Tragic Hero essay

Tragic Hero essay

  • Submitted By: TaylorLK2015
  • Date Submitted: 09/11/2013 7:36 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 912
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 149

A tragic hero is a high ranking or respected person who has a fatal weakness or tragic flaw that causes his downfall. This flaw may be a good quality or virtue that is carried to excess. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar; the character Marcus Brutus fits the definition of a tragic hero. He was respected throughout this story by all of the people in Rome. Brutus was a noble man, more noble than evil. Marcus Brutus is a tragic hero because, though he has great nobility and is very loyal as a character, he also has a tragic flaw, his naïve manner, which leads to his downfall.
Brutus had great promise, ability, and strength, and used it to his advantage. Brutus was respected by all of the conspirators. He was known as the most honorable man and showed many qualities. "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more" (3.2.21-22). He cared for Rome, but he believed that Rome shouldn’t be ruled by a dictator. In the beginning of the play, Brutus is fighting with himself against whether or not he wants to join the conspiracy to kill Cesar. Cassius tried to get Brutus to join the conspiracy, and be on their side so they could convince everyone that they killed Caesar for good reasons instead of out of hate. Casca stated “O, He sits high in all the people’s hearts, and which that would appear in offense to us, his countenance, like richest alchemy, will change to virtue and to worthiness”(1.3.157-159). Once he decides that he does what to join the conspiracy, he takes matters into his own hands and alters the ideas and plans of the men to his standards. “Our course will seem too bloody/ Caius Cassius/ To cut the head off and then hack the limbs/ Like wrath in death and envy afterwards...” (2.1.162-164). This illustrates how Brutus was informed about the plans of the conspiracy but changed them due to his own understanding and taste. He thought that in order to preserve Rome, the best thing to do would be to join the conspiracy against...

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