A Man Possessed: Caesar's Possession of Brutus in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
At times, members of the human race seem to be possessed by an inner demon and are often said to be "out of it" or "not themselves". This demon may be more active in some than in others and may take control over a person's every action. William Sha-kespeare wrote about one such person, compelled to suicide, in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. This man, Marcus Brutus, is not only haunted, but possessed by the spirit of Julius Caesar.
Shakespeare hints that Brutus's possession by Caesar had begun even before Cae-sar's assassination. Brutus himself insinuates that he has been possessed, as he says that when he looks inside himself, his "eye sees not itself/ but . . . some other things" (I, ii, 57-58). It's as if something were inhabiting his mind, controlling his every thought, action, and impulse. Brutus knows that he has changed for the worse, but he perceives neither how nor why. Cassius, the foremost conspirator, observes this metamorphosis, and in an attempt to draw Brutus into the conspiracy, he says that "'Brutus' will start a spirit as soon as 'Caesar'" (I, ii, 147). He argues that though he has changed, Brutus is still just as great as Caesar, that there is no difference between them. In claiming that Brutus's and Caesar's names will summon the same spirit, he implies that the two share an essence and that Brutus's was stamped out by Caesar. Mark Antony recognizes this common spirit and goes so far as to assert that "Brutus was Caesar's angel" (III, ii, 190). He regards Caesar as a god-like figure whose omnipotence gives him power over Brutus's soul. He envisions Brutus not as Caesar's guardian, but as his slave, locked in spiritual servitude. Caesar's dominion over Brutus only becomes truly manifest after his assassination.
With the death of his body, Caesar's spirit begins to exercise complete control over Brutus. Shortly following the assassination, Antony foresees that "Caesar's spirit . . . / shall . . . / . . . let slip the dogs of war" (III, i, 270, 272-273). It is his belief that Caesar's death will spark a conflict amidst the Roman populace. Brutus, as Caesar's murderer, is the "spirit" that will instigate the ensuing chaos and strife. True to Antony's prediction, Brutus "[gives] the word [to charge] too early" (V, iii, 5), and "his soldiers [fall] to spoil" (V, iii, 7). His actions on the battlefield at Philippi fulfill Antony's prophecy almost liter-ally; his soldiers are the "dogs of war" and he, Brutus, is the "spirit" that unleashes them. Caesar's spirit manipulates Brutus into making a mistake that is fatal for both himself and his cause. While on the road to Philippi, Caesar's ghost confronts Brutus as a "monstrous apparition" (IV, iii, 276), claiming to be Brutus's "evil spirit" (IV, iii, 281). Caesar himself proclaims that he is possessing him, and attempts to show Brutus the malevolent monstrosity that he has become. Brutus, of course, fails to grasp the reality of his own evil nature, a shortcoming for which he pays dearly. It is this vice that leads to his death.
It is only in the final moments of his life that Brutus acknowledges that he has been possessed and that this possession has led him to evil. After learning of Cassius's and Titinius's suicides, he declares that Caesar's "spirit walks abroad, and turns [the con-spirators'] swords" (V, iii, 95) upon themselves. He knows that his friends' deaths are a direct result of his actions, so by blaming their deaths on the deceased emperor, Brutus acknowledges Caesar's possession of him. By laying responsibility for these deaths on his betrayer, Caesar attempts to make Brutus feel remorse for his actions; he reveals the depth of Brutus's evil nature so as to coerce him to suicide. Brutus has his servant "hold then [his] sword . . . / while [he runs] upon it" (V, v, 47-48). In killing himself, Brutus attempts to exorcise the "evil spirit" of Caesar contained within him. The fact that Brutus died upon his own sword substantiates both his contention of Caesar's presence on the battlefield and his possession of Brutus. As he dies, Brutus commands "Caesar [to] now be still" (V, v, 50), as if he were bringing Caesar's life to an end. By ordering Caesar to be still, he hopes that his own death will extinguish the emperor's spi-rit as well. He hopes that his suicide will put an end to the reign of Caesar's spirit and his own evil. He would rather cease to exist himself than allow Caesar a second chance at life.
Caesar's possession of Brutus is a means of exacting revenge for his assassination, though Brutus is unaware of it. All that Brutus sees is that he has lost control of himself, and, unable to regain that control, he ends his own life. Like Brutus, the world's inhabi-tants continue to struggle to control their bodies, their minds, and their spirits.
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