spoke of the suicide of his wife, Portia. Brutus knew that killing Caesar was for better of Rome because he didn t want Caesar to turn his back on his country. Brutus realized that everything was misconstrued which led to the deaths of his wife Portia, his friend Cassius, and his loyal friend Caesar. Finally, in the end Brutus’s downfall was beyond his control and he gained self-knowledge.

In the play The Tragic of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Brutus is a tragic hero. To be a tragic hero one must have a character downfall, which may be caused by a tragic flaw or character weakness, or the downfall may result from forces beyond his control. The main character is usually dignified and courageous, and often high ranking. At the end, the tragic hero typically gains self-knowledge and wisdom, even if he suffers defeat, possibly even death. Brutus was a honored man, devoted to his country more than his friends, which led him to his death. In conclusion, Brutus was indeed and truly a tragic hero.