Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tragic Hero: Caesar or Brutus?
A tragic hero, the protagonist or main character of a tragedy, has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail because of a tragic flaw. The downfall of the tragic hero incites feelings of pity from the audience. Critics still debate about the tragic hero of Julius Caesar. Do you think it is Caesar or Brutus? Explain with evidence. Also discuss the hero's tragic flaw.
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31 comments:
I believe that Caesar might have been the tragic hero in the play because his major weakness was that he was unable to see his enemies that were right in front of his face! When Bruts was about to stab Caesar, Caesar said "Et tu Brute? - Then fall, Caesar." Which made me feel bad for him so I am guessing that the audience would have had pitty for him as well.
I believe that it was brutus. Brutus grant it did kill Caesar but he did for rome not because he hated Caesar. After all in the beginning he states how he and Caesar are friends. The other conspiritors like cassius only wanted Caesar out of the way so they could take over and because they didnt like him! So when brutus died Antony said he was honorable but it wasnt because he commited suicide it was because he killed Caesar for in his mind the GOOD OF ROME!!!
I agree with Jessica in saying that it was Caesar. I also agree in what she said about not being able to see through the thin transparent mask that all of his so-called friends are wearing. If he just opened his eyes and looked, he would have seen right through it to their real selves and thier malicious plan.
I agree with Caitlin and Jessica that it was definately Caesar because his friends had betrayed him and he didn't even realize it!
I agree with the majority when it is suggested that Julius Caesar is the tragic hero. In Act II Scene I, Brutus says, "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg/ Which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous,/ And kill him in the shell." Brutus reveals Caesar's flaw in stating this. He is saying that he has the ability to be a great ruler, but it will get to his head too much. Resulting as him becoming a tyrannical leader.
Because the conspirators betrayed Caesar, it causes the audience to feel bad for him. I know if my friends were plotting to kill me behind my back, but were nice to me to my face, it would be extremely disturbing. Caesar causes readers of Julius Caesar to want him to live, despite his flaws of thinking himself invincible and becoming an unmanageable leader.
Therefore, Julius Caesar is the tragic hero of this play.
I agree with basically everyone else that Caesar was the tragic hero. He could have done so much for Rome but he was too blind to even see that this group of people, who were supposed to be his friends, were plotting behind his back. The audience starts feeling pity for him because it's a terrible thing to have to go through your "friends" (literally) stabbing you in the back.
I agree that the tragic hero had to be Caesar. He did not realize that his so called friends really did not like him. True, he would refer to himself in third person and was very cocky but besides that I did not see him do anything in the play which is another contribution to him being the tragic hero. I have taken History and know that he was bad in ways in History but one did not see that in the play.
Well, I pretty much disagree with all of you. Caesar was not the tragic hero. He wasn't even there for most of the play. He was also a very arrogant man, I mean, anyone that constantly refers to himself in the third person has "self-love" issues.
Even though his intentions were good, Brutus I will admit, became caught up with the power he had and he did use it wrongly at times, but at least he seemed to have noticed the error of his ways by the end of his life. Thus I say Brutus was the tragic hero.
I actually disagree. I don't think that Caesar is any kind of a hero. Brutus does things that many people wouldn't have agreed with and some of his acts might not have been heroic, but is the protagonist always the person you agree with? Typically, I think the protagonist is the person that you feel closest to in the book, movie, etc. In Brutus's mind, I believe he is doing what he feels he has to. His tragic flaw would have to be his own longing for power. I just don't see Caesar as a hero or a protagonist.
I believe that Caesar, like most people pointed out, is the tragic hero (if there is one but I don't believe this play has a hero). But if I have to pick a hero, I would pick Caesar. He was Rome's hero. His tragic flaw was, like most people said, not being suspecting of the conspirasy until right before his tragic demise. Had he known what was going to happen, he could have stopped it and been an even greater hero to Rome. The people would have HATED Cassius and Brutus and Caesar would have saved Rome yet again.
I feel that Brutus is the tragic hero in the play. Out of all of the other conspirators and other politicians, he was the only one who wanted to rid of Caesar for the good of the towns people. He did what he taught was best for everyone else. Brutus pretty much lost everything (his wife, gentleness, and life) to do what he believed was right. His only flaw is that he let things rest on his conscious and lets them bother him.
