Why Marcus Brutus Is The Tragic Hero In The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. Marcus Brutus is our tragic hero in the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare. He was the tragic hero because of his idealistic quality and ability to see things in a sensible realistic way. Brutus had a very naïve personality, so much so he was blinded to what was really going on right in front of him. He believed whole heartedly that people were just like him and stood for the same values. His naivety gave him the ability to see only the best in people. This flaw resulted in many misconceptions throughout the play, which include major decisions made during the orchard soliloquy, the discussion with Cassius and the conspirators regarding decisions about Antony and the oath, and his speech he gave to the plebeians after he killed Caesar. Brutus was too idealistic and was in denial about the world around him because he believed that every Roman was honorable like him just because they were Roman.

The idealism Brutus had was displayed when he was analyzing his decision to kill Caesar while in his orchard. While evaluating his feelings towards Caesar, he stated, 'I know no personal cause to spurn at him, /but for the general: he would be crowned'. Brutus didn’t think there was anything that Caesar had done wrong at that point in time, but he was afraid of what might happen in the future. He compares Caesar to a snake because a snake can strike at any given moment. If you make a wrong move with a snake you will get bit in the same way, Brutus knew if you got in Caesar’s way, he would get rid of you just as quick. The thought of what could happen with all the power if Caesar became king worried Brutus. Brutus says:

Brutus. That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,

Whereto the climber upward turns his face;

But when he once attains the upmost round,

He then unto the ladder turns his back,

Looks into the clouds, scorning the base degrees

By which he did ascend.

His goals were personal, and he had the qualities of someone who could climb to the top and achieve prosperity. Once there Brutus thought he would forget his fellow Romans and only be concerned for himself. He would 'looks into the clouds'. and indulge in his wealth and success and this is what caused Brutus to remember his love for Rome. The comparison, “and therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, / which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, / and kill him in the shell”. compared Caesar to a snake that was contained in an egg. The snake was harmless when it was in the egg, just as Caesar was when he was part of the senate. When the egg was cracked open, the snake was powerful and able to strike. He was like the hatched snake where he could become a danger to the overall wellbeing of Rome. Brutus was convinced that one man was not meant to rule, and this confirmed that he was right to join the conspiracy.

Members of this conspiracy realized that they needed Brutus in their plot because he was a man with noble and honorable characteristics, and this would gain greater respect from the crowds. Brutus had a strong and loving relationship with his wife Portia. “You are my true and honorable wife/ as dear to me as the ruddy drops/ that visit my sad heart”. He appears to be kind and noble; he seems to be such an ideal person that most men would not meet those standards. Cassius tries to persuade Brutus saying:

Cassius. Your hidden worthiness into your eye,

That you might see your shadow. I have heard

Where many of the best respect in Rome –

Except immortal Caesar – speaking of Brutus,

And groaning underneath this age’s yoke,

Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.

Here it is very noticeable that Cassius wants Brutus to join their conspiracy. However, he does not ask Brutus straightforward, he tries to reason with Brutus that people have been wanting him to rule Rome. Cassius suggested, 'let us swear our resolution', which sealed all of the men together by their word that were taking part in the assassination. Brutus didn't think they needed to take an oath, because he felt that all men were honest and wouldn't betray one another, but Cassius felt that it was necessary to swear an oath, because Cassius understood how people can turn on each other and are able to manipulate each other. He knew they needed Brutus in the conspiracy, so he was willing to go on without an oath. Abruptly Cassius changes the topic and raised the questions that Cicero be included in the conspiracy, “but what of Cicero? Shall we sound him? / I think he will stand strong with us”, because none present could compare with Antony's abilities. Casa, Cinna, and Metellus supported this suggestion as well. Metellus noted that 'his silver hairs/ will purchase us a good opinion', and “it shall be said his judgement ruled by our hands./Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,/ but all be buried in his gravity.” The conspirators attempt to get an older person

