The Real Hero

[Stiffeny Brown]

There i s a great controversy as to who is the hero of the play “Julius Caesar”. Some critics think that there is no hero in the play. Dowden and Stopford Brooke think that Julius Caesar is the hero of the play not because of his physical presence but because of his dominating spirit. Where else some critics regard Brutus as the real hero of the play as he is the prominent figure from the beginning to the end. He fulfils all the requirements of a Shakespearean tragic hero. So who should be considered the real hero, I am really confused.

[sumalan monica]

Shakespeare`s Brutus is fascinatingly different from the person in the ancient sources.Becausse Brutus`s character arouses our sympathy ,it weights the entire moral argument of the play showing us that political events do not move by their cold logic,but at every stage incorporate human choices,human passions,human anguish and human mistakes.
His moral rightness is flawed by the very humanity which gives rise to it.
His sensibility and his common sense never marc in step.

[ennison]

'showing us that political events do not move by their cold logic,but at every stage incorporate human choices,human passions,human anguish and human mistakes.'
A neat non-Marxian comment. I like it.

[Rosalind]

I always go with Brutus on this one, because, as you say, he has all the characteristics of a tragic hero, and because Caesar...well...doesn't. The Julius Caesar of the play has no character arc, if his tragic flaw is hubris, then it's not really explored within the timeframe of the play, he's not that interesting, and I personally don't think he's that sympathetic.

As opposed to Brutus, who, as sumalan monica points out, is a fascinating and well developed character. He has an arc, heroic virtues and flaws, even the most nitpicky of tragic hero characteristics, and some really cool monologues.

So what do you think?