Caesar and Brutus are friends. They are also enemies. How does Brutus justify his betrayal of Caesar and why does he believe his involvement in the conspiracy is necessary?
Brutus pretends he is friends with Ceaser but he is really his enemy. Brutus thinks that it would be good to have him as a friend somehow, while Cassius disagreed. Cassius betrays Brutus' trust in him by misreporting letters to prompt Brutus to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar. Brutus felt like he should lead Rome for Cassius' few mistakes.
How does Brutus’s past (family history) influence his decision to be involved in the conspiracy?
All/Most of his family was full of important people. They helped others in different roles so maybe Brutus felt as if he had the same talent to guide and help other people.
Is Brutus a “true friend” of Caesar’s? Why or why not?
I believe that regardless of Brutus becoming very powerful he was a true friend to Cassius. He never hurt Cassius or acted as if he couldn't relate to Cassius anymore. He also did not act like he was too good for his friend. After the death of Caesar, his character did change. Brutus found himself momentarily the most powerful man in Rome but he lost the intellection of his friends.
Compare the two pairs of leaders: Antony & Octavius, and Brutus & Cassius. Explain who is the strongest in each relationship. Support your answer with details from the play.
Brutus/ Cassius
In Julius Caesar, Cassius would have been a better leader and better person than Brutus because of his good qualities and his ability to defeat the evil in others. Brutus's inability to see how low other people are willing to sink to gain power undermines his ability to lead. Their generosity of Brutus causes him to make political mistakes. He would easily listen to others and just take action without thinking of consequences. So, Brutus is the better person but isn't too good at leading and helping a variety of people.
Who is the central character in the play? Explain/ defend your answer with details from the play.
I believe that Brutus was the main and central character of the play/story. Brutus stands at the center of the action and helps cause the main events of the play. In the play, Cassius was also highly important. Caesar died in the middle of the story which left Brutus being the main subject. He was mainly the cause of mistakes in Rome, some things mislead him into mistakes because of his inability to see that others are not honored. Also, Brutus is tempted to make a horrible choice and is trying to take a chance he shouldn't. Brutus's decision to eliminate Caesar led to chaos and destruction around him and possibly to his own destruction.