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Post by KevinW on Feb 21, 2013 4:43:27 GMT -5
Before we start, let me say that Ms. Boyd in English first period suggested that Brutus was secretly (on the inside/subconsciously) evil. I don't believe a bucking (not misspelled) word of that, so I'll explain below. Post your thoughts, too. Do you think Brutus is secretly evil? Why or why not? NOTE THAT THE POINT ISN'T ABOUT HOW STUPID OR EASILY PERSUADED BRUTUS IS. It's about if he is subconsciously evil, like Ms. Boyd suggested.I strongly disagree with the subconscious/Freudian (aka Loony) theory that Brutus is greatly influenced by his hidden "dark side." If the influence was great, we should see some manifestation. But so far I only see ignorance, stupidity, and blindness in Brutus's decision to join the conspiracy and kill his best buddy. The original theory was inferred from the following line of reasoning:
1. Brutus is honorable.
2. Brutus suspects Caesar of abusing or threatening to abuse his power.
3. An honorable Brutus would have confronted Caesar about that.
4. Brutus did not confront Caesar, but was convinced by Cassius that Caesar is a threat and needs to be killed.
5. Therefore, Brutus is not honorable on the inside.
5a. Instead, Brutus came up with all those reasons to rationalize his selfish decision. In other words, Brutus was trying to convince himself that he isn’t evil.
I agree that humans are born selfish, but I do not think Brutus had anywhere enough “evil” to influence his decision to kill his friend. Here’s what I find wrong with that theory:
1. If Brutus was meant to be evil on the inside, then it would have manifested:
2. Evil Brutus was never explicitly shown from Acts I-III.
3. Evil Brutus was never implicitly shown from Acts I-III.
4. Most of the characters in this play are evil in some way. Brutus therefore is most effective if portrayed as the tragic hero.
5. Brutus never mentioned any subconscious desires in his monologues.
6. Cassius never attempted to covertly appeal to Brutus’s inner evil with bribes or gifts.
7. Brutus is careful enough to sometimes make careful choices [/i]. For example, in deciding whether or not to include Cinna (Act II Scene i?), Brutus commented that Cinna would rattle on them since he only follows his own plots. 8. From 7, I suspect that Brutus was smart enough to realize how stupid it would be to walk up to a potential threat and ask him if he were a threat. I would not ask a suspected murderer if he was a murderer, or ask a suspected terrorist if he planned on bombing this plane. Seriously. [/blockquote] |
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Post by JustinK. on Feb 22, 2013 21:25:01 GMT -5
lol i think that Brutus is just Cassius's dumb puppet. First of all, he was easily persuaded by the fake letters, which can be understood. (people that can read and write? well, Brutus might think that these commoners are more educated so that their opinions should be considered important) After that, i think that he didn't report to Caesar because he didn't want to let Caesar have any suspicion. If Brutus reported to Caesar, then Caesar might've not died. Since he already suspected Cassius as the trouble, he might just avoid Cassius or just execute him after being noted that someone is after Caesar's power.
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Post by |Ruchira| on Feb 23, 2013 6:19:34 GMT -5
Omg Kevin, you are killing me
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Post by |Ruchira| on Feb 23, 2013 6:37:18 GMT -5
After some thinking, I think Brutas is evil. You have to be very sadistic and self fish to want to kill ur BFF over ur country. I mean ok, yes, I get it you love ur country but how can you kill someone so close to you?? Brutas could kill his wife, his kids, his people if he felt like that was the best. Not worrying about someone's life, especially a close one's is very evil.
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Post by sergeyfen on Feb 23, 2013 13:07:44 GMT -5
hmm i think that Brutus is pretty evil in some ways as he didnt stop and confronted Ceasar about he conspiracy, no matter how bad his friend is he is still his best friend. In other ways there was nothing mentioned that Brutus did the crime subconsciously, it was never even questioned, he was just stupidly convinced by Cassius and just like a puppet he killed Ceasar.
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sorn
Full Member
Posts: 126
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Post by sorn on Feb 23, 2013 17:37:41 GMT -5
I think that Brutus is evil because he also wants power. I think that since the beginning, he would want to benefit something from this friendship. If he is willing to kill his best friend for power, then we can easily conclude that Caesar is not his true best friend. Due to his personality, he is a man who can be very easily convinced so that is why he was used by the conspirators as a puppet.
