Brutus

In scene 2, Caesar has returned home and Brutus and Cassius stand watching the Roman Public welcome Caesar home. Cassius notices Brutus isn't in his usual spirits and believes that it has something to do with him, that he might have done something to anger Brutus. When confronted, Brutus explains, "Vexed I am of late with passions of some difference" (781 line 39-40). This quote means that Brutus is not angry at Cassius but has conflictions within himself. Brutus has an internal conflict and is desperately trying to figure out which path to choose. This conflict also shows that Brutus is not impulsive and thinks things through before making a decision.
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Brutus is more thoughtful than other characters. For example, Brutus, as opposed to Caesar, listened to his wife in Act 2, Scene 1 in the conversation from lines 234-309 and acknowledged what she had to say rather than not really listening and disregarding what he hears like Caesar during his conversation with Calphurnia in Act 2 Scene 2 from lines 1-105.

Brutus is honorable because he kills his friend for the good of the people, hurting himself for the good of others. He tries to explain this to the outraged crowd after the assasination of Caesar in Act 3 Scene 2. "...Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more"(831 line 21-22).

The honorability and nobility that Brutus displayed in the play were also his tragic flaws, as his killing of Caesar led to his own death in which he had his servant stab him in Act 5 Scene 1.

During a conversation between Brutus and Cassius, shouting from the Roman Public erupts as Caesar is welcomed home. Brutus then exclaims, "What means this shouting? I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king" (782 line 78-79). This quote shows that Brutus doesn't support Caesar and that he is fearful of Caesar's power and what he will do with it.

In scene 3, Cassius, Casca, and Cinna are forming a group that will conspire against Caesar. When Cinna tells Cassius that he must get Brutus to join the conspiracy, Casca chimes in and says, "O, he sits high in all the people's hearts; and that which would appear offense in us, his countenance, like richest alchemy, will change to virtue and to worthiness" (795). This quote reveals that Brutus is loved by the people and well-respected. He would be very beneficial to Cassius and his conspirators.

At the beginning of Act II, Scene 1, Brutus is in his orchard and has sent his servant, Lucius, to his study to retrieve a candle. Then Brutus begins his soliloquy, the main point being that he is still unsure of which side to choose: the conspirators or Caesar's, or in a larger sense, loyalty to his country or to his friend. In the end, Brutus decides to join the conspiracy. His reason is that he compares Caesar to an adder, which is the most dangerous animal in Rome at the time. He realizes the best way to kill an adder is to "kill him in the shell" (799, line 34). This means that the best way is to kill the adder before it can do any damage. Killing Caesar as soon as possible before he is dictator will be much easier than killing him when he has lots of power and followers. This shows Brutus' deep thinking process, showing that he is wise and does what he thinks is best for others around him, even if it means betraying a good friend.

Also in Act II, Scene 1, in a meeting with the conspirators, Brutus is asked if Marc Antony should be killed or if they should let him live. Brutus suggests that they let Antony live, seeing as he will most likely kill himself once Caesar is dead. Brutus says that "Antony is but a limb of Caesar" (803, line 165). Brutus also tells the conspirators to be "sacrificers, but not butchers" (803, line 166). This means that they should only kill the one person that they believe is a threat to Rome's future, and Antony is not a threat to the conspirators. This shows that Brutus is a very logical person and does not want any more blood shed than is necessary.

In Act III, scene 2, Brutus gives a speech to the Roman people after Caesar's assassination to try to win the support of the people. He explains the reason for his actions, saying that it was "not that [he] loved Caesar less, but that [he] loved Rome more" (831, lines 21-22). Though he may look like the villain to the reader's, the Roman people consider his argument and begin to support Brutus. Also, Brutus did what he thought was best for the Roman people. This shows that Brutus' heart might be in the right place and that once he makes a decision, he sticks to that decision and has no regrets. Overall, Brutus is not the bad guy in the story, he just has a different view of the situation he is in.

