William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is 

mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character

who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, 

a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a 

person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus' relationship to 

Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to the 

plot, the truth can be revealed.



      Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Caesar, has a 

strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with

Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In Roman times, 

the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if 

he/she is close to him/her. In many points of the play, Brutus was 

talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears his 

power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "What 

means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their 

king...yet I love him well."(act 1, scene 2, ll.85-89), as he is 

speaking to Cassius. Brutus loves Caesar, but would not allow him to 

"climber-upward...He then unto the ladder turns his back..."(act 2, 

scene 1, ll.24,26). As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar 

to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome. After 

the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about 

Caesar's death. "Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity

to the general wrong of Rome..."(act 3, scene 1, ll.185-186). Brutus 

says that Antony cannot see their(members of the conspiracy) hearts, 

which are full of pity. Again, this shows how Brutus loved Caesar but 

cared for the life of Rome and its people more. This is the only 

reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. For Brutus says to 

himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might 

change his nature..."(act 2, scene1, ll. 1,13) Caesar's relationship 

with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar 

shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him 

and does the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of 

March, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar's last line is: "Et tu,

Brute?--Then fall, Caesar."(act 3, scene 1, l.85). This shows that 

Caesar would not die without Brutus' stab. Caesar realizes that there 

must be a noble reason for this assassination if Brutus was in it. 

This again shows how much Caesar respects Brutus. Brutus and Caesar 

both respect each other, but in different ways.



      Marcus Brutus had a very important role in the conspiracy 

against Caesar. He was the "back-bone" of the plan. According to 

Cassius, Brutus' main purpose in the conspiracy is for an insurance 

policy. The people will think, since Brutus is noble to Caesar, that 

there is a good reason for Caesar's assassination. Brutus will also be 

the leader of the conspiracy for another "insurance policy" for the 

assassination. Cassius is the one who declares this, "Brutus shall 

lead the way, and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and 

best hearts of Rome. "(act 3, scene 1, ll.135-136). Again, if Brutus 

leads the way, the people will think that the death of Julius Caesar 

wasn't such a bad thing. Brutus also declares to himself that his role 

in the conspiracy is to save Rome. He says to the people that, "If 

then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my 

answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more."(Act 

3,scene 2,ll.21-24).



      If Brutus was not in the plot of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, 

the conspiracy would probably not have worked. Since Brutus "...loved 

Rome more."(Act 3,scene2, ll.23-24), he decided to be a part of the 

conspiracy. If he hadn't loved Rome more than Caesar, he would not 

have joined in the assassination of Julius Caesar. Cassius and the 

rest of the conspirators would probably not have continued on without 

Brutus because they would have no "insurance" afterwards. The people 

would think that there was no reason for Caesar's death and most 

likely beheaded all the conspirators. Also, if Brutus was not in the 

play, the whole end of the play would not ever occur. Brutus would not 

be there to have an army or kill himself, and Cassius will already be

beheaded. If Brutus was not in the play, the title would have 

absolutely no meaning.



      Marcus Brutus was a good friend to Julius Caesar, but not good 

enough. He had moral values dealing with Rome and its people. Brutus' 

values then made him join a conspiracy against Caesar put together by 

Cassius. Brutus joined this mainly because he didn't want Caesar to 

turn his back on Rome so there would be a reasonable reason for 

killing Caesar. If Brutus wasn't in the play, there would be no 

"Tragedy" in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.