Brutus Quotes

Question 1

‘I know no personal cause to spurn at him’ Act 2, Scene 1

Answer 1

• Emotional/internal conflict between his Stoicism and friendship with Caesar/
• Verb ‘spurn’ connotes dislike and hate. Brutus does not hate Caesar whatsoever.
• Reinforced with the negation ‘no’ shows Brutus does not hate Caesar and represents the conflict within him against Stoicism.
• Brutus is an embodiment of a Stoic, therefore he cannot let emotions control him. Duty before self.

Question 2

‘We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar’ Act 2, Scene 1

Answer 2

• Naivety.
• Collective pronoun ‘we’ illustrates how Brutus believes everyone is there for noble reasons.
• ‘Spirit of Caesar’ shows Brutus wants everyone to unite against Caesar’s tyrannical rule.
• We can see here Brutus is solely concentration of honourability and noble behaviour means he doesn’t see through Cassius’ deception.
• Dramatic irony in Act 1, Scene 2, where during Cassius’ soliloquy, we know that he will exploit Brutus stoicism against himself.

Question 3

‘But for the general - he would be crowned. How that might change his nature’ Act 2, Scene 1

Answer 3

• Fear of Caesar’s rule - he must prevent a tyrannical rule.
• Phrase of ‘the general’ parallels with the people of Rome. Brutus is motivated by the interests of the Roman Republic.
• Modal auxillary verb ‘might’ highlights if Caesar becomes King, he will become corrupt and iniquitous.
• Reinforced with the verb ‘change’ showing how Caesar’s rule will lead to a fall in democracy and rise in tyranny.
• Brutus’ stoicism - duty before self and can’t be swayed by emotions.

Question 4

‘Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers’ Act 2, Scene 1

Answer 4

• Honourability.
• Imperative sentence shows he is commanding them to be honourable. A position of power.
• Noun ‘sacrificers’ connotes offering and liberation. Conspirators will offer their lives to liberate Rome from tyranny. Religious connotations, which presents it as of great importance.
• Juxtaposition with noun ‘butchers’ which connotes slaughter, violence and bloodbath - Brutus does not want to kill everyone as it would lesson the honourability of their endeavour.
• Brutus is guided by his concepts of honour. His honourability can be considered his hamartia as killing only Caesar, natural order is disrupted and there is chaos. Him not killing Antony will lead to his demise.