Julius Caesar Final Essay
Most tragedies are given the title of the tragic hero’s name, which is why some
critics argue that Julius Caesar should really be titled Brutus or something other than
Julius Caesar. Other critics contend that Julius Caesar is indeed the tragic hero of the
play. In a well-organized essay, using the classic definition of the tragic hero, discuss
which character is the tragic hero of Shakespeare’s play. Be sure to support your
points with ample evidence from the play.

Tragic hero: It should be noted that the hero's downfall is his own fault as a
result of his own free choice, but his misfortune is not wholly deserved.
Usually his death is seen as a waste of human potential. His death usually is
not a pure loss, because it results in greater knowledge and awareness. His
downfall is usually due to excessive pride (hubris)
 He is doomed from the start, he bears no responsibility for possessing his
flaw, but bears responsibility for his actions.
 He has discovered fate by his own actions, and not by things happening to
him
 He is usually a king, a leader of men - his fate affects the welfare of a whole
nation or number of people.
 The suffering of the hero must not be senseless: it must have meaning!
1. The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. The character
must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO embody nobility and virtue as
part of his/her innate character.
2. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he/she is not perfect.
3. The hero's downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free
choice, not of accident or villainy or some overriding, malignant fate. In fact, the
tragedy is usually triggered by some error of judgment or some character flaw that
contributes to the hero's lack of perfection noted above. This error of judgment or
character flaw is known as hamartia and is usually translated as "tragic flaw"
(although some scholars argue that this is a mistranslation). Often the character's
hamartia involves hubris (which is defined as a sort of arrogant pride or overconfidence).
4. The hero's misfortunate is not wholly deserved. The punishment exceeds the
crime.
5. The fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness, some gain in selfknowledge, some discovery on the part of the tragic hero..
Answer format: Using MLA format write a multi-paragraph response to the prompt. Each
paragraph should have a minimum of two pieces of textual evidence in the form of
quotes. For each concrete detail, you must have an introductory sentence with
background and context, and a minimum of two sentences of commentary/analysis. This
analysis should NOT summarize the quote, paraphrase the quote, or deviate from the
topic of the paragraph. Commentary and analysis must analyze the quote in relation to the
topic sentence. Analysis, at its heart, seeks to answer how and why.