I am going to back Rylan up on his point that the protagonist is the person you feel closest to. I felt closer to Brutus in this play, because we learned more about him than we did Caesar; even though Caesar was only in the story for a short time, we still could have learned much more about him. Therefore, we were able to see where Brutus was coming from, and his reasons for conspiring against Caesar. If you hadn't already deciphered it, I believe Brutus is the protagonist, simply because I felt more of a connection with him than Caesar.
I agree with those that say Caesar is the tragic hero, but going back to Caitlin's comment, I don't think he could have discovered the conspirators' scheme. Yes, he trusted people too much, which became his traic flaw, but his "friends" would not have let him foil their plan. If he had doubted them, they would have come up with another lie and more flattery to cover their tracks.
I believe there were two tragic heroes. They were both misguided and i believed too trusting. With Brutus believing in Cassius and not going with his own real instincts and knowledge of Caesar, and believing everything that Cassius said, that was his tragic flaw. He (Brutus)just wanted to do the best for his people, and in doing this killed his best friend. Yet then, there is Caesar. He believed these people, the conspirators, were his best friends, and by trusting them, led to his untimely demise. If he had not let these people so close to begin with, he might have had a more correct assessment to the situation at hand. Honestly in the story, the reader doesn't know if everything they hear is true about Caesar, or if its just the jealousy or opinions of his haters. Trust is often given to frequently without just deserve, and that was both of their tragic flaws.
I'm going to have to disagree with everyone so far. I don't think that there is a tragic hero in Julius Caesar. My problem with both Caesar and Brutus is that they were both power hungry. Before Caesar died, he called himself the Northern Star and was so into himself that he couldn't even see his own death coming. Then once Brutus had killed Caesar, he started to refer to hisself as Brutus and got that same I'm always right attitude that Caesar had. I feel that both of them might of had good intentions with their actions, but both became conceited with power and that keeps me from calling either one of them the tragic hero.
Caesar was the tragic hero in Julius Caesar, because his friends betrayed him. Most people know what it's like to be "stabbed in the back" by someone that they trusted.
Like Jessica said before, when Caesar said, "Et Tu Brute? Then fall Caesar." That broke my heart. I think his tragic flaw was that he was too trusting of other people.
I disagree with pretty much all of you. Mostly because Caesar was in four out of eighteen scenes. Pretty much the only part he had in the novel was getting killed which caused all the bad things to happen to Brutus, the REAL protagonist. "But Seth! Brutus betrayed Caesar! Shouldn't we pity Caesar." Well Caesar bit the dust and that's really sad but didn't the same thing happen to Brutus? I do recall a certain Marc Antony turning all of ROME against him. And in the end, Brutus kicked the bucket too. In fact, that scene was so tragic Antony even said nice things about Brutus. Brutus just didn't known what goes around comes around. He also trusted Antony, which was a BIG mistake.
Even though both sides have strong arguments I truly beleive that Brutus was the tragic hero of this play. He was the only one who I felt was trying to accomplish something. Caesar's actions were never really stated in the book, they were just hinted at by Mark Antony. Therefore, I don't think Caesar was a hero for anyone. Brutus, on the other hand, at least took into consideration how his actions would affect the people of Rome, and if it was really for the betterment of the country. However, Brutus's fatal flaw was letting power go to his head and not listening to the suggestions of others. This is shown when he and Cassius argue about their battle strategies, which Brutus ends up winning. This ultimately leads to his downfall.
I agree with Cameron in that Brutus was the tragic hero of this play. I think the last line of the play proves this. Antony states "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." Antony is saying that every conspirator execpt Brutus killed Caesar in envy of him. Brutus only joined the conspiracy to bring common good to the Roman people. Antony is actualy stating that Brutus's fualt was also his strenght in that he would do anything for his country. This fault brought to his demise which indicates that Brutus was infact the tragic hero
Brutus, agreeing with Cameron and Collin, is the tragic hero in this play. He portrayed the characteristics of a deft leader and faught for what he believed was just. Caesar, on the other hand, didn't stand out due to his actions. He only stood out because of his name. Also, while Brutus made himself a strong character, Caesar only shined through Marc Antony. Caesar, in my eyes, did not deserve to be king, and Brutus saw that. He made his decisions for the betterment of Rome, not for himself. In stabbing Caesar, Brutus became the "tragic hero" in this story.
