Saturday, December 16, 2017

Why did Brutus betray Caesar?

The answer to this question can be found in Brutus's funeral speech in Act 3, scene II, where he tries to explain to the Roman citizens why Caesar needed to die. He explains that no one loved Caesar more than he, but that he "loved Rome more." Throughout the speech, he provides reasons for why Caesar was no good to the people of Rome, pointing to the fact that under his rule, they would "die...

The answer to this question can be found in Brutus's funeral speech in Act 3, scene II, where he tries to explain to the Roman citizens why Caesar needed to die. He explains that no one loved Caesar more than he, but that he "loved Rome more." Throughout the speech, he provides reasons for why Caesar was no good to the people of Rome, pointing to the fact that under his rule, they would "die all slaves" and therefore it was necessary for Brutus to "rise against Caesar." Brutus explains to the audience:



As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him.



Though Brutus admires many of Caesar's traits, his admiration does not outweigh the need to stop his ambition. In weighing his strong love for Caesar with his love for Rome, Brutus effectively sways the audience, in this moment, from thinking he has committed a crime to believing he has made a sacrifice for their benefit.

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