John Maxwell once said, “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” What is a leader? A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way, and goes the way. Qualities of a good leader require courage, charisma, strength, knowledge and wisdom, good morals and power. All of these qualities of leadership boil down to what is known as integrity. Integrity is doing what is morally correct; it requires honesty, making the “right” decisions for the community, taking the blame, and being selfless. A good leader should possess all these qualities in order to be capable of leading and gaining respect from others. Cassius was set at such a high place of being a leader, but Brutus proved he would’ve been a better fit for the title.
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Cassius is the leader of the conspirators. Brutus, as chosen by Cassius, essentially becomes his second-in-command in the plan to eliminate Caesar. Cassius and Brutus portray specific leadership qualities in very different ways. Brutus demonstrates he himself as the better leader through his bravery, integrity and selflessness. Cassius’ bravery, or rather, lack thereof, is matched up to Brutus’ at the time of their deaths during the Battle of Philippi in the fifth act. Right before Cassius dies, he says to Pindarus, “O, coward that I am, to live so long, / To see my best friend ta’en before my face!” “Stand not to answer: Here, take though the hilts; / And, when my face is cover’d, as ‘tis now, / Guide thou the
Suetonius was born around 68-9 AD, possibly in Hippo Regius (Suetonius xviii). His mentor described him as ‘scholarly and honorable’ and many held him in high regard (xix). Suetonius completed The Twelve Caesars sometime during the 120s during the peak of his career (xxiii). Suetonius conveys his opinion of each emperor indirectly through how he portrays their vices and virtues. According to Suetonius, a Roman leaders good and bad qualities included their military successes, relations with the citizens of Rome, mental stability, and private relationships. Suetonius believed that Augustus embodied many of the characteristics of a good leader.
Unlike Cassius, Brutus is always doing what he feels is best for the Romans. In addition, Cassius feels inferior to Brutus. Brutus has much power from the people and is friends with the soon-to-be king, which is why Cassius is so desperate to have Brutus on his side. Once he persuades Brutus to join him, he shifts from being the leader of the conspirators to the subordinate of Brutus. For instance, Brutus gives Antony permission to speak at the funeral, even though this went against Cassius’ own will. Lastly, Cassius is quick to make decisions but Brutus analyzes things before coming to a final decision. It takes Brutus many days of agony to finally agree that joining Cassius was the right thing to do. In contrast, Cassius spends only a few seconds to decide on committing suicide. Directly after Pindarus says, “Now they are almost on him… And hark they shout for joy,” Cassius kills himself. (Act V Scene III Lines 31, 34) He is quick minded, not realizing that Brutus has actually not been captured.
Julius Caesar a man who made history, and a man who should get credit for the incredible things he’s done. I believe, Julius Caesar, should get the statue because he was an active leader by expanding the Roman Empire, he accomplished things that others wouldn’t dare to do and he also ruled many lands.
He states that Brutus is just as noble and worthy as Caesar. (Act 1, scene ii). He says that Brutus cannot see what everyone else does and recognize his worthiness. Cassius and the other senators do not want Caesar to be king because they would lose all their power. Cassius is slowly luring Brutus in to do his dirty work. He builds Brutus’s confidence up to make him thing that killing Caesar is the right thing to do. Cassius is basically playing with Brutus’s head because he knows Brutus will listen. So, Brutus joins the conspirators in killing Caesar. Cassius tells Brutus that it is for the good of Rome, and that he is saving them from a dictatorship. Cassius is going for Brutus’s weakest point, his care and concern for Rome. He knows that if Brutus believes the people distrust Caesar, then he will be convinced that Caesar must be thwarted. Brutus knew that if Caesar was crowned, he would never have a chance, and he was power hungry. This is what ultimately leads to the tragedy of Julius Caesar. After Brutus kills Caesar off, he starts to feel guilty for killing his friend, thus creating an internal conflict. Brutus was so confident that the plan would go exactly as planned that he fell apart when they encountered problems. If Brutus and the other conspirators had taken more time to think things through, they probably would have been more prepared for the situation that was handed to them.
Unlike the common view of leaders, the potential leaders of Julius Caesar are not necessarily nice or giving. However, sometimes that is necessary. In the play Julius Caesar, a long tale of leadership shows the true qualities of the greatest leaders. Where the reader finds themselves started is at the point which Antony and Caesar, the overconfident leader of Rome, are discussing people around them. This discussion boils to a point in which Antony and Caesar discuss the possibility of Cassius being a threat to Caesar. Later, readers find Cassius is indeed a threat, as he and multiple others, including Brutus, stab Caesar to death. Antony then brings Caesar’s body to the multitude, and with a great speech inspires a hatred for those who wrongfully stabbed him. At the next point Antony is seen, he and Octavius are the new rulers of Rome. These two comrades go and finally eliminate the last of the traitors, Cassius and Brutus, in a battle that cements the two as the new leaders of Rome. Throughout all these actions, one man particularly showed that he should control the Roman Empire. Antony was created to be Rome’s leader in Julius Caesar, where William Shakespeare gave him inspirational abilities, persuasiveness, and fearlessness which are unparalleled.
