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Stoicism is a sect of philosophy about overcoming emotions and their irrationality. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the character Brutus displays obvious traits of a Stoic. The philosophy of Stoicism was popular for 400 years in ancient Greece and Rome, so it was not odd for Brutus to follow it. In the play, there is a conspiracy to assassinate Caesar which his friends, Brutus and Cassius, follow through with and succeed in but, the battles between Brutus, Cassius, and Antony cause Rome to fall into turmoil. Brutus displays Stoicism by placing honesty above all else, accepting his death and the death of his loved ones, and placing the greater good above his emotions.
The Stoic innovator, and author of Meditations, Marcus Aurelius was the Roman emperor and grew-up in a Roman court; he hated how many people used lies to make false friendships, so he and other Stoics began placing honesty above all else. On the day of Caesar’s murder, after gathering the Senate, they began discussing what to do about Publius Cimber, a man under banishment and brother to a Senator; after Publius’ brother is begging Caesar to unbanish him Brutus said to Caesar, “I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery Caesar,/ Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may/ Have an immediate free of repeal” (3.1.52-54). By saying this, Brutus is upfront about what he wants, telling Caesar that he intends to persuade him to repeal Publius’ banishment but not through groveling like Publius’ brother. By being honest with Caesar, Brutus takes responsibility for his actions and displays virtue, or high moral standards, one of the main ideas that the Stoic philosopher Zeno argues a person’s life should base itself on. Honesty is not only the best policy to Brutus, but it is the default; that is why he needs to accept the death of himself and his loved ones.
Seneca always told people to accept their own death and not become upset by it with quotes like, “What need is there to Stoicism is a sect of philosophy about overcoming emotions and their irrationality. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the character Brutus displays obvious traits of a Stoic. The philosophy of Stoicism was popular for 400 years in ancient Greece and Rome, so it was not odd for Brutus to follow it. In the play, there is a conspiracy to assassinate Caesar which his friends, Brutus and Cassius, follow through with and succeed in but, the battles between Brutus, Cassius, and Antony cause Rome to fall into turmoil. Brutus displays Stoicism by placing honesty above all else, accepting his death and the death of his loved ones, and placing the greater good above his emotions.
The Stoic innovator, and author of Meditations, Marcus Aurelius was the Roman emperor and grew-up in a Roman court; he hated how many people used lies to make false friendships, so he and other Stoics began placing honesty above all else. On the day of Caesar’s murder, after gathering the Senate, they began discussing what to do about Publius Cimber, a man under banishment and brother to a Senator; after Publius’ brother is begging Caesar to unbanish him Brutus said to Caesar, “I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery Caesar,/ Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may/ Have an immediate free of repeal” (3.1.52-54). By saying this, Brutus is upfront about what he wants, telling Caesar that he intends to persuade him to repeal Publius’ banishment but not through groveling like Publius’ brother. By being honest with Caesar, Brutus takes responsibility for his actions and displays virtue, or high moral standards, one of the main ideas that the Stoic philosopher Zeno argues a person’s life should base itself on. Honesty is not only the best policy to Brutus, but it is the default; that is why he needs to accept the death of himself and his loved ones.
Seneca always told people to accept their own death and not become upset by it with quotes like, “What need is there to weep over parts of life, the whole of it calls for tears.”. Upon finding out about Portia’s passing, Cassius makes a comment on Brutus’ of morning despite his Stoicism and says, “Of your philosophy you make no use/ If you give place to accidental evils.”, Brutus replies with “No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.” (4.3.143-145). Cassius is pointing out his obvious mourning while Brutus is insisting that he is bearing the death of Portia better than anyone else could. Seneca said to remember that even the worst is survivable and that death is part of the brutal but natural order of the universe; with it holds no guarantee that anyone will live as long as they can but it is guaranteed that everyone will live as long as they should. When Brutus said, “Why farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala./ With meditating that she must die once,/I have the patience to endure it now” to Cassius, it is his way of expressing grief about Portia’s death (4.3.188-190). Brutus is explaining that he has already thought about Portia’s death, and by doing this, he prepared for the worst, Portia’s sudden death. Seneca was vocal about his ideas on death and suicide, even saying “Can you no longer see a road to freedom? It is right in front of you. You only need to turn over your wrists.” in one of his many letters; Brutus shares the same ideals as soon after he says the former quote by killing himself after finding his situation too much to bear. Since death is a natural part of life, it only makes it logical for Stoics to accept it for themselves and everyone they love.
Believing that emotions would cause irrationality led Brutus and other stoics to believe that by ignoring them they could make rational decisions for the common good. During his speech to the plebeians, Brutus tries to explain why he participated in the killing of one of his closest friends, Caesar, by saying, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” (3.2.21-22). Brutus is explaining that the Roman people hold more value to him than any friendship, no matter how close, ever could. According to Zeno, harmonizing with the rest of the world is most important; by his logic, Brutus is keeping the world in harmony by killing a potential danger to Rome. When discussing the conspiracy to kill Caesar with Cassius, Brutus says “I know no personal cause to spurn at him,/ He would be crowned:/ How that might change his nature, there’s the question./[…]/ And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg/ Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous/ And kill him in the shell.” (2.1.11-13) (2.1.33-35). Brutus is saying that Caesar is a potential danger to the Roman people and must face destruction before he has a chance to hurt anyone. One of the main ideas of Stoicism is controlling what you can and letting go of what you cannot; Brutus could not control Caesar and that is a possible danger to the Roman people, so he “let go” of Caesar in the best way he saw fit. By only focusing on what is doable, a Stoic can form more rational and virtuous thoughts.
Brutus is a man of virtue and rationality thanks to the following of his Stoic philosophy. The traits of honesty, acceptance of the inevitable, and the placement of the common good over your emotions are all those of a Stoic. Brutus manages to portray all of these characteristics in a single play; thus proving he is, in fact, a Stoic.
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