Brutus as a Tragic Hero Essay Example

Picture this, the "Ides of March" has come and you are about to attend an important meeting regarding your rise to the throne. With your friends by your side, you want to see the smiles on their faces as they congratulate you. The "trusting" and "obeying" friends begin repeatedly stabbing their cold iron knives into your skin, and you look over to see your son standing in shock by your old war enemy’s statue, thinking he might help, seeing that he too has a knife. While your son is taking the last fatal stab you see a flash of him in his infancy, you think you should say something quickly, but can only muster three words, “Et Tu Brute...”. As Caesar strides, confidently into the senate for an important meeting, Metellus Cimber begins to beg Caesar to return his brother to him. While anger fills Caesar’s insides he denies the request to Cimber and starts to insult him, which leads to Caesar's death. William Shakespeare's, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar conveys the notion that the most hateful people are not your enemies, but the ones you call your friends and family.

With a devious mind just like his father, Brutus kills Julius Caesar as he has too much ambition; he quotes from William Shakespeare's A Tragedy of Julius Caesar, as proof, ”But his ambition—for that, I killed him. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his bravery, and death for his ambition.”(3.2.14-18). Furthermore, Brutus throws out “But his ambition----for that, I killed him.” The definition of ambition from Oxford University quotes, “a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.” (Oxford University, 1928). So while Brutus is trying to say his ambition is something to be wary about and the reason for his father’s death, wouldn't that mean that the crowning would come at fault too? While we know that Julius Caesar has worked hard for his place in the royal status and a “strong desire….” to do so, Nevertheless, would the people really want their leader to have more ambition than none? Furthermore, Brutus is still using ambition as an excuse for killing someone that could rule the Romans well, that cried while the poor wept, put money back into the government, and brought many people back into Rome who had a ransom held upon them, Brutus still used this “ambition” as an excuse instead of coming out and just saying that he is a deceitful person, that he does not care for his citizens, that he does not care for Rome and definitely does not care for his own father. As opposed to coming forward and accepting the fate of jail time or death, he lies and manipulates the crowd into believing he is a good man and had many reasons for killing his father. Moreover many people see Brutus as a tragic hero, Shakespeare believes that Brutus is to be Roman’s king, and Brutus is to be beloved by all...but… some people see Marcus Junius Brutus as a manipulative and deceitful person. Like E.Badian, he strongly disagrees with the question, "Is Brutus a tragic hero?" During Badians article he speaks on how Brutus is a bad person and is only there for his royal status... “Contrary to the principles he espoused as a Stoic, Brutus was personally arrogant, and he was grasping and cruel in his dealings with those he considered his inferiors, including provincials and the kings of client states.” (E.Badian. 13). Mmh, whereas many people say that Brutus is a brave, kind and loving person, Badian shows that he is "grasping and cruel". Could this be the case that Brutus hides behind his actions and actions alone father's image as this courageous person who is humble about what he wants… which would be liable in which Badian implies that he is going after the crown; however, Caesar was not interested in the crown despite Antony's protests, but according to Badian, ”...arrogant...with those he considered his inferiors, including provincials and the kings of client states.” Is Badian referring to his own father when he talks about "..arrogant..." and "the kings of client states". This would connect the idea of jealousy and cruelty. A question that arises from this quote is... Could Brutus have killed his father in order to gain the crown? 

Even though many people argue that Brutus was a loyal friend and did not deserve to die... while Dante depicts, “ Each of Lucifer’s mouths holds a sinner—the three greatest sinners of human history, all Traitors to a Benefactor…. In the left mouth hangs Brutus…who murdered Julius Caesar in the Roman Senate. Brutus…appears with his head out...The mouths chew their victims, constantly tearing the traitors to pieces but never killing them.” (Dante.1320) This quote is basically saying that Brutus was a horrible person and did the worst thing of all, betraying someone. Shakespeare claims that Brutus is a tragic hero because he faces a major conflict between his loyalty to his friend and his loyalty to his country, but it does not make sense as to how he could not have warned his father or suggested that he change. Furthermore, Dante speaks about,”...The mouths chew their victims, constantly tearing the traitors to pieces but never killing them.” If Brutus’s actions were not as grim as everyone depicts them to be would he not be going through internal suffering every day? While it would be unfair for him to be at a higher level of hell if he were the "tragic hero," even though he "did it for his country," it was still murder, and violence would still send him straight back to hell. Moreover, William Shakespeare includes Julius Caesar’s last words, “Et Tu Brute? then falls Caesar.”(3.1.79-80) As translated, to modern text this means,” And you too, Brutus? In that case, die, Caesar.” Deriving “Et Tu Brute?” from the quote above suggests Caesar believed he could trust Brutus because Brutus was so close to the Roman senate that he basically is like a third hand after Antony. Clearly, this is indicating that Brutus knew the means necessary for killing his father and that he would go to a large extent to make this death happen. In addition, Caesar also mentions, “ In that case, die, Caesar.” The implication of this quote is that Julius Caesar feels betrayed and beaten... he seems angry but he also seems disappointed in the sense that his blood will kill him for a crowning that he did not even want. 

Marcus Junius Brutus' last words to his father are "Et Tu Brute..." before delivering the fatal stab to Caesar, causing the Emperor to collapse to the ground and die. Busting into the senate, Caesar enters an important meeting, and Metellus Cimber starts to beg Caesar for the return of his brother. While Caesar denies the request to Cimber and starts to insult him, which leads to Caesar's death. Meanwhile, Brutus will not avenge his father's death, he does not even show remorse for killing his father, he cares only about what the Romans think about him; it is not about his love for other people.