In Act IV, scene 2, Brutus has fled to Sardis with Cassius. Though it is several months after Caesar's assassination, this shows that the Roman people are still on Antony's side and are looking to kill Brutus. This also shows that Brutus is scared for his life and has relocated to avoid his death.

In Act III scene 2, Brutus and the other conspirators have killed Caesar and as suggested by Antony, are going to give Caesar a funeral. Antony asks Brutus if he may speak at the funeral and he is assured that he may but only after Brutus is done giving his own speech. Later, when Brutus gives his speech, he tells the Roman Public why he killed Caesar and says, "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more (831, lines 21-22). This quote unveils Brutus's reason for killing Caesar, he was trying to save Rome. Brutus did love Caesar but he loved Rome and his people more. He believed Caesar was harmful and that he was killing Caesar for the good of Rome. Brutus wasn't just going to watch his people become slaves under Caesar's power. Brutus is a noble and compassionate man because unlike the other conspirators, he had a reason to kill Caesar and thought he was helping his people. He didn't kill Caesar for money or because he just didn't like him.

In Act IV scene 3, Cassius accuses Brutus of condemning and disgracing Lucius Pella who was allegedly taking bribes from the Sardians. Brutus then accuses Cassius of also taking bribes. Their conversation quickly becomes heated as insults are thrown. Brutus soon calls Cassius a slight man and tells him to be gone. This scene and conversation shows that Brutus is starting to act mightier than everybody. It is almost as if he thinks he is the new "Caesar" just because he killed Caesar and believes that he has more power over everyone. Brutus, who was once good friends with Cassius, is now belittling him and acting as if Cassius is of a lower station than him and inferior. It is also ironic that Brutus is becoming the one person he sought to destroy, and Brutus becomes very hypocritical in this scene.

In Brutus' last moment, in Act V scene 5, Brutus realizes that he has no chance of winning the war against the triumvirate and commits suicide. In this scene, it is very apparent how well-respected and honorable Brutus is. When he asks one of his followers (Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and Volumnius) to slay him, none of them want to kill Brutus because they respect him and none of them want to get their hands dirty. After Brutus stabs himself (with Strato's sword), Marc Antony says that Brutus "was the noblest Roman of them all" (876, line 68) because he was the only conspirator that assassinated Caesar for the good of the Roman People. Also, Octavius wants to give Brutus a proper burial. Once again, this shows that Brutus is not a bad person, just someone with a different point of view.

In the beginning of the story, Brutus does not have much self confidence and does not think of himself as a powerful leader. This is shown in the reading when Cassius and Brutus are left alone and Cassius is trying to figure what is wrong with Brutus because he does not seem like his happy, cheerful self. In lines 28-29, Brutus says "I am not gamesome: I do lack some part of that quick spirit that is in Antony". This shows he thinks himself as unfit to rule.

In Act II, Scene 1, the readers learn that Brutus would rather follow the law even if it means going against a friendship. This is shown in Brutus' soliloquy when he is trying to decide whether to join the conspirators or go against them. This is shown when he finally decides to join the side of the conspirators and says "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell" (Pg 799 32-35).

In Act II, Scene 1, the readers find out that Brutus is a caring man and truely listens to his wife. He and Portia are fighting in this scene and Brutus says "Render me worthy of this noble wife!" (Pg 808 303) This line shows that Brutus does not really believe he is worthy of his wife and he asked the gods why he gave him such a good one.

In Act III, Scene I, Brutus tries to trick Publius into leaving and saying that no harm was done. This goes against Brutus' honor and honesty that he cherished in the earlier part of the story. He talks to Publius in on page 824 in lines 89-91 when he says "Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer; there is no harm intended to your person, nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius."

