Julius Caesar Essay: Flaws Of A Tragic Hero

Flaws of a Tragic Hero!
Honor can be looked upon in different ways. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus is looking and thought to be honored for his selfless actions, but Mark Antony seems to think otherwise. Antony contrasts from Brutus, which helps Brutus’ development as a tragic hero and advances the plot.
Antony is the character that contrasts with Brutus. This being because Brutus is too naive to Antony’s true intentions. Some evidence for this is when Antony asks to speak at Caesar’s funeral and Brutus responds with, “You shall, Mark Antony.” This shows that Brutus put no thought into his decision; he just thinks that Antony is weak and flimsy. But in reality Antony turned the plebeians against the conspirators. Antony

Brutus is faced with a serious decision in Act II. Brutus states, “It must be by his [Caesar] death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general. He would be crowned.”, and “Th’ abuse of greatness is when it when it disjoins remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Caesar. I have not known when his affections swayed more than his reason.” Brutus was faced with the decision if he should kill Caesar or let him live. He came to the conclusion that killing Caesar was the right thing to do, not just for himself but for the public’s greater good. His reasoning is because he believes that if Caesar is ruler, than everyone would become slaves to him. Brutus says in Act V, “I found no man but he was true to me. I shall have glory by this losing day more than Octavius and Mark Antony by this vile conquest shall attain unto.” Brutus calls his own time of death because he sees Octavius and Antony’s victory as Rome’s freedom being stripped. Brutus accepts his death with honor because he believes killing himself rather than his enemies killing him is honorable/loyal. Antony and Brutus’s interactions help Brutus show the characteristics of a tragic