[Whitaker discusses the political and moral implications of Shakespeare's characterization of Brutus and Caesar. The critic describes in detail how Shakespeare altered Plutarch's narratives to represent Caesar as a great ruler and Brutus as a virtuous but self-righteous and muddle-headed man. Shakespeare's purpose in deviatingfrom his source, the critic ar gues, was to portray Brutus as the tragic hero ofthe drama-"thejirst of Shakespeare's superb tragic jigures who fail through false moral choice." Brutus's tragic error is presented in his soliloquy at ILl.1 0-34, in which he assumes that Caesar will become a tyrant if he is crowned emperor and that his death is in the best interests of the Roman people. According to Whitaker, Brutus's wrong moral choice rfd[ects Shakespeare's beliif in the superiority of monarchy to democracy; it also underscores his conviction that immoral conduct.....
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