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Brutus in Julius Caesar
BRUTUS -- HERO OR VILLAIN?
In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, a conquering hero is assassinated because he is about to be crowned Emperor in Rome, and members of the Senate do not want to see their power reduced. As Caesar dies, he is dismayed to see that his good friend Brutus is one of the assassins. The play leaves the reader wondering whether Brutus and the other conspirators did the right thing. Was Caesar such a threat to Rome that he had to be killed? If the act truly saved the country, the Brutus is a hero. If the action was self-serving, then Brutus is a villain. It can be argued that since Brutus betrayed a friend, manipulated him into being in the place where the assassination would take place, and then rationalized the act afterwards, Brutus is more villain than hero.
Brutus knows he is betraying a friend, but says in Act II that it must be done because if Caesar does not die, he will be crowned....
Brutus says,
"It must be by his death: and, for my part,
I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
But for the general. He would be crown'd:
How that might change his nature, there's the question:
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder ... " II.1.9-13
He believes that wearing a crown will change Caesar. However, his does not explain why Brutus must participate in the murder. Several people stab Caesar, and Brutus is the last. They do not need Brutus there to kill the man. However, we know that Cassius, who drew Brutus into the plot, also arranged for Brutus to become a member of the Senate. This gives Brutus the motivation of personal gain for entering into the plot against his friend.
At this point, however, it could be argued that the assassination was necessary and that Brutus' participation would help keep the country stable, because then people both…
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