Hero of Julius Caesar

There are many characters that can be considered to be the hero of "Julius Caesar," but in the end it truly comes down to only two men who can truly be seen as, "heroes." And they are, Marcus Brutus, Julius Caesar.

Many people would argue that Brutus is the hero, but Julius Caesar is definitely the hero. Why? The people of Rome love Caesar so much that they offer him the crown three times, yet he repeatedly turns it down. Also even though Brutus loves Rome, he is virtually unknown to the citizens. Even though Brutus could be considered the hero of the play, Caesar just fits the mold better. Caesar has been the leader of Rome without being king, and he has brought back numerous victories, which is a sign of power. He can boast of his riches and prosperity through his wealth, his many friends, and loving wife. So his tragic flaw only makes the play more tragic. He is too trusting and over-confident in the loyalty of his closest friends. Never did Caesar imagine that his friends were trying to assassinate him.

The point is that William Shakespeare focused the entire play around Julius Caesar; it was called The Tragedy of Julius Caesar for a reason. Shakespeare bases the entire story around Caesar, the events that led up to his death, and what happened after his death. Brutus' suicide cannot really be considered a tragedy because he took his own life.

Brutus is too unimportant to be considered the hero of the play, if he was taken out of the play, he would be replaced by one of the other betrayers. On the other hand, if Caesar was to be taken out of the play there would be no storyline, or plot. Brutus may be the main character, but he is only Shakespeare's tool in moving the story along. The play is about a man who was tragically betrayed by his friends, and that man is Julius Caesar.