William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is mainly based on the
assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was in charge of the
assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to
Julius Caesar. (http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/m_brutus.sum.html) But what
would cause a person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus'
relationship to Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to
the plot, the truth can be revealed. Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend
to Caesar, has a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship
with Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In many points of the
play, Brutus was talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears
his power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "What
means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king...yet
I love him well."(Shakesspeare, act 1, scene 2,85-89), as he is speaking to
Cassius. Brutus loves Caesar, but would not allow him to
"climber-upward...He then unto the ladder turns his back..."(act 2,
scene 1, 24,26). As the quote says, Fite 2 Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise
to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome.Brutus had honored
Caesar but Brutus felt that Caesar was to ambitious. Brutus also felt that
Caesar made the romans as slaves. Therefore, Brutus is an honorable man. Brutus
is a noble man who was revered by many. Brutus had joined the conspiracy because
he had the desire to help the commoners. He was a follower of idealism, where
the romans would possess peace, liberty and freedom. Brutus wanted the kill
Caesar, because he believed that all of the people of Rome would eventually be
slaves, thus Brutus resorted to the assassination ofCaesar.(Ferguson 145) After
the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about Caesar's death.
"Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity to the general wrong of
Rome..."(Shakesspeare, act 3, scene 1, 185-186). Brutus says that Antony
cannot see the members of the conspiracys hearts, which are full of pity. Again,
this shows how Brutus loved Caesar but cared for the life of Rome and its people
more. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. For Brutus
says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might
change his nature..."(Shakespeare, act 2, scene1, 1,13) Caesar's
relationship with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar
shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him and does
the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of March, Fite 3 as
Caesar was assassinated, Caesar's last line is: "Et tu, Brute?--Then fall,
Caesar."(Shakespeare, act 3, scene 1, 85). This shows that Caesar would not
die without Brutus' stab. Caesar realizes that there must be a noble reason for
this assassination if Brutus was in it. This again shows how much Caesar
respects Brutus. Brutus and Caesar both respect each other, but in different
ways.(http://www.pei- asia.com/history/ROMAN/BRUTUS/BRUTUS.HT) Marcus Brutus had
a very important role in the conspiracy against Caesar. He was the
"back-bone" of the plan. According to Cassius, Brutus' main purpose in
the conspiracy is for an insurance policy.(Bowers, 38-42) The people will think,
since Brutus is noble to Caesar, that there is a good reason for Caesar's
assassination. Brutus will also be the leader of the conspiracy for another
"insurance policy" for the assassination.(47) Cassius is the one who
declares this, "Brutus shall lead the way, and we will grace his heels with
the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. "(Shakespeare, act 3, scene 1,
135-136). Again, if Brutus leads the way, the people will think that the death
of Julius Caesar wasn't such a bad thing. Brutus also declares to himself that
his role in the conspiracy is to save Rome. He says to the people that, "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."(Act 3,scene 2,
21-24). If Brutus was not in the plot Fite 4 of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
the conspiracy would probably not have worked.(Bowers, 53) Since Brutus
"...loved Rome more."(Shakespeare, Act 3,scene2, 23-24), he decided to
be a part of he conspiracy. If he hadn't loved Rome more than Caesar, he would
not have joined in the assassination of Julius Caesar. Cassius and the rest of
the conspirators would probably not have continued on without Brutus because
they would have no "insurance" afterwards. The people would think that
there was no reason for Caesar's death and most likely beheaded all the
conspirators. Also, if Brutus was not in the play, the whole end of the play
would not ever occur. Brutus would not be there to have an army or kill himself,
and Cassius will already be beheaded. If Brutus was not in the play, the title
would have absolutely no meaning. Marcus Brutus was a good friend to Julius
Caesar, but not good enough. He had moral values dealing with Rome and its
people. Brutus' values then made him join a conspiracy against Caesar put
together by Cassius.(Wilson, 87-89) Brutus joined this mainly because he didn't
want Caesar to turn his back on Rome so there would be a reasonable reason for
killing Caesar.(90) If Brutus wasn't in the play, there would be no
"Tragedy" in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.