The Betrays Of Betrayals In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, an honorable man, Brutus, is planning to overthrow the soon to be king, Julius Caesar. Brutus is persuaded by Cassius that Caesar is a liar, too ambitious, weak, and not fit to be Rome’s king. Brutus soon believed Cassius, and they and the conspirators made a plan to kill Caesar. After Caesar’s death, Brutus planned to justify his actions of killing Caesar at his funeral in his speech to the people. After Brutus’s speech, the citizens of Rome were all in agreement that Brutus did the right thing for Rome. Brutus then decides to allow Caesar’s best friend, Antony, to speak in honor of Caesar. Antony speaks, and he convinces the citizens that Brutus’s actions were unjust and turned the people against Brutus.

Would you kill your best friend because you thought it was the only way to save your country? Such an extreme situation exists in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar. To protect the future of his republic, Brutus kills Caesar, which leads to the big takeaway question: Is Brutus a patriot or a betrayer? Some people may believe that Brutus is a betrayer because he stabbed his friend in the back. However, Brutus did what most people don’t have the courage to do; he stood up for what he believed in and acted upon it; most people would just wish they did something. Brutus’s love for his country compelled him to protect its future from Caesar’s ambition. As a result, he did what he thought was right in order to protect his country. Brutus’s actions define his role as a patriot.

Brutus is one of Julius Caesar’s best friends and is viewed as either a patriot or betrayer. Brutus takes Caesar’s life claiming that it’s for the benefit of Rome just as Caesar is about obtain the Roman Empire essentially. I view Brutus as a betrayer and nothing more than a murderer because of his actions and the blood of Julius Caesar that is undoubtedly staining his hands. Some might disagree and claim him to be a patriot because he fought for what Rome really needed and saved them from Caesar’s rule that would only worsen Rome’s situation and the daily lives of the Roman citizens. Brutus fought for what he believed in that is undeniable, but it’s up to you and me to decide whether or not those beliefs made him into a betrayer or patriot.

In “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, Brutus was a villain. He was a man who loved Caesar and was a friend of Caesar’s throughout the play leading to his death. Throughout the play, Brutus fell for the manipulative ways of Cassius and the other conspirators. Brutus made several mistakes along with being a bad person in the play. He had several faults which involved him killing one of his closest friends one of the first acts of the play. There were some ways that Brutus is a good person, but those ways are hard to find over the bad choices he made over the course of the play.

Marcus Brutus was a reputable man to the people of Rome and to his friend Caesar. Brutus had good intentions for Rome’s people, which is why he did not think Caesar would be a good leader. Although Caesar was in shock to see Brutus included in the men that stabbed him, Brutus only did it for the good of the people. Brutus reveals his nobility to his people when he says in Act 3, scene 2, “…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”(126). Brutus’s statement explains that he had all the respect for Caesar as anyone else, but the love for his people and home was much more prized. He killed Caesar out of fear of what may happen to the beloved people of Rome. This proves that Brutus’s intentions were just as honorable as the man he was. In addition to both characters being honorable, their actions got the best of them and may have changed them for the worst.

In his own way, Brutus was a patriot. He had to murder his dear friend Caesar for the sake of his beloved Rome. Everything he did, every action, every speech, every thought was for Rome. “Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his.” He did a hard painful thing in killing Caesar, but he did it for his true love: Rome. “And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell.” However, when Brutus spoke these fateful words he showed his true colors. He killed Caesar out of his own fear. Because Brutus was afraid of a new leader, he committed a terrible act of murder.

“The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answered it.” - William Shakespeare. Brutus was once a noble honest man. Everyone loved him until one day he decided to join the conspiracy group. The group had a plan to kill Caesar, but had one problem. The city of Rome would look down on the conspiracy group if they did not have someone they favored in the group. That is when they had asked Brutus to join. And so he did, but then that is where they went wrong. It was not just about having Brutus. They needed actual proof on why they needed to assassinate Caesar. But yet everything they had that would unwelcome him turned out to be untrue, and they were not thinking of

In Brutus’ speech he uses many kinds of rhetorical strategies to convince the audience of Rome he did it for them. One of the types of rhetorical strategies he uses is ethos. Brutus states that if Caesar was still alive, they would have lost their freedom. Brutus states, “believe me for mine honor, have respect for my honor, that you may believe” then after he admits that he was one of the killers and the did it for Rome and the citizens. He also talks about how Caesar was becoming a king like figure and how he killed Caesar for Rome and if his death is needed he to is willing to die for Rome.Another strategie Brutus uses is pathos to touch the angry emotion of the citizen by stating, ¨Mark Antony,who thought he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefits”and “a place in the commonwealth; as which you shall not.”

