Brutus’ struggle with himself over whether or not he should kill his best friend is also portrayed in the first three acts. When he does finally decide that Caesar must die, he sa ys, ” It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but f or the general. He would be crown’d: Ought that might change his nature, there’s the questio n. ” He does not mean to betray his friend’s trust, but knows he must for the good Of Rome. La terin Act Ill when Brutus stabbed Caesar along with the rest of the conspirators, Caesar s aid ” Et tu, Brute?
Then fall, Caesar! ” showing his shock that his best friend, Brutus, woul betray him. Brutus’ relationship with his devoted wife Portia is another example of betra yal in Shakespeare’s . When Portia confronts Brutus about his secrecy and why he seems upset lately, Brutus refuses to tell her. Portia takes offense, and says th at since she is his wife Brutus should be able to confide in her. She asks Brutus, “Dear my lor d, make me acquainted with your cause of grief…. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Br utus, is it expected I should know no secrets that appertain to you?
Am yourself but, a s it were, in sort or limitation, to keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, and talk to you so metimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Portia is Brutus’ ha rlot, not his wife. ” Portia thinks Brutus doesn’t love and care about her like he should, bec ause she is just a woman. She says, “I grant I am a woman; but a woman wellreputed, Cato’s d aughter. Think you I am no stronger than my sex, being so father’d and so husbanded?
Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose ’em: I have made strong proof of my constancy, gi ving myself a voluntary wound here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, and not my husband’s secrets? ” Portia says he should trust her and listen to her because although s e is “just a woman” her father is a well respected man, and Brutus, her husband, is also a well and respected man. Shakespeare showed that Portia felt betrayed that her husba nd wouldn’t trust her enough to tell her what he was planning.
Later, after Caesars death, whe n Brutus fled from Rome with the other conspirators, and left Portia alone, she killed hersel f, showing she felt betrayed by the husband she loved. Along with Brutus and the conspirators betrayal of Caesar and Brutus’ betray al of Portia, there is also Antony’s betrayal Of the conspirators, and the plebeians b etrayal of the conspirators in favor of Antony. After the conspirators killed Caesar, Antony s ent his messengers to them saying, “Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead so well as Brutus living, but will follow the fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus. Antony promised to s upport and listen to Brutus, and to not reproach Brutus or the other conspirators. He asks only to be allowed to bury Caesar, but promises not to praise him. Later in his oratory for Caesar h e betrays Brutus’ trust and turns the crowd against Brutus and the conspirators. In a way the cr owd( plebeians) also betrays Brutus, because not very long ago, during Brutus’ speech they ch nted, “Live, Brutus! Live, live! Bring him with triumph home unto his house! Give him a sta tue with his ancestors! Let him be Caesar!
Caesar’s better parts shall be crowned in Brutus ! We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors. ” After Antony turned them against Brutus and the conspirators, however, the crowd set out to kill Brutus and the rest of the me n, betraying the people they had just been praising. by William Shakespeare, is a tragic play based on many themes one of which being betrayal. Betrayal is common in real life, and also depicted in ma ny popular ovies, tv shows, and books teens and adults like to watch today such as the movie Mean Girls , directed by Mark Waters.
Regina Blair is much like Julius Caesar in that she w as the leader of her school with a few followers, and yet many feared and hated her power, and killed her (socially) for it. Similarly, Julius Caesar is the sole leader of Rome, an d yet many hate him, and killed him because they feared his power. Shakespeare hit on a characteristic many humans struggle with, betrayal, and therefore wrote his play, Julius Caesar, which is still very relatable among teens and other readers centuries later.
