Connotation Of Brutus In Shakespeare's The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, a Shakespearean play, dramatizes the conspiracy against thy leader Caesar. Angered with the Roman citizens for abandoning their work, Flavius and Murellus start to tear down the decorations off the statues of Julius Caesar. Caesar returning back to Rome hears the soothsayer speak out to “beware the ides of March,” yet Caesar ignores this omen and continues on in his celebration of his return and defeat(I .ii. 18). Cassius’ resentment against Caesar’s rise to power manipulates Brutus into this conspiracy and not long after, it all begins⎯ the conspiracy to murder Julius Caesar. Antony, a friend of Caesar, has the citizens of Rome rebel against the conspirators ending with the death of thy noble Brutus. Shakespeare…show more content…
As the news arrives to Brutus that Portia has died, Brutus remains silent, for he does not want to speak more of her death. Brutus says to Messala, “We must die,” which is an example of Shakespeare's diction to show the audience of Brutus’ stoicism(IV. iii. 189). Brutus’s comment to Messala is the connotation that Brutus knows that Portia would have died anyways happening to be now; for he shows no emotion. Brutus wants to move on and remembers they will all die sooner or later and her death bed happened to be now. Brutus is disinterested in the fact that his wife has died and wants to move on even though Cassius brings it upon him a couple of times. Through showing no emotion upon Portia’s death is not what many husbands would do and that he is a man who accepts things more easily than others do. No matter how important people may seem to Brutus, he has a doubtful attitude of humanity. Another example of Shakespeare’s use of diction of Brutus’ stoicism is when Caesar’s ghost appears in Brutus’s tent. The ghost tells Brutus that “thou shalt see me at Philippi”(IV. iii. 283). The ghost represented Brutus’ guilt for he killed Caesar. As the overflowing guilt of the death of Caesar came unto Brutus, it resulted in his own death. Due to his stoic value that he will no longer live with remorse of the death from Caesar, he realized that he would die because of his wrong reparation. Brutus’ friendship with Caesar…show more content…
Antony knowing Brutus’s weaknesses, is able to take advantage of him by using shrewd flattering. Antony, after the murdering of Julius Caesar, tells the conspirators, including Brutus, “Friends I am with you all, and love you all”(III. ii. 220). The audience can see that Shakespeare's use of diction allows them to see that Antony flatters them into thinking that they are friends although it is just a way to get him into power. Manipulating the conspirators using, “love”and “with” shows the literal connotation that he is with them but only to take advantage of them which they are not able to hear. He is not saying he loves them but that it’s a way for him to tell them that he is with them to get on their good side to really take revenge on them. Angering the crowd using flattering, is another example of Shakespeare's diction to endow Antony’s characteristic of being able to flatter people to get to power. After this event occurred, Antony made a eulogy to Caesar using flattering to get the townspeople to go after the conspirators. But before they went after the conspirators, Antony brought the body of dead Julius Caesar to the crowd where he would say his eulogy to Caesar. The second plebeian responded saying “Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping”(III. ii. 116-117). Antony was able to make the plebeians feel bad about the death of Caesar. Shakespeare's diction, “Poor” and “weeping”
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