FREE ESSAY ON JULIUS CAESAR : BRUTUS: A TRAGIC HERO

JULIUS CAESAR : BRUTUS: A TRAGIC HERO

Brutus: A Tragic Hero
By Chad Gingery
In the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, Brutus is a tragic hero for he was
easily manipulated, naive and patriotic. Brutus believed that the Romans wanted him as
the leader to assassinate Caesar, because of the forged notes that were sent to him by
Cassius. The note explained how to assassinate Caesar by Speaking, Striking and
Redressing. This note by Cassius caused Brutus to be manipulated into joining the
conspirators, one of many flaws that leads to the downfall of Brutus and the
assassination of Caesar.
Brutus' trusting attitude toward Antony is an example of one of his flaws. Brutus allowed
Antony to give a funeral speech for Julius Caesar and to be sure not to speak negatively
about the conspiracy. This resulted in Antony leading a mob against the conspirators,
Revenge!, About!, Seek!, Burn!, Fire!, Kill!, Slay!, Let not a traitor live.!(3.2.216).
From this powerful speech and Brutus' naivete, Antony became his nemesis, an event that
would ultimately lead to Brutus' downfall. 
Brutus had an overabundance of love for his country which blinded him to the truth.
Brutus had said in one of his soliloquies, If then that a friend demand why Brutus rose
against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome
more. Brutus had honored Caesar but Brutus felt that Caesar was too ambitious. Brutus
also felt that Caesar made the Romans as slaves. Brutus was a patriotic man who did not
see past his patriotism, to see the exploitation of his comrades. Brutus was noble in how
he was benevolent towards his fellow man, but this nobility was a negative component that
led to his inevitable loss of nobility.
Brutus had many errors in his plans in Julius Caesar; one of those errors was an
exorbitant amount of love for Rome. Tragedy is when a person is deprived of something
loved. Brutus had been deprived of his nobility. Brutus was a tragic hero because of his
trusting, obedient personality and his yearning desire to help his fellow Romans. All of
these factors contributed to his downfall. The factors that led to Brutus' death all were
linked to his naivete, if he were a little more disloyal, he wouldn't have been taken
advantage of.