Brutus believes that the conspirators will be seen as liberators.
Brutus was an idealist. He truly believed that the Roman people would see the conspirators as tyrant-killers and liberators. When preparing the conspirators, Brutus told them that they were not going to kill anyone but Caesar. Image was very important to him. He wanted the conspirators to have a positive image with the Roman people.
BRUTUS
… Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius....
Brutus believes that the conspirators will be seen as liberators.
Brutus was an idealist. He truly believed that the Roman people would see the conspirators as tyrant-killers and liberators. When preparing the conspirators, Brutus told them that they were not going to kill anyone but Caesar. Image was very important to him. He wanted the conspirators to have a positive image with the Roman people.
BRUTUS
… Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,
And not dismember Caesar! (Act 2, Scene 1)
Brutus was so convinced, in fact, that the conspirators would be seen as liberators, that he had them bathe their hands in Caesar’s blood, so that they could walk through the streets with it on their hands and weapons showing the people who saved them. It sounds gruesome, but this was really his plan.
BRUTUS
Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged
His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords:
Then walk we forth, even to the market-place,
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom and liberty!' (Act 3, Scene 1)
Brutus then made a speech at Caesar’s funeral, in which he explained why they killed Caesar. Caesar was ambitious, Brutus told the people of Rome, and for that he needed to be killed. Brutus was doing well, too. They believed him until Mark Antony took the podium. Antony convinced everyone that Brutus and the other conspirators were nothing more than murderers. Brutus gave him permission because he thought he would be supportive. It backfired.
No comments:
Post a Comment