SSPadawon4
Monday, May 22nd, 2006, 7:14 PM
QUOTE (Petoria @ Monday, May 22nd, 2006, 6:35 PM)

The best way to cite him as a leader would probably just to use lines from when he's planning the murder. Since no one else is doing the planning, he must be the leader.
here it us enjoy
A Hero Called Brutus
In Julius Caesar, Brutus the well-respected nobleman represents the tragic hero. He has a high rank and has an ongoing role in the community. Everyone in the community respects him and looks up to him when he says something. However, Brutus does some mistakes; these errors in judgement endanger the Roman people and eventually cost him his life. When does meets his last stand, he faces his downfall with courage and dignity. The above qualities illustrate how Brutus fits into Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.
In the play Julius Caesar, Brutus plays a major role and is well respected amongst the people in the community. Cassius shows respect for Brutus when he says, “Where many of the best respect in Rome (Except immortal Caesar), speaking of Brutus and groaning underneath this age’s yoke, have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes,” (Iii 59-62). Since Cassius wants Caesar dead, he needs Brutus because people respect him and his idea of killing Caesar will be more widely respected. He illustrates his need for Brutus by saying, “ I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, as well as I do know your outward favor. Well, honor is the subject,” (Iii 90-92). Cassius later says, “ Yes, every man of them; and no man here but honors you; and every doth wish you had but that opinion of yourself which every noble Roman bears of you,” (IIi 90-92). Another Cauis also believes strongly in Brutus; for example, “ And with a heart new- fired I follow you, to do I know not what, but it sufficeth that Brutus leads me on,” (IIi 333-335). Brutus is a highly respected official in the community, which has the support of many people.
Brutus is a caring individual, however through his gullibility, he makes multiple error judgement. His first error of judgement was participating in killing Caesar. Brutus first becomes interested in partaking in the conspiracy, when he hears Cassius say this, “Whether Caesar will com forth today or no; for he is superstitious grown of late, quite from the main opinion he held once of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies. I may be these apparent prodigies the unaccustomed terror of the night, and the persuasion of his augurers may hold him from the Capitol today,” (IIi 193-201). Cassius’ great manipuability and Brutus’ gullibility lead Brutus into the pitfall of joining the conspiracy. He now proves he is full fledged by these words, “ So are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridged his time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop, and let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood up to the elbows and besmear our swords,” (IIIi 104-107). After Caesar’s death, Brutus’ second error was not killing Marc Antony. By allowing Antony to live he makes his third error, allowing Antony to speak at the funeral. Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar’s body. You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, but speak all good you can devise of Caesar, and say you do’t by our permission,” (IIIi 244-247). However, Antony lies and does speak harshly against the conspirators; “I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, but here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then to mourn for him? O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason! Bear with me, my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me,” (IIIii 102-109). Antony’s speech made the people believe in Caesar and his ways that were. The speech then takes away from what Brutus said and also makes Brutus and the rest o the conspirators act look horrendous. Brutus’ last error in judgement was marching to Philipi. “Why then, lead on. O that a man might know the end of this day’s business ere it come! But if sufficeth that the day will end, and then the end is known. Come, ho! Away!” (Vi 122-125). Those words spoken by Brutus lead the Romans into a battle, which lead to defeat, and the eventual tragic end of Brutus.
Unfortunately for Brutus he exhibits all the traits of a tragic hero, including a hard and upsetting downfall. Right from the beginning Brutus was willing to give his life for his country. Brutus early on says, “ If it aught toward general good, set honor in one eye and death I’ the other, and I will look on both indifferently; for let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honor more than I fear death,” (Iii 85-89). During the battle the Romans are facing inevitable defeat, and back then it was nobler to kill yourself then continue fighting. For his death, he has a young soldier, Strato, holdout his sword and Brutus runs into it, ending his life. When Antony and Octavius find him dead, they have nothing but the best to say about Brutus. Antony goes on to say, “ This was the most noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he did that they did in envy of great Caesar; he only in a general honest thought and common good to all made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him that Nature might stand up an say to the world, “ This was a man!” (Vv 68-75). Octavius went on to say, “ With all respect and rites of burial. Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie, most like a soldier, ordered honorably. So call the field to rest, and let’s away to part the glories of this happy day,” (Vv 77-81). Brutus was a great man, who made a courageous decision of making his downfall a respectable one.
Brutus is the typical tragic hero in the play Julius Caesar. He plays a high impact and is well respected in his community. He is a caring person, but through his gullibility make a few crucial errors in judgement. When Brutus is backed into a corner he does the courageous at the time and takes his life, and faces his downfall like a man. Brutus was a great man who had a lot of social impact; he fits precisely Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.