into their group to appeal to their cause, because if that older person were on their side, more people would be convinced that the men were wise in their actions and not foolish. Brutus intervened with the discussion and gave his opinion. “O, name him not. Let us not break with him”. He made it clear, despite Cicero's excellent speaking ability, that he did not want him to be part of what they were doing, because he would 'never follow anything/that other men begin'. Brutus' overruling decision was once again, everyone immediately joins his side and starts agreeing with him. Decius questioned Cassius concerning who was to be killed. Cassius mentioned that Mark Antony was 'well beloved of Caesar' and that he was a 'shrewd contriver'. 'Let Antony and Caesar fall together', he stated. There seemed to be an element of fear in Cassius' behavior as if he felt that Antony had the power to twist the success of the conspiracy. Brutus's idealistic point of view allowed him to say, Mark Antony was 'but a limb of Caesar”. Brutus thought that without Caesar, Antony couldn’t do anything and was unable to stand without him. He also mentions killing Caesar 'boldly”, and said, 'Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, /not hew him as a carcass fit for the hounds'. Brutus made most of the important decisions and they were looked over by the conspiracy and then without question done.

Once Brutus assassinated Caesar he allowed Antony to speak after him at the funeral. Brutus told Antony:

Brutus. You shall not in your speech blame us,

But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,

And say you do’t by our permission;

Else you shall not have any hand at all

About his funeral. And you shall speak

In the same pulpit whereto I am going,

After my speech is ended”.

Once again, Brutus' idealistic qualities are displayed here, by him making several errors. First by allowing Antony to speak, then instructing him to do so after himself, and then by giving him the freedom to speak on his own. Brutus' speech was able to calm the crowd and to sway their uneasy thoughts into supporting the conspirators and their cause saying, “Believe me for mine/ honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may/ believe”. By saying this, Brutus is saying that the people should listen to him and believe him because of his reputation as an honorable man. Brutus uses his credibility in his speech to say to his audience “Believe me, I’m a good guy, I’m one of you.” Brutus states, “not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved/ Rome more”. When Brutus says this, it makes the audience feel patriotic and that Brutus puts his loyalty for his country above his friendship. While saying, “Had you rather Caesar living, and die/ all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to all free men?”. You get the feel that Brutus was justifying Caesar’s death otherwise they would have suffered. At the end of his speech he says “if any, speak, for him have/ I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his/country? If any, speak, for him have I offended. I pause for /a reply. Then none have I offended”. This was a terrible way of expressing what he was trying to get across, by continually asking if he had offended the people. As he left the pulpit, the crowd called, 'Let him be Caesar'. It came across strong and Brutus had the people in his corner at this point. Though Antony decided to go against everything Brutus has told him to do in his speech. He started by saying, “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him”, which was the opposite of what Brutus told him to do. He gave his speech from an emotional point of view saying, “my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, / and I must pause till it come back to me”.

He didn’t use this speech for any other purpose but to manipulate the crowd. The attitude that Antony had about Brutus was implying he was dishonorable, by stating many times how honorable he actually was. “Brutus is an honourable man.” During the speech he was able to turn the crowd to his favor when he came down from the pulpit and examined Caesar's body. He talked about the places where Caesar was stabbed:

Antony. Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.

See what a rent the envious Casca made.

Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabbed,

And as he plucked his cursed steel away,

this was information that he could not have known about, but he used it to emotionally manipulate the audience.

A tragic hero has a moment of clarity before they bring about their demise. Brutus’ moment comes on the field of battle, during a meeting with the ghost of Caesar. “The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me, two several times by night at Sardis once, and this night, here in Philippi fields. I know my hour has come”. Brutus realizes he has wronged Caesar. He also decides to commit suicide to avoid capture. He says to a Voumnius, “Our enemies have beat us to the pit”. “It is more worthy to leap in ourselves/ than tarry till they push us”. You can analyze these in two different ways: either Brutus is being a hypocrite and is a coward or, he feels guilty after talking to Caesar’s ghost. He asks Voluminous, “Hold thou my sword-hilts whilst I run upon it”. This shows how many political leaders of a Roman legion, would kill themselves before being taken prisoner. The demise of Brutus qualifies him as a tragic hero and we learn from Brutus that even though someone can seem to be of near-perfect character, it is easier thank you think to destroy oneself. Brutus was a slightly flawed character, then after his revelation of truths, he suffered a violent death. The noble Brutus was destroyed by a few small flaws in his own character making him the tragic hero of this play.