Honor and purity have motivated the character of Brutus to make great actions for the good of Rome and its republic. In the play ‘Julius Caesar’ by Shakespeare, Brutus’ character is shaped around one goal – the murder of Caesar. This he did, and so he did it with respect, love, and pure intentions in his great heart.“This shall make Our purpose necessary, and not envious… We shall be call’d purgers, not murderers.“ –Brutus, p. 74. Honor is the story of Brutus’ life- he is always aware of what everyone else thinks of him, and is always aware of how people would perceive his actions, and how that would affect their trust in Brutus. Honor has driven Brutus to do what he believes is healthy, and what is right for Rome and the republic of Rome. The murder of Caesar is almost exactly the opposite of what Brutus would ever do for honor, or for right, yet he finds himself making exactly that decision. Since he finds himself to have no other good solution to the problem faced, Brutus spends himself many sleepless nights convincing himself that the conspiracy is a good, honorable quest for Rome’s health. “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe… Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more... I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.” -Brutus, p. 128-130. After Caesar was murdered, the people did not react as Brutus had expected. He realized that he needed to reason with them for them to understand his point of view. He knows that he has just made a great, great action, one which will not be forgotten, so he strives to make it sound like a sacrifice, like honor. Brutus uses honor for his country, and honor for Caesar, to persuade the people to understand him. He values his own death less than he values honor, and sacrifices the need of his death to the people, if in any case they would so need it. Honor drives Brutus into making great efforts to make everything honorable, even the things which would sound most disgraceful, most unkind, and most dishonest.
“This was the noblest Roman of them all… He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them.” –Antony, p. 218 Even after the murder of Antony’s closest friend, and civil war has given way in Rome, because of Antony and Brutus, even then, as everyone is getting killed, and even Brutus kills himself, even then, Antony has respect for Brutus, and sees the pure, innocent honesty which Brutus did always possess. He was the one man out of the conspiracy who truly believed that what he was doing was righteous. Brutus would never do anything without good cause, without an honest solution. “And for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general.” –Brutus, p. 62. Brutus has only ever done anything for the right of everyone else, and thoughts as to how his actions would affect himself has always come second to how they would affect Rome. Brutus had a pure heart, and pure intentions, as you do not see often in leaders. Though many thought that he was brutal, they did look through different eyes than the ones of Brutus himself. Everyone interprets situations in different ways, as Antony did to his advantage when telling the people at Caesar’s funeral speech of how Caesar thrice refused the crown. But, for those of who were close to him would say that Brutus was a true, trust-worthy man, and leader. He was respected by everyone, even his greatest enemies, for everyone saw through him, saw that Brutus would never make up a lie, would never do anything out of greed, and would never make actions without thought as to what he was doing, and how he was doing it.
Brutus was sometimes a little misunderstood, for actions which he would take for honor, would others take for disgrace, or even greed. People might say that Brutus was not honest, or trustable, for he killed Caesar, who did believe in Brutus. However, Brutus, even when stabbing Caesar, did in his heart love Caesar, and did possess the qualities of honesty and honor, to the day of his death.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/03/02/fea06.asp
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