I agree with Clint. Caesar only showed an arrogant and self-centered side. Caesar only did what would keep his reputation up. For example: Caesar decided not to go to the senate because he and his wife were superstitious. He quickly decided to go to the senate after being told he would seem like a coward. Therefore, Brutus was the true hero of the book. He showed great intelligence throughout the book. He was also the only conspirator to kill Casar for the good of Rome. After all, he was the "Noblest Roman of them all."
I also think Brutus is too. Brutus was honorable in everything he did. Caesar was power hungry and would have probably become a tyrant.
I suggest that Brutus was the tragic hero. Brutus had killed Caesar for the well being of the Romans, which implies he is honorable. Caesar was already turning into the power hungry lion all the conspirators thought he would be. Yes, we do not know if Caesar would had been a tyrant, but do we know if he would of died for the Romans honorably? At least Brutus died honorably for them, and this reveals that Brutus cared and was most likely the Roman's hero. They would have probably remember his position in killing Caesar was for them.
After further researching how to define a tragic hero, it is simple to see how a discrepancy occurs between the decisions of who the tragic hero is in Julius Caesar.
According to http://tttc.org/projects/JZarro2/process2.html, a tragic hero is responsible for his or her fate. Julius Caesar did not choose to be stabbed to death. Therefore, I agree with the latter part of the discussion that Brutus is the tragic hero. I know earlier I said that Caesar was, but that just goes to show why there are opposing views on this topic.
Brutus made multiple critical errors in judgment which is another characteristic of a tragic hero. He realizes that killing Caesar was the best thing he could do for Rome, but he was still his friend. His army may have also had a better chance if he had listened to Cassius and let the opponents come to them. In the end, he understands that it is best for him to die so he kills himself. He tried to do so much good, that he was eventually bound to fail due to all of the things that went right for him.
I agree with Alisha. I don't really believe that there is a tragic hero in Julius Caesar. If Caesar hadn't of died he could have proven himself a hero,but he was stabbed by Brutus and the others; however,I do think that if Brutus hadn't of killed himself he would be the hero because he really did kill Caesar for the GOOD of Rome. I also believe that now that Brutus is dead Rome may start to stumble under Octavius and Antony because of imaturity and greetiness for fame that the two have
I agree the most with Kiara (Ki r.). I think Caesar could have been the hero, but we aren't sure of his ambitions for Rome. However, Shakespeare is very clear of Brutus's intentions. It is said in the play that he killed Caesar for the general and he was "the noblest Roman of them all". I think his only downfall was his guilty conscience. If Caesar hadn't been his best friend, I believe Brutus could have succeeded and lived.
I believe that Caesar is the tragic hero, because like many people have said he was unable to see the tratiors that were right in front of him. He died for reasons that can not be cretain. Was he ambitious? I'm not sure, but him being killed that way makes the reader feel sorry for him.
I'm going to go with Clint and everyone else that said that Brutus was the tragic hero of Julius Caesar, because in the definition that Mrs. Mcaffry gave it says that the downfall incites feelings of pity from the audience. When Caesar dies, I thought that he deserved it from being so cocky in his speach just before he is killed. Yet when Brutus commits suicide, I felt bad that he died and wished that he would have ruled after Caesar died. So that makes Brutus the tragic hero.
To say it bluntly, I disagree with most of you. I do not think Caesar was the tragic hero. To agree with Wesley, Caesar was not even around for most of the book and was very arrogant. Yes everything was based upon Caesar after his death but I feel that Brutus was in a way more of a hero. Ithink this for two main reasons. One is because he killed Caesar for the good of the people, nothing personal. And two, he did realize his great mistake and ultamitaly took his life for it.
I agree with what Alisha said, I don't see Brutus or Caesar as a hero. Caesar was power hungry and Brutus killed him. Sure he did it for the good of Rome, but there were many different ways to overthrow Caesar, and death should have been the last resort. A hero, tragic or not, is someone who you look up to and want to be like, and at the end of this play I can say that I do not want to be like Caesar or Brutus.
I believe Caesar was the tragic hero or protagonist of the play because the entire thing revolves around him. Even after his death decisions are being made based on him and after his death his "ghost" apears to Brutus to influences his actions and decisions. This shows that there really wasn't anything anyone could do to get ride of Caesar completely. Even Brutus who was strongly against Caesar's ambition started to act like Caesar and have his ambition. Caesar's flaw was he didn't seem to be aware of his enemies, but in this end even after he was murdered his legend lived on in others which makes this flaw seem much less tragic.
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