In the play Julius Caesar, several people compete to be the leader of Rome. Cassius and other conspirators are jealous of Caesar, and they want to kill him for revenge. Brutus doesn’t want to be part of the conspiracy, but is tricked into becoming a head member, due to his strong leadership qualities of honor, trustworthiness, and patriotism. Brutus loves the republic, but is tricked into believing Caesar would hurt the republic. Brutus would be an effective leader because he exhibits honor, trustworthiness, and patriotism.
Every great revolution or movement has a significant leader pulling it forward. An example of this is the Civil Rights movement which is well known and memorable by the people like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. These two leaders helped keep the fight of their people stay alive through their actions and words. This making them some of the most beloved and strongest leaders in history. Yet, not all people can show the leadership abilities King, Parks, and others possess. It takes certain character traits and actions to be a great leader. Potentially bad leaders on the other hand also possess traits and actions that caused them to be dangerous if given a leadership position. Brutus from the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare displays what
In Shakespeare’s play, Caesar is a highly respected man that holds great power, and as he gains more power there are men who stand to oppose him. This is how Caesar shows so many good qualities of leadership, like keeping an open ear to the people, being observant and proud, as well as being honest. The attributes that Caesar shows has gained him the trust of all of the people, already proivng just how worthy he is to be called the greatest authority figure in Shakespeare’s drama The Tradgedy of Julius Caesar.
The driving forces in the play Julius Caesar are the characters Marcus Brutus, Julius Caesar, and Marc Antony. Julius Caesar is the center of the ordeal of leadership in Rome when the play begins. When Caesar returns to Rome he is looked upon by the fickle plebeians as a glorious and triumphant hero. The authority of his heroism is questioned when the honorable Marcus Brutus speaks to the townspeople during Caesar’s funeral. Brutus proves to be the better leader for Rome rather than Caesar or Antony. Brutus is wiser and more honorable than the other Romans. He was the only one truly looking out for the good of Rome and not himself.
In William Shakespeare?s Julius Caesar, Brutus and Cassius are very influential characters. Each character makes many mistakes with the assassination plans and the strategies at Philippi. Each man has his reasons for their mistakes, if it is either their idealism, being uncompassionate or not, fully thinking for their actions. Brutus and Cassius are very contrasting people; one man is better suited to be a leader of a battle and an Empire, than the other. That man is: Marcus Brutus. Although Brutus makes many consequential mistakes, his errors are made because his nobleness outranks his intelligence. Whereas for Cassius, his mistakes are made from poor decision making. Brutus himself knows that he is often too honourable and not as
There are many traits that make a good leader including loyalty, protection, and wisdom. A good leader is someone who is loyal to a group of people and is someone who is able to protect every each one of them. In a famous story called The Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus is forced to become the leader of a group of people that he will have to sail with back home to Ithaca. Odysseus is a great leader because he is able to lead, protect, and speak with wisdom to his crew whenever they fall into another one of Poseidon's traps. Today sometimes we may not see someone as a good leader, but if we were able to connect the definition of a good leader to every time that person was a good leader, we would be able to judge that person differently.
In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Cassius are contrasting characters. They differ in the way they perceive Antony as a threat to the assassination plot, their dominance in personality, and their moral fiber. In Julius Caesar, Brutus is the more naïve, dominant and noble character, while Cassius is the more perceptive, submissive, and manipulative person.
Cassius is the one who declares this, "Brutus shall lead the way, and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. "(act 3, scene 1, ll.135-136). Again, if Brutus leads the way, the people will think that the death of Julius Caesar wasn't such a bad thing. Brutus also declares to himself that his role in the conspiracy is to save Rome. He says to the people that, "If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more."(Act 3,scene 2,ll.21-24).
As Warren Bennis, Founding Chairman of The Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California, once said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” This can be interpreted to mean that one can be classified as a leader if he or she can put a plan into action. A leader is often like a visionary, and forward thinkers are needed in society. A visionary has a vivid imagination who makes dreams come true. They provide a backbone in society, helping to plan what is to come in the future that would be most beneficial. Without a leader that has the qualities of a visionary, no civilization has a bright future. Julius Caesar, Roman general-turned-ruler, was a historical visionary who fit Warren Bennis’ description of a leader. Possibly one of the most well-known Roman figures, Caesar extensively pushed Rome to one of its best eras, despite Caesar himself having a bit of a dark side. Even though Caesar seized power in the Roman Empire and named himself “Dictator For Life,” Julius Caesar was a great leader. He helped to expand the empire into France, as well as glorifying Rome through architectural projects and reforms. Overall, ?
There are certain traits that make someone a great leader. Said traits range from valiance or courage, not being easily dissuaded or deterred. These attributes can almost guarantee success in any environment, such as a government or in a military standpoint. Therefore if one lacks in these traits, failure is tantamount for not only themselves, but also the ones under their leadership. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the character Brutus portrays this situation almost perfectly. In the tragedy, it plays out the events leading to Julius’ death, the assassination itself, and the following turmoil. In the beginning, the original leader of the assassination, Cassius, tries tirelessly to persuade Brutus to understand the misdeeds and shortcomings