Loyalty in “Julius Caesar” Within “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare, differing types of loyalty are thoroughly dissected and debated. Loyalty is a strong feeling of allegiance. Shakespeare employs different examples of loyalty to affect his characters’ judgement and decision-making. Loyalty to friends is being faithful and devoted to an individual, whereas loyalty to one’s country is doing what is right for the well being of a country and civilians. When Brutus takes the last stab into Caesar, Caesar says, “Et tu, Bruté.” (3.1.85) as he falls dead. Caesar’s last words mean, “And you, Brutus.” and reflects the depth of betrayal Caesar feels watching his “best friend” stab him. The reality of this quote is that humans have different universes …show more content…
He is devoted and utterly selfless for the good of his country. For instance, Brutus stabs Caesar because he is tricked into thinking that the citizens fear Caesar. Keeping this in mind, Brutus kills Caesar to satisfy and ease his people, demonstrating that he prioritizes his country over his friendship with Caesar. Though Brutus ended Caesar’s life, Brutus still holds some loyalty to friends and says, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved/ Rome more.” (3.2.50-60) Brutus’ words emphasize his devotion to his country above Caesar. He is exceptionally passionate about his beloved Rome, trumping his love for Caesar. As another example of his allegiance, Brutus says, “Brutus had rather be a villager/ Than to repute himself a son of Rome/ Under these hard conditions as this time.” (1.2.181-183) In essence, this quote implies that the depths of Brutus’ loyalty for Rome is fathomless enough to make him utterly selfless and give up his power for the sake of Rome. His righteous philosophy has strengthened his loyalty to his country, developing his selflessness. Unfortunately, Cassius uses Brutus’ altruistic characteristic and devout loyalty against him by sending fake letters with concerns regarding the crowning of Caesar for Brutus to read and be persuaded to join the conspirators. Cassius’ manipulation of Brutus serves as an example of how Shakespeare …show more content…
Additionally, he adds fickleness in characters, resulting in loyalties that constantly change and individual universes of obligations for each character to support the theme. A prime example of shifting loyalties and fickleness is when the plebeians say, “This Caesar was a tyrant.” (3.3.76) to “ O noble Caesar!” (3.2.211) From before and during Antony’s speech, the plebeians have switched their loyalties from Brutus to Caesar. In contrast, Shakespeare’s Brutus steadily prioritizes loyalty to his country, and Antony maintains his vow of loyalty to Caesar. Nevertheless, both characters would benefit from rethinking where their loyalty should lie when a situation changes. Antony’s making of a civil war is a perfect example of a situation where one should be versatile and put the good of others before one’s loyalty to a single friendship. Different situations may also bring up conflicts of values and also stress the need to decide which value to be true to. For instance, a real life situation could be telling the police about a friend planning a school shooting. One might be a loyal friend and not want to snitch or lose their friendship, but one should prioritize the fact that people will die if not reported. In this type of situation, one should choose loyalty for the good of others ahead of the friend and tell the police. If situations that challenge loyalties come up, we must
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." (3.2.19-24) After Brutus killed Caesar, he started to defend his actions. Brutus wanted to be loyal Rome but sees that he should have been loyal to his friend. Part of Brutus' flaw is patriotism, and there is a VERY important question we can ask ourselves.
“It's hard to tell who has your back, from who has it long enough just to stab you in it...” ― Nicole Richie. In the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, Brutus is a traitor because of his lack of integrity and loyalty to his country and dear friend. One’s integrity represents their true character, and disloyalty shows lack of trust and allegiance.
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
A quality all humans possess is questioning leadership. The reasons why we challenge or rebel against our leaders describe what kind of individual we are. Cassius and Brutus have different reasons for questioning Caesars power. Both characters have a common goal but exceedingly different values, thought process, and motives for killing Caesar. Cassius and Brutus are characters who have opposite values.
(III.ii.21-23). When Brutus says this, he appeals to the audience's sense of patriotism. Brutus publicly confirms that he puts the loyalty of his country, before his friendship. This allows
Corruption is defined as dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by powerful people, and just like its definition, corruption and power go hand in hand. The more power a person has, generally, the easier it is for them to be corrupted. Just like in Julius Caesar where power and corruption are very prevalent, and most of the leaders in Julius Caesar became corrupted by their power, but in some rare cases leaders have avoided corruption, these people are very valuable in society, and must not be taken for granted. Just like many other leaders in Julius Caesar, Caesar was corrupted by his power. He wasn’t corrupt in the normal sense, he was socially corrupt in the fact that he didn’t stick to the social norms of respecting fellow senators in
Brutus believes that Caesar will do more harm than good to the people, and reap benefits for himself. Brutus has already said this, but had said it in his own words, (II, i, 12-14). He has no clue if Caesar will use his power for the good and betterment for the people, or use it for his own needs and other
When Cassius wanted Antony and Caesar to fall together Brutus disagreed and said, “Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius / To cut the head off and then hack the limbs”(2.1.175-176). Brutus knows that Caesar must be taken care or in order to protect Rome but doesn’t find it necessary to kill Antony, a close
(II, i, 53-55) which allows to say that he wants Rome to be just and do whatever it takes to maintain it away from any threat. Indeed, Brutus states this very clearly when he says, “If it’s for the good of all Romans, I’d do it even if it meant my death. Let the gods give me good luck only as long as I love honor more than I fear death.” (I, ii, 86-88), he explicitly says that the good of the majority is over any feeling or personal benefit which in this case is the love of Caesar for him and viceversa, and the throne. To conclude, Brutus is a complex character that is characterized by three recurrent traits: his well-intention, his hypocrisy, and his naivet.
He was loyal to Caesar, but he made a mistake and betrayed him. Loyalty is sticking with someone even after they have wronged you. For example, a dog might have bitten his owner, but the owner will
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).
Erasmus, a Renaissance humanist, portrays folly as a character named so in The Praise of Folly to show his appreciation for the role foolishness plays in the human life. For all earthly existence, Erasmus’s Folly states that “you'll find nothing frolic or fortunate that it owes not to me [folly]” (The Praise of Folly, 14). Moreover, she states that “fools are so vastly pleasing to God; the reason being, I suggest, that just as great princes look suspiciously on men who are too clever, and hate them – as Julius Caesar suspected and hated Brutus and Cassius while he did not fear drunken Antony at all…they take delight in duller and simpler souls” (Folly, 115). Folly, indeed, plays a major role in determining the fate of Antony and Brutus after
Julius Caesar Essay Betrayal can be defined as breaking the bond of trust in any type of relationship, and deceiving others. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, betrayal can be seen throughout the play, done to and by many of the characters. Many of the reasons why betrayal is shown in the play are all for a similar reasons- Ambition / greed. The theme of Julius Caesar is that people betray others because of ambition and greed.