First I'm going to talk about Brutus. Brutus was a noble man, loved by everyone: even Caesar. Brutus loved every one as well. This love for every one is the main reason why he helped kill Caesar. He says it himself "If then that friend demands why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more". Brutus also said, "I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honored him". Another way Brutus shows how he love Rome more then Caesar "he was ambitious" and "I slew him". That shows you how much Brutus loved Caesar and Rome.

Brutus is truly “an honorable man.” He was initially resistant to Cassius’ suggestion to betray Caesar. Also, Brutus says, “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”(3.2.22) This proves that he only does what he feels is necessary to protect the Rome. In act 4, Brutus sees the ghost of Caesar, and this tells us that he is regretting his actions. He never felt right about killing Caesar afterwards. In fact, when he realized that he was wrong, he used the knife that he stabbed Caesar to take his own

 Brutus was trying to use ethos, the appeal to expertise, by saying he was an honorable man and he knows what is best for Rome. Brutus's speech failed to convince the people that what the conspirators did to Caesar was a good deed mainly because he failed to use pathos during his

Brutus feared that Caesar was too ambitious, and knew something had to be done. The conspirators, as well as Brutus, assassinated Caesar. After Caesar was killed, the people of Rome panicked, so Brutus decided to give a speech. In his speech that he delivered regarding the death of Julius, he claimed that he did it for the good of Rome, "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, Page 1). He felt that it was important that Caesar died, so that Rome could prosper; Brutus tried to be logical in his speech, as it fit his character.

Brutus, a conflicted senator obsessed with his civic duty, convinces the people of Rome that his motives in killing Caesar were just and noble by rhetoric. Brutus is the only conspirator to have impersonal motives in killing Caesar. In fact, his motives are trying to find the best solution for Rome, and in the end, he must make the hard choice of killing his best friend for his homeland. As early as Brutus’ conversation with Cassius in Act I, Brutus exhibits this deep love and respect for Rome and how this love is conflicting with his love for his friend, Caesar: “[P]oor Brutus, with himself at war, / Forgets the shows of love to other men” (I.ii.51-52). Brutus brings up this internal conflict again when he tells the crowds that although he did love Caesar, he loved Rome and its people more. After Brutus’ murder of Caesar, he realizes that the issue of the public opinion of Rome is of the utmost importance. Because of this love for Rome, Brutus uses rhetoric to persuade these plebeians to approve of him and his cause. When Cassius warns Brutus about “how much the people will be moved / By that which [Marc Antony] will utter[!]” (III.i.252-253), Brutus tells Cassius that letting Marc Antony speak “shall advantage us more than do us wrong” (III.i.261). In these cases, Brutus demonstrates his awareness of

Brutus made an overwhelming amount of decisions based on the good of Rome, not contemplating how it could affect or hurt himself or those around him. One example of this is after Brutus and the conspirators killed Brutus he gave a speech. In this speech he said, “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.” (3.2.20-22). This quote is saying that the reason Brutus killed Caesar was not because he disliked him, but because he thought it was for the good of Rome. Brutus made this decision solely based on patriotism. He never thought about the effects or consequences it

Brutus possesses many ideals and mannerisms that make him the tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s tragedy. To begin with, Brutus has a deep sense of love for his city, and concerns himself with its well-being. His concern for Rome is actually what causes him to backstab Caesar. He worries that he is too arrogant to be an adequate leader, “I do fear the people/ Choose Caesar for their king.” (Shakespeare I.ii. 85-86). Secondly, Brutus has an undying moral compass that navigates him on his integrity driven choices. Brutus thinks long and hard before he joins the conspirators, and wonders whether or not it is the right choice and questions his choices, “Into what dangers would you lead me…/ That you would have me seek into myself/ For which is not in me?” (Shakespeare I.ii. 69-71). His strong beliefs are what ultimately convince him to join the conspirators, for the good of Rome. Also, Brutus believes in equality and respect. He gives a speech to the public because he feels they deserve to know the reason why Caesar dies, ‘And, waving our red weapons o’er our heads,/ Let’s all cry “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”’. (Shakespeare III.i. 121-122). This heroic quality is one of the things that drives him to be a good leader, and a good person as well. As much as these traits lead us to believe