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Tragic Heroes of Rome

Decent Essays

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare has two characters that make a good case for a tragic hero - one being Brutus and the other Caesar. Brutus has the better argument because he falls the farthest. In Shakespeare’s play Brutus and Cassius are best friends. Brutus has a fear that ambition will make him King of Rome, which Rome had not had. Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is a character of high esteem that has a flaw in logic, which leads to their downfall. While in the process the character is enlightened of their mistakes and after the play is often viewed with pity. The protagonist, Brutus, is the tragic hero because he is easily persuaded, has flawed logic, and falls from high standing.
In Act I, Cassius …show more content…

“I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome” (957). With a fall from power, one may also experience other losses. Brutus lost his beloved wife, Portia, because she couldn’t live to see her husband fail and because she feared Mark Antony and Octavius would come after her as well. Brutus loved his wife and even yells to the gods to make him unworthy of Portia when she tells him she won’t betray him. “O ye gods render me worthy of this noble woman!” (921). From this, the reader can tell Brutus truly loves his wife and to see her go would greatly hurt Brutus and make him fall farther down the ladder of power and success. When Brutus and the conspirators killed Caesar, they did it for the good of Rome. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (948). This passage explains why Brutus killed Caesar. While all Brutus wanted to protect Rome, in reality he really caused chaos to occur and later on the Republic of Rome to fall. A tragic hero is often viewed with pity or sympathy at the end of a work. I view Brutus with sympathy because along with the guilt of killing a friend, he also lost his other friends and his beloved wife, Portia. “You are my true and honorable wife, as dear to me as are the ruddy drops that visit my sad heart” (921). The loss of his wife is devastating to his morale. Though
Luker 3
Brutus thought he was being honorable; the betrayal of a friend is not honorable at all. The offense is

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