A tragic hero is a person in a high position who has a weakness(tragic flaw). He is not victim of fate, he makes a tragic mistake and falls as a result. In William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”, the character Brutus fits the definition of a tragic hero. A tragic hero is characterized as good and noble. Brutus shows this characteristic, but he is too noble. He loves Rome and he is will to do everything for Rome. Brutus has nothing against Caesar personally, but he is afraid that Caesar will become too ambitious which is not good for Rome, so he kills his friend Caesar. Brutus sincerely believes that what he is doing will save Rome. He says himself “Brutus would rather be a villager than the repute himself as a son of Rome.’’ From this quotation, we can see Brutus is a very noble man. Second, Brutus was too trusting. Cassius states: “Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, and look you lay it in the praetor’s chair, where Brutus may but find it, and throw this in at his windom.” Cassius forged the letter and Brutus trust Cassius and believes that the people of Rome really want him to kill Caesar. Then, Brutus is over trusting of Mark Antony, he allows Antony to give a speech at Caesar’s funeral. He trusts Antony will not deceive him. Third tragic flaw is his idealism. Cassius states:“ Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that “Caesar”? Why should that name be sounded more than yours?” From this quotation, we can see, Caesar is not idealist as Brutus’s.In Brutus’s opinion, people are basically good. Therefore, he believes that the reason of Cassius wants to kill Caesar is same like his, to save Rome. But actually, Cassius assassinates Caesar for personal. He wants to get power and not control by Caesar. Because of his idealism, he thinks all people are noble as him, he makes wrong judgement and cause himself downfall.
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