Primary Characters in Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
The titular character whose assassination sets the play's events in motion. Despite being the namesake, Caesar appears in only three scenes before his death. His character embodies both greatness and fatal flaws:
"But I am constant as the northern star, Of whose true-fixed and resting quality There is no fellow in the firmament."Note
Caesar's declaration of his immutability ironically comes moments before his assassination, highlighting his fatal pride.
Key characteristics:
- Ambitious yet publicly humble
- Superstitious yet dismissive of warnings
- Physically weak (epileptic) but politically powerful
- Arrogant and increasingly autocratic
Marcus Brutus
The tragic hero of the play, torn between his love for Caesar and his duty to Rome:
"Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more."
Character traits:
- Idealistic and honorable
- Philosophically minded
- Naive in practical politics
- Conflicted between personal loyalty and public duty
Students often overlook Brutus's internal conflict, focusing solely on his role as Caesar's assassin. His complexity as a character lies in his moral struggle.