In Act IV, Scene 3, Brutus and Cassius are fighting. Brutus is starting to change and become more self-confident and it is getting in the way of the friendship of Cassius and Brutus. Brutus says "I do not like your faults." (Pg 850 88) and then Cassius replies saying "A friendly eye could never see such faults" (Pg 850 89). This shows that Cassius thinks Brutus is slowly becoming an enemey of his and I don't think he likes it. ||
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At the beginning of the play, Brutus has a conflict within himself. He not believe that he is worthy of anything, and has issues seeing his value. Cassius then notices how he is not acting the same. This is when the people are gathering to welcome Caesar home. Brutus does not want to go. When Cassius confronts Brutus and asks why he does not want to welcome Caesar back home, he says, "Cassius, be not deceived: if I have veiled my look, I turn trouble of my countenance merely upon myself" (Pg 781 line 37-39). This means that Brutus is not upset with Cassius or Caesar, but his own self. He states that because he is at war with himself, he sometimes acts differently toward others.

In Act II Scene i, it is apparent that Brutus is starting to gain more and more control over people. For example, when Cassius thinks that they should kill both Antony and Caesar, he says "Let Antony and Caesar fall together" (Pg. 803 161). Brutus does not think that is a good idea because it will seem like a massacre. Cassius then says, "Yet I fear him; For in the ingrafted love he bears to Caesar--" (Pg 804 183-184). That is when Brutus interrupts him and tells him not to worry about Antony, and they can only kill Caesar. The conspiracy then follows Brutus' ideas. This shows how Brutus is gaining power over the minds of people and shows that he is good at convincing.

In Act V Brutus, thinks his army is loosing (even though they really aren't, they are winning), and wants to kill himself. Brutus then asks Clitus to kill him, but he says he will not. He then asks Dardanius to do the same. He also says no. This represents how people did actually care for Brutus, because they did not want to kill him; however, Strato had no problem whatsoever in killing him. When Brutus asked Clitus to kill him, Clitus replied, "What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world!" Brutus then replies, "Peace then, no words." Then Clitus says, "I'll rather kill myself" (Pg 873-874 Line 6-8). When he asked Dardanius to kill him, Dardanius said, "Shall I do such a deed?" (Pg 874 Line 9). Finally, when Brutus asked Strato to kill him, all Strato said was "Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord" (Page 876 Line 49). Strato did not have the same respect for Brutus that Clitus and Dardanius did.

In the end of Act V, Antony talks about Brutus's death. Even though throughout the play it seems as if Antony does not like Brutus, he actually believes that Brutus was truly an honorable man, and that he only did truly want what was best for Rome. "This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He, only in a jeneral honest thought and common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, 'This was a man!'" (Page 876 Line 68-75). What Antony is basically saying is that Brutus was the most noble, and that the only reason any of the other conspirators acted out against Caesar was because they were jealous. Brutus was the only one that did it because he really did think that it was going to be for the good of Rome and its people. He says that even nature would believe that he was a man.

We can tell that Brutus actually listens to his wife in what she has to say. That is different from Caesar because he doesn't fully listen and only does what he think is best. Brutus acknowledges his wife, Portia's, thoughts.

Act IV, Scene 3, Brutus is arguing with Cassius and he begins to sound alot like Caesar. He belittles Cassius by asking "Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch under your testy humor?" (Pg. 849 Line 45-46). One of the reasons the conspiracy killed Caesar was because of his arrogant attitude towards others, but if Brutus begins to act like that what was the point? Brutus makes a comment that shows he thinks highly of him self, "There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, For I am armed so strong in honesty that they pass me by as the idle wind." (Pg. 850 Lines 66-68)

Act II, Scene 1, Brutus can not decide whether he wants to help the conspiracy and be loyal to Rome or be loyal to Casear by warning him of the plans to kill him. He finally decides "Resolved: loyalty to one's country is more important than loyalty to one's friend." (Pg. 803 line 173-174) This statement shows that Brutus would have been loyal to Caesar had he not been a threat to the well being of the Roman people.

Brutus' tragic flaw is his honor which he turns to arrogance as the play goes. He mentions to Cassius that he is too honorable to take bribes, but in turn is asking Cassius for money which he earned from a bribe. ||