FREE ESSAY ON BRUTUS: ANYTHING FOR ROME

BRUTUS: ANYTHING FOR ROME

Kohlberg's seven level morality scale illustrates his six stages of human development. The
stages are split up into three levels, preconventional, conventional, and
postconventional morality. Brutus' loyalty and need to preserve the goodness of Rome is a
continuous personal theme for him throughout the play. He has this intense loyalty to
Rome and follows the moral standards set by the society. Brutus exemplifies the
characteristics of a person at stage five, the social contract, which can be found in the
postconventional level. 
Brutus believes that the welfare of Rome is the most important thing and will do almost
anything to help preserve the good of Rome. He honestly believes that true Romans think
the same way and are completely loyal to Rome. This idealistic aspect of Brutus is
displayed when his fellow conspirators want everyone to swear an oath of allegiance to
the conspirators and their cause. He states, "No not an oath . . . what other oath/Than
honesty to honesty engag'd/That this shall be, or we will fall for it?" (804). Modesty
and society determined moral standards are also personality traits of Brutus. He believes
in following the laws and morals of the people as a whole. These thoughts and beliefs
determine what he does all over the play. 
To conserve the welfare of Rome is continually Brutus' justification for his actions.
Throughout the play, the benefit of Rome is the reason behind all of Brutus' actions. In
the beginning of the play, Cassius tries to convince Brutus to join the conspirators
against Caesar. When Cassius does this, Brutus does not join them at first because he
believes that by doing that he would be going against Rome. During that conversation
Brutus says, "I do fear the people/Choose Caesar for their king./. . . I would not
[choose Caesar as king], Cassius, yet I love him well." (785). Even though he does not
want Caesar as emperor, he believes in the consensus and allowing the people to decide.
This is also a main characteristic of people in stage five. Brutus is later convinced to
join the conspirators and reasons to himself that some laws must be bent in order to
benefit Rome. A prime example of this is when Brutus assists the conspirators in killing
Caesar. Although this is against the law, he felt that it was necessary in order to
preserve the well-being of Rome. As he said at Caesar's funeral, "Not that I lov'd Caesar
less, but that I lov'd Rome more." (830).
Numerous characters in the play perceive Brutus in different ways. At the start of it,
Brutus is seen by everyone as a moral and honorable man. This respect and admiration the
people have for Brutus can be seen when Cassius says to him, "I have heard/Where many of
the best respect in Rome/Speaking of Brutus/And . . ./Have wish'd that noble Brutus had
his eyes." (784). Although Cassius is simply trying to convince Brutus to join the
conspirators when he says this, simply the fact that Cassius wants Brutus to join the
conspirators because of his good reputation and name shows how Brutus is perceived by the
Roman citizens. Even Caesar thinks of Brutus as a noble and honorable friend. Brutus
maintains this reputation even after assisting in the murder of Caesar. This changes,
however, after Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral. He thoroughly states his reasons for
killing Caesar, and all of the Romans praise Brutus for what he did. Yet after Antony
speaks, the citizens yell enraged, "They were traitors . . . villains, murderers." (835).
They then proceeded to track all of the conspirators down in an attempt to rid Rome of
them. People's perception of him changes yet again after his death. Antony and Octavius
who are attempting to defeat Brutus at the time of his death find him dead. They grieve
his death, Antony says, "This was the noblest Roman of them all;/He, only in a general
honest thought/And common good to all, made one of [the conspirators]." (870).
Brutus truly exemplifies the characteristics of a person during the fifth stage of
development. He shows major concern for the welfare of Rome and bases almost all of his
thoughts and actions on that concern. He also exemplifies the moral standards set by the
society and is a respected and honorable man.