Julius Caesar Tragic Hero (Brutus) :: Julius Caesar Essays

Tragic Hero EssayIn the play the demeanor and Death of Julius Caesar (just as in all of Shakespeargons tragedies) there is much death, much tragedy, and of course, a tragic hero. However unlike most of Shakespeares plays this epoch the tragic hero is not particularly obvious. Throughout the play a few main characters present themselves as possibilities for being the tragic hero. But as being a tragic hero is not just now having a tragic flaw but also entails much more, there really is only one person to fit the mold. The character Brutus is born into power and is higher/better then we are. He has a tragic flaw that causes his downfall and at the end he realizes his mistake (a trait none of the other characters can really claim).Throughout most of the play Brutus is constantly internally conflicted. Does he do what he believes is best for Rome or stay loyal to his friend and leader? Should he assist in the murder of one person to public assistance many? Although killing Caesar wa s in the end a bad choice, Brutus always tries to do what is best for Rome and for the quite a little. However even though all of Brutus motives are safe(p) he still has the tragic flaw of pride, which ultimately leads to his downfall. The reason that Brutus gets caught up in the conspiracy is because Cassias appeals to his pride and flatters him with forged letters from the Roman people saying he is a greater leader then Caesar. This flaw eventually leads to his downfall because of all the bad decisions it causes him to collect. The first mistake pride causes him to make is to kill Caesar and the next mistake follows right after. Mark Antony, here, take you Caesars body. You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, but turn to all good you can devise of Caesar, and say you dot by our permission Else shall you not have any hang at all about his funeral and you shall speak in the same pulpit wherto I am going, after my speech is done. (24) This was said by Brutus to Antony rig ht after Caesars death. Brutus not only allows Antony to embody but then allows him to speak at Caesars funeral after Brutus speaks, completely unsupervised. This choice of Brutus is brought about by his pride (and maybe a little deed of shortsighted stupidity).