The Naive Brutus by Nikolette Haas https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx For the Sake of Honor en-us 2018-02-07 14:54:34 UTC 2023-01-19 18:14:44 UTC hello@padlet.com Marcus Brutus 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229131380 2018-02-07 15:11:13 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229131380 Characterization Quotes 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229133854 One of Brutus's first appearances in Act I is when he doesn't want to go to the race with Cassius.
"I am not gamesome: I do lack some part of that quick spirit that is in Antony. Let me not hunder, Cassius, your desires: I'll leave you" (I, ii, 28-31).
In this scene, Brutus outright says he is dull when compared to Antony lively disposition.

Constant themes in Brutus' life are loyalty and honor.
"If it aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death i'th' other, and I will look on both indifferently; for let the gods so speed me, as I love the name of honor more than I fear death" (I, ii, 85-89).
Brutus is very loyal to rome, so loyal he would give up his own life if it mean he could be honorable.

Cassius describes how he sees Brutus,
"Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that is disposed" (I, ii, 308-310).
Cassius is saying that Brutus is naive. Brutus is a noble man but people can take advantage of that and use his honor against him.

Cassius, Cinna, and Casca plan to manipulate Brutus by using his family.
"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 window; set this up with wax upon old Brutus' statue." (I, iii, 142-146).
This further pushes Brutus' ideals of honor and his naive nature. Brutus is naive because he will easily walk into Cassius' ploy, but it stems from his want to honor his ancestors. 

Unlike Cassius, the thought of killing Caesar is a struggle for Brutus.
"It must be by his death, and for my part I know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general. He would be crowned. How that might change his nature, there’s the question" (II, 10-13).
This shows how Brutus is more caring than Cassius. Even though he knows Caesar is toxic for Rome,   Brutus struggles with the idea of killing his friend, this is one of softer sides of Brutus

Brutus admits,
"Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing and the first motion, all the interim is like a phantasma or a hideous dream." (II, i, 63-67).
Brutus cannot sleep with the thought of killing Caesar, further showing him having a conscience while still struggling with loyalty.
]]> 2018-02-07 15:15:37 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229133854 Background 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229147834 Junius Brutus: founder of the Roman Republic
  • Ancestor of Marcus Brutus

Brutus says,
"My ancestors did from the streets of Rome the Tarquin drive when he was called a king" (II, i, 56-57).

Lucius says,
"Sir, ’tis your brother Cassius at the door, Who doth desire to see you."

]]> 2018-02-07 15:38:14 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229147834 Motivations 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229148087 Brutus' main motivation is honor. Honor for Rome is his drive for killing Caesar and is the aspect of him that is used by Cassius, Cinna, and Casca for manipulation. Brutus is also motivated by his fear of the outcome of Rome. This fear is what helps persuade him to go along with Cassius and plan to kill Caesar.

Brutus describes his motivation for killing Caesar, 
"We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, and in the spirit of men there is no blood" (II, ii, 174-175).

]]> 2018-02-07 15:38:37 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229148087 Fears 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229148461 Brutus says it himself:
 "I do fear, the people choose Caesar for their king." (I, ii, 82-83)
Brutus is afraid of the outcome of Rome, he is afraid of dictatorship, this is a driving force for a lot of his actions in the story. 
]]> 2018-02-07 15:39:09 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229148461 Importance 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229148933 Brutus just might be the most important person to talk about, when telling the story of Julius Caesar (besides Caesar himself).  Casca and Cassius even talk about his importance,
" Casca: Oh, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, and that which would appear offense in us, his countenance, like richest alchemy,
will change to virtue and to worthiness.
Cassius: Him and his worth and our great need of him you have right well conceited" (I, iii, 159-164).
Without Brutus, the plan of killing Caesar would have never begun. Like Casca says, "And that which would appear offense in us, his countenance". Casca is saying that Brutus can get away with killing Caesar when they could not.
]]> 2018-02-07 15:39:58 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229148933 Conflicts 222365 https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229149099 External: 
  • Brutus is conflicted with Caesar. Brutus suspects Caesar's ambitions, to become king of Rome, and does not support that. He is torn between his friends ambitions and his own.

Internal: 
  • Brutus is conflicted with the idea of killing Caesar. Brutus knows killing him would honor Rome, but killing Caesar would also be a dishonorable move to a friend.
  • Brutus struggles with the idea of having to be a backstabber in order to honor Rome, to the point where he can no longer eat and sleep.
]]> 2018-02-07 15:40:10 UTC https://padlet.com/222365/27lg0bk4trvx/wish/229149099