Who is the real hero of the play “Julius Caesar”? Brutus or Caesar?

Answer

Who is the real hero of the play “Julius Caesar”? Brutus or Caesar?

“Julius Caesar,” first performed in 1599, is a historical play and tragedy by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Set in 44 BC Rome, Brutus joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to assassinate Julius Caesar to prevent Caesar from being a tyrant and save the people of Rome.

Julius Caesar can be considered only the titular hero (the play’s title is named after Caesar), while the dramatic hero is Brutus. According to this view, Caesar appears only thrice in the play, and even then, the impression he leaves is that he is poor.  Caesar dies early, in Act 3, appearing only later as a Ghost.

On the other hand, Brutus dominates the play from the beginning to the end. He is the center of interest in the play. The play’s beginning, middle, and end follow Brutus more closely, ending in the death and informal eulogy of Brutus. Antony pays tribute to Brutus after seeing his dead body:

“the noblest Roman of them all”

However, Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus fall under the criteria of a tragic hero, though Brutus has much stronger claims.

Brutus as a Tragic Hero

Noble Intentions: Brutus is portrayed as a man of honor and integrity. He is known to the people of Rome as a high-minded, noble-spirited, and honorable man. He joins the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar not out of personal ambition but because he believes it’s for the greater good of Rome. He fears Caesar’s ambition will lead to tyranny, and he thinks he is acting in the best interest of the Roman Republic. At Caesar’s funeral, Brutus addresses,

“Not that I loved Caesar less; but that I loved Rome more.”

Tragic Flaw: Brutus’s tragic flaw is his idealism and naivety. He believes too easily in the noble intentions of others, such as Cassius, who manipulates him into joining the conspiracy. His trust in the goodness of others blinds him to their ulterior motives, leading to his downfall.

Catharsis: Brutus’s downfall evokes pity and fear in the audience. Despite his flaws, he joins the conspiracy only for the people of Rome. Brutus’s nobility and honor make him a sympathetic character.

Julius Caesar as a Tragic Hero

Greatness and Ambition: Caesar is depicted as a great military leader and statesman who has achieved immense power and popularity. However, his ambition and desire for absolute power make him vulnerable to enemies.

Tragic Flaw and Hubris: Caesar’s tragic flaw is his arrogance and overconfidence in his destiny. Despite warnings from the soothsayer: “Beware the Ides of March,” and his wife, Calpurnia, he dismisses their concerns and ignores the omens that foretell his death. His belief in his invincibility ultimately leads to his downfall.

Pity and Fear: Caesar’s assassination evokes pity and fear in the audience. Despite his flaws, he is a complex and charismatic character who inspires admiration and apprehension. His death marks the beginning of the tragic conflict that plunges Rome into chaos and civil war.

Who, then, is the real hero of the play? It’s hard to make generalizations. Both Caesar himself and Brutus fail by being naive and too trusting in their destiny. Both Brutus and Caesar can be considered tragic heroes in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” but they represent different aspects of tragedy and heroism. Brutus’s noble intentions and tragic flaws make him a sympathetic figure whose downfall is a cautionary tale about the dangers of idealism and political naivety. Meanwhile, Caesar’s greatness, ambition, arrogance, and overconfidence make him a complex and compelling character whose death sets off a chain of events that shape the course of Roman history.