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Post by brandonina on Feb 23, 2013 22:10:33 GMT -5
There are two sides of the argument. Brutus is either VERY stupid and not evil or subconsciously evil. I don't think Brutus is subconsciously evil according to what he says. In my opinion, he's very straightforward in regards to honor of Rome and doesn't really desire for power. If he was secretly evil, he would've led the conspiracy himself, not Cassius. But the fact that he didn't talk to Caesar about his concerns directly, who is his "best friend", really makes me wonder. Why? He could have just talked to Caesar and even give advice to his friend for the honor of Rome . Though this discussion is about his possible evilness, all I think is that Brutus is just stupid and honorable. LIKE REALLY. What's up with him.
But there might be evilness deep deep deep inside of Brutus...Who knows...
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Post by bilal15 on Feb 24, 2013 0:36:38 GMT -5
brutus IS EVIL i know he got it all wrong by cassius but man who does that stuff murdering his old and close friend just to protect his country i know brutus was patriotic and honorable but dude he could talk with ceasar solve this misunderstanding...................................brutus is STUPID.!!!!
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james
Full Member
Posts: 129
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Post by james on Feb 24, 2013 1:32:03 GMT -5
I sort of agree with ms. boyd that Brutus is subconsciously evil. Ok, he is willing to sacrifice himself for the good of Rome and blah blah blah. Even before that, he doesn't even think of his best friend, Caesar. If he really is a good guy and he is a kind of guy who suffers between two choices, I think he should've gone to Caesar and discussed about it. If he was a best friend of Caesar's, Caesar is willing to listen to Brutus and they could've worked things out. If Brutus isn't subconsciously evil at all, why wouldn't he visit to Caesar in the first place? and talk about what Caesar thinks about. I don't think having a little discussion with his best friend would make it too late to kill Caesar.
I'm just keep mentioning this, but if Brutus was soo honorable that eveyone think of him as it is, why didn't he just go and talk to Caesar in the first place!!!
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gb1708
Junior Member
Posts: 85
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Post by gb1708 on Feb 24, 2013 1:48:11 GMT -5
I don't think Brutus is evil. He will kill his best friend to save the country. As Ruchira said, he can kill anyone if it's good for his country because i think all the generations of his family have supported Rome. As ms.Boyd have mentioned that if he kills someone so close to him, he will obsess about that for the rest of his life.
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Post by chrishong on Feb 24, 2013 4:03:55 GMT -5
I think Brutus was a good person. Although he was a close friend of Caesar, Brutus killed him not for his own good, but for the benefits of people in Rome. Brutus believed that when Caesar becomes an emperor, Caesar might have done bad things to people, like enslaving them. So, Brutus believed that it was his duty to stop Caesar becoming an emperor.
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Post by deeksha on Feb 24, 2013 4:52:03 GMT -5
Brutus is really good and kind person.
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Post by elisalee on Feb 24, 2013 7:30:13 GMT -5
I think Brutus is an evil man, because he agreed to kill his best friend for the good of Rome. If Brutus was a good one, he would've not decided to kill his best friend Caesar even if it was for the good of Rome. I think Brutus didn't think of Caesar as a true best friend, since he killed Caesar for his country.
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Post by KevinW on Feb 27, 2013 5:55:29 GMT -5
I think Brutus is an evil man, because he agreed to kill his best friend for the good of Rome. If Brutus was a good one, he would've not decided to kill his best friend Caesar even if it was for the good of Rome. I think Brutus didn't think of Caesar as a true best friend, since he killed Caesar for his country. Okay, then would YOU kill your best friend to save, say, 100 other strangers? 1000? 10,000? 1,000,000? How many other people is one best friend worth? The whole planet? |
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Post by esther on Feb 27, 2013 8:51:07 GMT -5
Maybe, like you said, Kevin, Brutus might be evil. Maybe he just brainwashed himself that he killed Caesar for Rome when he actually wanted to kill him. Maybe Brutus wasn't a good friend of Caesar after all. Brutus might have been acting the whole time, being Caesar's best friend. So, Brutus unconsciousness made himself to think that he killed Caesar for Rome, when he actually killed him because he didn't like Caesar at all.
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