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Julius Caesar: Hero Or Villain?

Decent Essays

Hero or Villain? The characters throughout the play of Julius Caesar are never truly identified as being a hero or a villain. By the end of the play Brutus is considered a tragic hero, however slaughtering and betraying his best friend does not strike someone as being a hero. Shakespeare shows how the characters are equivocal through traits such as, pride, power, manipulative, and nobility. By creating such ambiguous characters, Shakespeare shows that humanity is flawed and that no human being can be perfect. Caesar appears to be an innocent murder victim and possibly the protagonist of the play, but Shakespeare shows how his arrogance, pride, and power could have also made him a villain to Rome. Caesar says that he is not ashamed of his …show more content…

Brutus has done things that even though might be unforgivable, if people were to closely scrutinize his actions more carefully than Brutus is indeed the hero of the play and this can be proven. Brutus is a loving character that over the course of the play is well known by everybody and his love and caring personality is shown through the following quote: “O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts; / and that which would appear offence in us, / his countenance, like richest alchemy, / will change to virtue and to worthiness.” (JC. 1. 3. 157-160). In this scene, Casca wants Brutus to be apart of the conspiracy as he compliments him because Brutus was well known and definitely a great leader. Brutus also has a deep respect with his wife and didn’t put himself first before his wife. “Portia what mean you? Wherefore rise you now? / It is not for your health, thus to commit / your weak condition to the raw cold morning.” (JC. 2. 1. 234-236). Brutus is a loving character through this quote because normally, women weren’t well recognized as they are now but Brutus really cares and shows love for his wife. Shakespeare shows that Brutus could also be considered a tragic hero and not a villain. Through some of Brutus’ actions however, Shakespeare shows people that no one is spotless and everyone has

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