The intellectual greater than their enemy may notice an open flaw in someone who might be used to their advantage. Should the person use that flaw to manipulate them for their own personal gain would be a wise, yet dangerous decision. Marcus Brutus and Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, have traits of inflexibility and foolish arrogance that create tragic events. Rigidity is an honorable trait under some circumstance, but in this case it arouses events to consequential, that it only leads both politicians to their deaths.
Brutus’ inflexibility allowed him to be manipulated for the conspirators gain, resulting in his death. Cassius is upfront with Brutus telling him that he is a man of manipulation, “What means…show more content… The Roman civilians celebrate Caesar’s victory over Pompey in the streets (1. 1. 64-65). Caesar's arrogance led him to want to have control over Rome, making him eliminate the only opposition in the triumvirate. This is the first mistake of Caesar, it not only made the conspirators dislike him, but let them see what atrocities Caesar would be willing to commit for power. Caesar has the opportunity to bear the crown three times, he pushes it away more reluctantly each time, as if trying to get a reaction from the crowd (1. 2. 254-276). Brutus observes how he did not accept it, making him and the conspirators fear Caesar and want to kill him. After Calpurnia hears the prophecies about her husband’s assassination, “You shall not stir out of your house today” (2. 2. 9). Caesar wants to believe that he will be fine at the Senate because he thinks he is too well liked and powerful to be harmed. His pride will be damaged if he dare take the advice of a woman to later be humiliated by his peers later on. The Senate gathers around Caesar, after denying enfranchisement for Publius Cimber, Caesar is stabbed to death (3. 1. 80-85) Caesar has paid the ultimate price for his arrogance with death. Death could have been avoided if he was not so arrogant and didn’t try to control all the power in Rome.
Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus’ deaths are their own faults. Inflexibility and arrogance proved to be deadly for them as they are the traits that each of them bore. Masters of manipulation have an absolute field day with the stubborn, using them for their personal gain. No one has viewed arrogance as a positive trait, those who bear it are more hated than others. Perhaps if neither of them had these detrimental traits, the tragedy wouldn’t have been theirs to
