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Marcus Caesar Hero

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There is no such thing as a perfect person. People create heroic figures in a hope that they can create the perfect person. Sadly, perfection is unattainable quality, even for a heroic figure. Throughout many of Shakespeare’s plays, he identifies a tragic hero: a heroic character who possesses a character flaw which leads to their demise. Specifically in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, there has been much controversy about who is actually the tragic hero. Many agree that Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero. However, others argue and identify Julius Caesar as the tragic hero. After examining both characters thoroughly, there is a vivid conclusion. One can easily find that Brutus is the tragic hero of this play because when a person who possesses …show more content…

First of all, throughout the play, he never deceives anyone. Although many consider the murder of Julius Caesar deceitful, it was for the good of Rome, not to deceive him. All of his actions were to benefit someone else rather than himself. In Act V, Antony recognizes Brutus as the noblest Roman of them all: “This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he Did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He, only in general honest thought.” Brutus cares more about others than he did himself. For instance, in the process of killing Caesar, he could have easily given up his position because of the possible punishments he would face. However, he knew that the absence of a tyrant Caesar, would benefit the common people the most. Another example of his selflessness is in Act II, Scene i, when he decides not to tell Portia of his plans for the murder of Caesar. He feels she already has enough stress in her life and does not need to worry or deal with his plans. Selflessness is the most heroic trait anyone could …show more content…

Brutus believes that everything is good in the world, and that all men are honorable. Due to his inability to distinguish evil, he could easily be manipulated. The naivety Brutus suffers from leads to his fall and ultimately to his death. All of the people he associated himself with, deceives him at one time or another in the play. When Brutus allows Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral to show him honor, Antony riles up the crowd into believing that the conspirators are evil and provokes them all to want revenge. In result, a war breaks out. In Act II, Scene i, the conspirators send fake letters to Brutus: “In several hands in at his windows throw, As if they came from several citizens, Writings, all tending to the great opinion That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at..” This was a lie and a trap to get Brutus to join in on the conspirator’s plan because Cassius knew the plan would not work without the help of Brutus. His last blunder, was not so much because of his naive trait, it was just pure desire in Act V, Scene ii. This fault occurs when he starts the battle with Antony without notifying Cassius about it. Brutus realizes it is the time to strike and knows that he must start the battle. There is no time to tell Cassius. This choice, in the end, costs him the war and was the main reason for his suicide. He kills himself because he realizes it

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