Brutus: The Man of Internal War

‘I know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general. He would be crown’d: how that might change his nature, there’s the question.’

In the play Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare, Brutus, a member of the Roman Republic is attempting to justify his actions for killing Caesar. Julius Caesar was an ambitious, powerful character that had been offered the crown and with what Brutus knows, he finds the situation could prove dangerous. He knows that he has no personal reasons for murdering Caesar but he contemplates on what Caesar may become if he is to take the crown. Brutus’ decision has his actions driven by what he finds is beneficial to the people. Brutus joins the conspiracy and murders Julius Caesar, but he does so with honorable intentions and love for Rome and it’s people.

Brutus does many of the things he does for the good of Rome and the murder of Caesar was no exception. Since Brutus has no individual explanation to strike Caesar, he will do it out of patriotism towards his people and country. ‘It may be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general.’ At this point in time, Brutus knows that if he kills Caesar, it will not be for his own benefit but for Rome. Brutus describes Caesar as a serpent, still in it’s egg, and harmless. If the people were to give a crown to Caesar, he sees as if they would be giving him a deadly weapon to cause grief and destruction. Brutus killed Caesar to protect the people from what Caesar could become. His intentions are not for revenge or envy but for the better of others. Brutus also finds that the killing of Caesar would be like the washing away of filth of Rome, to purify the city of the ambition of Caesar and he tells that to the other conspirators. ‘We shall be called purgers, not murderers.’ Brutus’ reasoning for killing Caesar shows he has true patriotism and his patriotism is where he finds his honor.

Honor is one of, if not the most valuable thing to Brutus. Brutus’ forefathers had taken down tyrannical rulers before him for the better of Rome and he knows that his reasoning should be the same. ‘Well honor is the subject of my story.’ Brutus is a highly respected figure of Rome and he takes his honor in all seriousness. Brutus’ love for the people drove him to do what is best for them and what will allow him to build if not, keep in his honor. Appearance is not the only thing Brutus attaches honor to but also his actions. While meeting with the other conspirators the night before the kill, