Julius Caesar :: essays research papers

Whos The Noblest of the Main Characters in Julius Caesar?When attempting to get a read on all the characters of the play JuliusCaesar and which one has the smallest flaws you need to look at eachcharacter and evaluate them individually. You drop to consider if Aristotlewould consider them noble or not. You have to decipher if the characters arebeing noble for the right reasons. You have to also look at which charactersexhibit positive virtues and which ones dont. Aristotle says, virtue orexcellence is a characteristic involving choice, and that it consists inobserving the symbolise relation to us, a mean which is defined by a rationaleprincipal, such as a man of practical wisdom would use to determine it. It isthe mean by reference to the two vices the once of excess and the other ofdeficiency. It is, moreover, a mean because some vices exceed and fall shortof what is required in feeling and in action, whereas virtue finds and choosesa median. Hence in respect of its essence and definition of its essentialnature virtue is a mean, but in regard to goodness and excellence it is anextreme(Aristotle 1107a, 1-8). None of the main characters are truly nobleor virtuous but no one in reality is. Of all the main characters I find that Brutushas the least amount of flaws. But he too is not deficient of flaws. In order toprove my bear witness I will give reasons why some of the other characters cannotbe considered the noblest of them all. The almighty, egotistical and borderline arrogant Julius Caesar had hisflaws. Caesar proved to be deficient in alarm while also exhibiting excessivecourage. In attempting to prove how courageous he was, Caesar wanted toprove a point to Cassuis by jumping into the flooded Tiber river. Caesar stateto Cassuis, Darst thou, Cassuis, now Leap in with me into this angry flood,And swim to yonder point(Shakespeare, 1.2-102-104)? After they jumpedinto the water a dismayed Cassius describes what happens next, Upon theword, Accoutred as I wa s, I plunged in And bode him follow so indeed hedid. The torrent roared, and we did buffet it with lusty sinews, throwing itaside And stemming it with hearts of controversy. But eve we could arrivethe. point proposed, Caesar cried support me Cassuis or I sink(Shakespeare1.2, 104-111) Cassius then saved his life. Caesars whole point of jumpinginto the raging flood was to prove how courageous he was, but he was closelykilled for his reckless behavior.