Young Joon Kim

Mulvihill English 9
Brutus: A Hero Inside a Criminal
William Shakespeares play Julius Caesar depicts the events leading up to
Caesars assassination and the chaos that ensues after his death. Throughout
the play, Brutus displays an unwavering faith in honor, behaving with integrity
towards his companions and enemies alike. As the story unfolds, however, it
becomes increasingly clear that the other characters in the play do not share
Brutuss moral principles. Brutus exemplifies Aristotles tragic hero because his
strict adherence to principles of justice raise him above the crowd of powerhungry men but also bring about his death. Though Brutus was involved in
Caesars murder, the losses he deals with throughout the story are out of
proportion to his original offense.

In the initial stages of the play, Shakespeare sets apart Brutus from the
throng of ambitious murderers by repeatedly emphasizing his personal integrity.
On multiple occasions, Brutus reveals that he considers his honor to be his
greatest attribute. When Brutus announces to Cassius that he loves the name of
honor more than [he fears] death, (I.II.91) he reminds Cassius that he will not be
incited to violence by personal hatred, but will turn against Caesar only for the
common good. Through these conversations, Shakespeare makes a clear
distinction between the two mens motivations for participating in the conspiracy
against Caesar. Cassius is driven by petty jealousy and a craving for power while

Brutus is willing to sacrifice his own life in order to preserve the Roman republic.
Even at the final meeting of the conspirators, Brutus vows to kill [Caesar] boldly,
but not wrathfully (II.I.172). Cassius and the other conspirators nervously
attempt to cover up their jealousy by invoking the names of significant public
figures, including the reputation of wise Cicero. On the other hand, Brutus trusts
in himself, deciding that the consequences of betraying Caesar are outweighed
by his greater love for Rome. Brutus and the Romans, thus, agree that his
respect for honor earns him great respect, which eventually motivates the
conspirators to utilize him.

While Brutuss unwavering faith in honor sets him apart from the other
foolish and greedy conspirators, it also initiates his downfall. Brutus, who feels
bound by a strong ethical code, makes the fatal mistake of trusting that other
Romans hold themselves to the same standards and Cassius takes advantage of
this flaw. Brutus allows himself to be swept up in the conspirators plot because
he assumes that the other conspirators are also committed to doing what is best
for Rome. Though he joined the conspiracy to support the purgers, not
murderers (II.I.180) of Rome, Brutus slowly begins to suspect that the men are
allowing their insatiable greed to stain the even virtue of [their] enterprise
(II.I.132). Nonetheless, he convinces himself that it is still possible to do the right
thing, killing Caesar out of concern for Rome. Brutus unwillingness to be a
butcher leads him to make a second crucial mistake when he allows Antony to
deliver all true rites and lawful ceremonies (III.I.243) at Caesars funeral. Brutus,

believing that Antony will honorably keep his promise to support them, ignores
Cassiuss advice, only to discover later that Antony has delivered a speech
inciting the shocked Romans to rebel. Again, Brutuss assumption that all those
around him are equally honorable allows others to easily betray him. In both
instances, these betrayals transform his calm, serene self-assurance into a
tempestuous mixture of guilt and self-doubt.

Although Brutus painfully loses both his altruistic persona and everybody
who supported him, he eventually dies a heroic death, after restoring his calm,
former self in the midst of chaos and bloodshed. Brutus is deprived of his last
supporter, Cassius, in a childish quarrel and loses his loving wife, Portia. The
detrimental changes brought on by his downfall reveal themselves when he
expresses no emotions of grief after learning about such tragic losses. When
asked about his losses, Brutus cold-heartedly commands to speak no more of
[them] (IV.II.210) and morosely attempts to bury all unkindness (IV.II.211) in
wine. Even though such emotional hardships deprive Brutus of his empathetic,
former self, he recollects himself at the moment of his death. He gives a
passionate farewell speech from the bottom of his heart to his followers and
takes his life peacefully as the noblest Roman of them all. (V.V.67) Before his
death, Brutus is caught up in the panic of cowardly conspirators. Nevertheless,
he takes his own life free from any pain and emotional burden unlike the other
murderers, who die contemptible deaths of fear and frustration. Brutus
experiences great loss in those around him, which suppresses his noble identity

of honor and justice, but he is able to bring back his honorable self peacefully at
his heroic death.
Through Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare presents a prime example of
Aristotles tragic hero through the struggles of Brutus. Instead of displaying only
the noble attributes of Brutus, Shakespeare also emphasizes the emotional
hardships that the character endures because of a fatal flaw in his persona.
Although the play is named after Caesar, Brutus is the true hero of the story
because he is able to regain his honor and self-assurance after much emotional
struggle. Like Aristotles tragic hero, Brutus end proves emotionally cathartic for
the surviving characters as well as the audience, all of whom are moved by his
heroic death.