Brutus: A True Hero Essay

Part of the appeal of Shakespeare's plays is the complexity of his characters; unlike fairytales that often show people as wholly good or wholly bad, Shakespeare's characters are far more realistic because the characters often embody traits that are both good and bad. Shakespeare shows that even people who are traditionally considered good are also bound to have flaws, and that even people who are generally seen as bad may have some redeeming qualities about them. This ambiguity is particularly prominent in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, which presents its main characters Caesar, Brutus, and Mark Antony in such a mixed blend of virtuous and less-than-noble qualities that it makes it unclear which of the three is the true hero of the play. While most Western textbooks have cemented Julius Caesar's image as a heroic figure, Shakespeare adds in his presentation of Caesar qualities of excessive narcissism and physical weakness; thus, though the play is named after him, his image as the "hero" of the play has been compromised. Furthermore, the traditional image of Brutus as a cruel traitor to his close friend has also been reworked in Shakespeare's play. Although Brutus takes part in the conspiracy to murder Caesar despite his close ties to him, Brutus's actions are based on genuinely noble reasons. Brutus is the true hero of the play because, unlike the other conspirators, his motivation is based on keeping the Roman republic from coming under the rule of an emperor; furthermore, while Caesar and Antony both have virtuous qualities, their flaws are much less forgivable than that of Brutus's.

Brutuss motivation for killing Caesar is more noble than that of the other conspirators, who were driven by envy. In the beginning of the play, as Caesar rakes in adoration from the common people, Cassius reveals his jealousy over Caesars popularity and power: it doth amaze me a man of such feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone (line 135-138). He is upset that Caesar should have this power all to himselfespecially because this leaves Cassius with less power and influence, but also because he views Caesar as someone who is not any better than himself. Thus, his motivation for assassinating Caesar is based on his own vanity and jealousy. Brutus, on the other hand, explains that he holds nothing against Caesar; he simply opposes the threat of monarchy that Caesar poses. When Cassius asks Brutus if he would like to see Caesar become king, Brutus replies: I would not, Cassius, though I love him wellIf it be aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death i th other and I will look on both indifferently (line 89, 92-94). Brutus shows that his motivation for killing Caesara man whom he lovesis based on his respect and dedication to the republic. Cassius already has a grudge against Caesar, which would make it easier to kill him; however, the murder is much more difficult for Brutus to commit because he and Caesar love each other as brothers. The fact that Brutus places the republic before his personal relationships shows how noble he is to have committed what he must have considered a sacrificenot a betrayal. Brutus did not take the moral issues behind the assassination very lightly; his conscience plagued him all the while. While he is alone and expressing his thoughts aloud, Brutus calls the plan an acting of a dreadful thing (line 66). Brutus is not addressing anyone when he says this, so the audience can see that he is being honest when he acknowledges that the murder itself is a terrible deed. It takes a particularly strong man to go against what he knows is wrong in order to act for the greater good. Brutus is truly noble in this sense because he can overcome this moral issue in order to act according to his ideals. Even Mark Antony, who makes it his personal goal to see that Caesars death is avenged, praises Brutus for being the only noble conspirator within the whole group: This was the noblest Roman of them all (74). If even Antony, one of Brutuss direct opponents later in the play, can acknowledge Brutus for being virtuous, then his noble behavior must have been very apparent. Furthermore, Brutuss flaw of being overly idealistic is not nearly as condemnable as Caesars narcissism and Antonys manipulative behavior. Caesar is often shown to be too proud for his own good, which often causes him to overestimate himself and his abilities. When the conspirators come around to convince Caesar to show up at the Senate hearing so that they can murder him, Caesar dismisses his wifes worries by saying: Danger knows full well that Caesar is more dangerous than he (line 47-48). His excessive pride leads him to an immediate downfall. Antony, on the other hand, seduces the common people with manipulative language in order to get them to do his bidding. He even lies and says that Caesar has left each working man a sum of money in his will in order to manipulate them. In return, Antony gets what he wants: the masses have turned against the conspirators, and given Antony the ability to execute them. Furthermore, he also manipulates Lepidus; he tells Lepidus what he wants to hear, but as soon as he leaves, Antony declares that he must be rid of. Brutuss setback, however, is that he is somewhat nave in his idealism; he truly believes that he has acted in the peoples favor, and that the outcome of his deed will yield favorable results. Unfortunately, Brutus places too much faith in his idealism, and it turns against him. However, his setback of being too idealistic cannot be considered as bad as Caesar and Antonys flaws.