The word patriot means “one who loves and defends a country’s freedom or interests.” In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Brutus is a character who can be portrayed as either patriot or betrayer depending on the reader’s viewpoint. Although many readers view Brutus as a betrayer after killing Caesar, Brutus was just doing what he believed to be the best for Rome. Brutus is loyal to Rome and therefore needed to take actions to protect his people, even if it meant killing a friend. Although, Brutus may have been protecting Rome, he also betrayed a friend who trusted him. While doing what he believed to be the most logical action in protecting Rome, Brutus betrayed some of those who trusted him. After stabbing Caesar, Brutus and the other conspirators …show more content…
Cassius doesn’t just hint at killing Caesar, but Antony, too! Cassius tries to convince Brutus into killing Antony as he may want vengeance but Brutus only wants to protect Rome, not be seen as murderers: “Let us be sacrificers but not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, And in the spirit of men there is no blood.” Killing Caesar is already had enough for Brutus, now Cassius wants Antony gone too. Brutus makes it clear that the assassination is purely to protect Rome, not about betraying friends. Ultimately, Brutus just wishes to keep Rome safe, as a result of this he must eliminate a threat- Caesar and his rule. With all things considered, Brutus’s loyalty to Rome made him betray and kill Caesar, for he feared the damage Caesar’s rule would cause to the country where Brutus’ loyalty lies. While many see Caesar’s assassination as a betrayal, it should be seen as an act of patriotism. Brutus practiced all his actions with good intentions and a goal of protecting Rome. After reading into both sides and even though some readers can’t see past the assassination, Brutus truly saw his actions as pure
As well as a great friend of Caesars, which meant he could also trust him. Moreover, Brutus felt like the only way to make sure Rome was safe was to kill Caesar. He felt that for the freedom and wealth of the people, it was the most logical and ethical thing to do. In addition, which led to him being the leader of the conspirators and taking over. Brutus had known the people of Rome admired him, they also loved him.
In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. There was a man named Caesar who passed by the painful death of his best friend bestowed upon him. His name was Brutus, and he was known for being respected by most and loyal to the Roman Republic. Brutus was so lost in doing what was best for Rome and his people he committed a crime that no one could ever imagine.
Brutus was a traitor to his country because of his display of treason. However, Brutus may have done what was best for Rome, to improve and reestablish his beloved country. Similarly, people may claim that Brutus was, in fact doing what was best for his country, and that murdering Caesar was not a betrayal. He seems to feel that Caesar would not be an asset to Rome and Brutus wants to really improve the country.
In Act 3 Scene 2 Brutus said during his speech, “If that friend then demands to know why Brutus turned against Caesar, this is my answer: Not because I cared for Caesar less, but because I cared for Rome more”. Brutus had courage to kill Caesar, not because he wanted to, but for the good of Rome and its people. During the entirety of the story, Brutus
In conclusion, was Brutus a betrayer or a patriot? Brutus was a betrayer because he is a liar and a killer. Brutus could have done anything else instead of killing Caesar for the sake of Rome. Caesar was Brutus’s friend but, Brutus was manipulated into thinking that Caesar was a horrible king that had to be stopped. If Brutus was Caesar’s friend he would have never killed him.
Initially, after reading the story, I was confused on whether or not Brutus counted as a betrayer or a patriot and it seemed almost impossible to find out, but as I thought more on it, I discovered he had limited time before Caesar was officially crowned so he had limited options. However, I believe Brutus was a patriot because instead of joining the conspiracy right away when he is offered the chance by Cassius, he refuses because he does not think Caesar deserves something so harsh. Once Cassius plants the fake notes from Rome Brutus decides to kill Caesar because he doesn’t want the people becoming Caesars slaves. So instead of wanting to kill Caesar out of jealousy like Cassius, he just wanted to kill him in order for him not to turn the people of Rome into slaves. Brutus may also seem like a traitor because he chooses to die rather than be captured and
When Brutus was talking to the conspirators Brutus was going back and forth think if he should help the conspirators kill Julius Caesar. He was going back and forth because he was thinking of the power he could have and could rule Rome. The reason behind Brutus killing Caesar was for the better of Rome. If Brutus would not have killed Caesar, Rome would have turned into a dictatorship, and in turn it would have ruined Rome and all of its people. Brutus did not kill Julius just for the power to rule Rome, he killed Julius to save Rome from Caesar’s dictatorship.
And while Brutus did work in part with other conspirators, which eventually led to him killing Caesar, he did it for a more morally sound reason which was that Caesar was going to cause the downfall of Rome because he was too ambitious, which is ironic because Caesar's death led to a string of unfit leaders, and civil unrest that eventually led to the downfall of the roman empire. Brutus was also focused on preventing corruption. “The name of Cassius honors this corruption,/ And chastisement doth therefore hide his head (IV.iii.15-6)... Remember March, the ides of March remember./ Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake” (IV.iii.18-9).
Brutus is then betrayer at the very least for Killing Caesar. but even after all of this Brutus still did it all to
Brutus realized the great harm Caesar could bring to Rome if the was crowned king. Although Brutus was easily persuaded by Cassius to go as far as committing a murder, Brutus did it because he thought that it was the best for Rome. Brutus does what he thinks is the absolute best for Rome which really shows his great honor and
His downfall was trusting to much, but that trust made him very loyal to his friends. He expects loyalty out of not only himself, but the people he is loyal to. Brutus goes throughout the entire play exhibiting his trait of loyalty. In the quote above, when Brutus gave his speech to Rome, he talks about loving Rome more. Everything he did in this play was because he was loyal to his country.
Is it justified to kill someone because they have gained too much power and are going to use it for the worse? Brutus has a very bad circumstance on his hands, he can kill Caesar and possibly be executed for his actions or he can let Caesar become king and watch Rome fall. There are many reasons why Brutus should and should not join the conspiracy. Brutus says, “I know no personal reason to spurn at him But for the general.” (II,i,11).
Your friend or your country, this decision is burdensome and a choice that Brutus needed to make. In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, readers are confused about Brutus being a patriot or a traitor. Brutus most certainly is a patriot considering even Antony said that he truly had good intentions. Although this may be true, some people view Brutus as a traitor due to him killing Caesar, claiming he was ambitious and Antony easily disproved this. Contrary of what some people think, Brutus is a patriot because he killed Caesar to free Rome from his rule, Antony even stated that he did not act out of jealousy and was noble.
Brutus was a lifetime friend of Caesar 's that was deceived by a man that feared tyranny to betray Caesars trust and become an accomplice to his murder. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more.” (III, II, 21-22). Brutus loved Rome more than Caesar and he
Brutus is without a doubt the most noble character in this play. Nonetheless, his impeccable sense of morality also blindfolds him to other people’s sordid motives and makes him easy to be manipulated. Indeed, Brutus is easily manipulated by Cassius in Act 1, Scene 2. In hope to convince Brutus to join the conspirators, Cassius says “Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings” (1.2.150-152). As a result, Brutus starts to believes that it is his job to murder Caesar, as he says in Act 2, Scene 1: “It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general” (2.1.14-16).