Adam Hjouj Ms. Perrotta ENG1DB-05 2023-05-08 Selfishness and its Consequences, The Duality of Brutus and Cassius Oscar Wilde once said, “Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes.” Selfishness is a very common topic in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. It is evident that many people are only acting for themselves, especially leaders. In Julius Caesar, the two leaders Brutus and Cassius work together to assassinate the dictator Julius Caesar, but for very different reasons. Brutus is a noble leader looking out for Rome and its justice, while Cassius is a greedy man hungry for power. The duality of Brutus and Cassius is strongly represented by their conflicting interests. Through their desperation …show more content…
Many examples are shown to prove this, both Brutus and Cassius have very different reasoning behind their actions and other end goals to be sought. “Remember March, the ides of March remember. Did great Julius not bleed for justice’ sake? What [conspirator] [hurt] his body, that did stab. And not for justice?” (V, iii, 19-22). Brutus believes that both he and Cassius are working together for Caesar, and killed him to end corrupt acts in Rome. Brutus kills Caesar only for the justice of Rome, and fights and stays noble for Caesar. Cassius proves his selfishness by killing Caesar for his own benefit. “Caesar cried “Help me, Cassius, or [Caesar] sink…so from the waves of Tiber Did [I carry] the tired Caesar. And this man Is now become a god, and Cassius is A wretched creature and must bend his body.”(I, ii, 118, 121-124). Cassius used the people of Rome to gain power, Cassius helped Caesar in different situations solemnly to gain his respect and become a nobleman of Rome. He was plotting to become one of his trusted men since the beginning, only to abuse his trust and betray him once he had the chance. Their reasoning behind their actions shows the difference between a noble leader, and a self-centred leader working only for
Cassius' argument that he presents to Brutus in order to get him to join the conspiracy is effective in appealing to Brutus' love of democracy because he uses pathos and develops ethos. Cassius establishes his credibility to his friend Brutus by flattering him, so that Brutus does not suspect that he is being manipulated. As he prepares to use careful language to tip Brutus to his side, Cassius takes a moment to sing Brutus' praises, so Brutus will believe that all Cassius has to say is in his best interest. He begins by telling his friend, "...since you know you cannot see yourself / So well as by reflection, I, your glass, / Will modestly discover to yourself / That of yourself which you know not of" (Shakespeare 1.2.67-70).
What— did one of us strike down the most powerful man in the world in order to support robbers? Should we now dirty our fingers with lowly bribes and sell the mighty offices that we hold for whatever gold we can get our hands on? I'd rather be a dog and howl at the moon that be that kind of Roman.” (Shakespeare 169) Brutus is painfully obvious (at least he is from Cassius’ point of view) when he confides to Cassius that he believes that Cassius wasnt as honest about what his intent and motives for killing Caesar were.
he had to choose between his friendship with caesar and his public responsibility to prevent caesar's alleged ambition of undermining the roman republic. cassius has convinced brutus that caesar plan to instill himself as monarch. a monarchy would rob the romans of the long held liberties. brutus' character is summed us in marc antony's speech in the play. "this was the noblest of them all.
Cassius put together a group of conspirators that agreed with his motives to take matters into their own hands and put a stop to the ambitious Caesar. Brutus led these conspirators to finally killing Julius Caesar. After Caesar was killed Brutus said, “If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. ”(Shakespeare 3.2.19-21) The good of his country meant more to Brutus than his own friend’s life.
The reader can perceive that Cassius provides examples that allude to this, in which he mentions that he had to save Caesar when he was drowning, and the time in which he was sick in Spain. He characterizes Caesar as a weak and unfit man for the position as a ruler that holds all the power in Rome. As Act 1 Scene 2 comes to an end, Cassius delivers one of the most significant points in the final part of his speech, as he brings about the notion that Brutus stands for honor and embarking on any action for the good of Rome. Cassius delivers an emotional appeal, of pathos, in tracing back to Brutus’s ancestors that helped establish the structure of the Roman Republic. As he mentions the roots of Rome, he proclaims “Oh, you and I have heard our fathers say.
Brutus sticks to his moral ethics closely as he states in his quote. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved/ Rome more.” Brutus loved Caesar but the things he had done made him turn against him. Caesar never knew when to stop when it came to power. Caesar was pushing Brutus to much which then in the end justified Brutus stabbing Caesar for the better of Rome.
During a fiery dispute at the tents, Brutus is infuriated and accuses Cassius of corrupting his army: “Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself are much condemned to have an itching palm to sell and mart your offices for gold to undeservers.” Brutus is accusing Cassius of selling important positions in his army to unqualified people. With unqualified army officials, Cassius’s army has a likely chance to fail. Brutus now realizes that Cassius had manipulated him and only cared for money and political power. Brutus is deeply angered because he killed Caesar to combat corruption: “Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
"What’s so special about caesar?", This quote shows how much Cassius despises Caesar and how he feels he is no better of a man than Brutus or himself. They both had a common goal but were not sure of each other's very different and clashing reasons for attempting to reach the goal ahead. Cassius seemed to have been a puppet master and conductor of the conspiracy twisting things to suit his own preferences, and to rise against a super power in order to achieve his ultimate goal. The differences in motivation between Brutus and Cassius vividly reflect their morals, just as their morals reflect back upon their reasons.
Personalities Displayed in Julius Caesar In Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar the reader is introduced to two characters Brutus and Cassius. Brutus was an honorable man who killed Caesar for the good of Rome, Brutus represents the lawful good of people. Cassius wanted to kill Caesar because he feared being controlled by a growing tyrant, Cassius represents the chaotic neutrality of people.
When Brutus spoke about his motives to kill Caesar he said, “As he was valiant I / honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.” (3.2.27-28). Brutus honored Caesar but saw that his ambition has the potential of being very dangerous. He thought that a danger like Caesar could not be left to grow more powerful when there is a solution to the issue now.
A point often overlooked, was that Brutus had the good of his country in mind when he killed Caesar. Brutus’s action shows the immeasurable amount of predilection he had for Rome; he was
He would have rather watched himself die a thousand deaths than to watch his city in peril. Cassius helped talk Brutus into killing Caesar over jealousy. Brutus only went along with the idea because he knew that Caesar was an improper ruler for rome and its people. Brutus put his city and its people n front of him and that was his tragic flaw. Since brutus put his city before himself t stopped him from thinking what was the best himself.
In life, problems arise frequently. With problems one has to make decisions that are hard to make. It is difficult to find the right decision that will be best for everyone but it is not what the heart is wanting. Brutus, Cassius, and the conspirators have a big decision to kill Caesar or not to kill Caesar. Cassius knows in his head what he must do for Rome and himself.
Cassius saves the life of Caesar, sees him beg for water, and witnesses his epileptic seizure. From these weaknesses, Cassius finds himself to be just as worthy of the crown as is Caesar. His reasons are emotionally tied to getting rid of Caesar, Brutus chooses to become a conspirator for the good of Rome. He does not know how Caesar will use his power.
Brutus and Cassius are two prominent conspirators in the play Julius Caesar; one of these two fits Aristotle's depiction of a tragic hero. The difference between a normal hero and a tragic hero is that the latter will have a tragic flaw that keeps them from succeeding. These characters are often sympathetic and will cleave to the reader's pity. Firstly, we shall discuss Cassius. He was a man of questionable character.