Emma Weidenhamer

2 November 2009

Ms. Smith

Academic Eng 10

1. I chose Brutus because I feel that I can relate to him. I can relate to

him because I could see my self doing something similar to what he did. I

don’t mean I would kill someone, just if I thought that something could be

done for the betterment of my family, or someone else I cared for, I would

probably do it. Brutus’ perspective on the action of the play is open-minded,

at least in his opinion. He thinks he is doing the right thing by conspirating

against Caesar. In a way, I am just like Brutus.

2. Brutus, conspirator against Julius Caesar, the last to stab him. Brutus

was Caesar’s ‘right-hand man’, you could say. So he would’ve had to have

been very motivated. His main motivation was his sense of honor to his

country. He was loyal to Caesar, but he was more loyal to his country. He

would do anything for the betterment of his country. He received letters from

Roman citizens (really from Cassius) telling him that Rome would be so much

better if Caesar were not ruling it.

3. Brutus’ actions at the beginning of the play were loyal to Caesar. He

was on Caesar’s side, friends with Cassius and the conspirators, unknowing

of their plan to assassinate Caesar. He interacted well with everyone. In the

middle of the play, Brutus has been swayed by Cassius to join their cause,

and betrays his friend. By the end of the play, Brutus is dead, and, according

to Antony, has “died an honorable man.” These actions reveal that Brutus is

very easily persuaded, and that he truly believed that what he was doing

was best for his country.

4. Brutus changes a great deal throughout the play, both obviously and

subtly. Brutus changes from being loyal to Caesar to being loyal to Cassius

and the conspirators. In his funeral speech, he says a great deal about the

reasons the conspirators killed Caesar, and how good it was for the country

that they did this. His perspectives on different topics change throughout the

play. He learns more about himself, mainly, and Cassius too. During his

speech, Brutus says, “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of

Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then

that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not

that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” This shows how much

he has and has not changed, all in one sentence.

5. Brutus’ level of morality may seem low, but it is really the highest of all

of the characters in the play. He truly believes, as is shown in his quote

above, that he has done the right thing, as it was for his country. He loves

his country more than he loves his friends, more than he loves even himself.

At the end, he asks to be killed, because he knows that he was manipulated

and that Caesar truly did not have to die. He is truly sorry, and wants to end
his life for this deed he has committed. Antony says that Brutus has died an

honorable man, and, as Antony was Brutus’ enemy, this is saying a lot.