Brutus: Tragic Hero

Brutus is considered by many to be a “tragic hero”. Antony himself calls Brutus “the noblest Roman of all” (5.5.68). However, his actions were not those of a hero. Killing his best friend, attempting to trick and deceive the Roman public, and plunging Rome into a civil war are not the actions of a hero. Rather, they are the actions of an arrogant, ??????? man who had decided that he knew what was best for Rome.
Brutus claimed that he was killing Caesar for the good of Rome. He was worried that Caesar would become a tyrannical ruler, and ruin Rome. However, he had very little proof that Caesar would actually become a tyrant. Caesar had always cared a lot for the Roman public, even naming all Romans benefactors in his will. “Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal, to every Roman he gives, To every man, seventy-five drachmas.” (3.2.238). If Caesar had survived to become King, he likely would have improved the standard of living for the Plebeians, and made their lives better. A likely consequence of this would be less power for the nobles such as Brutus. Therefore by “protecting Rome” Brutus was in fact only

To be a hero, one must have these qualities, and Brutus does not. Brutus did not show courage in Julius Caesar. A truly courageous person would have supported their best friend (Caesar) and given him the chance to prove himself. To be noble is to be righteous, honorable, and ethical. While some may argue that Brutus embodies these qualities, Brutus allowed flattery and ambition to corrupt his ideas. “Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that ‘Caesar’? Why should that name be sounded more than yours?” (1.2.140). Brutus allowed Cassius to talk him into killing Caesar, and believed that he should be loved and supported as much as Caesar. Brutus knew that with Caesar out of the way, he would become the people's