Who is the tragic hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar?
Brutus is the tragic hero. Look at the pivotal monologue where the conspirators try to convince him to join their cause- he convinces himself that Caesar is ambitious, even though by his own definition it isn’t the case. Brutus has given in to the flattery of Cassius and the others- while it’s subtle, this is his tragic flaw. And it’s no accident, I think, that the only line Shakespeare puts in Latin is “Et tu, Brute?” It’s almost like the two of them are sharing this intensely personal and tragic moment (since Latin for them was vernacular). Brutus’ decision to betray Caesar lies at the heart of the play; he is the pivotal character. And even though Caesar dies, he doesn’t fall; he goes down unafraid and gloriously, and he comes back as an angry and righteous ghost to haunt the others. The real “tragic fall” is watching Brutus cascade downward after the murder, failing to convince the populace, then to win the battle or even to put his conscience at rest.
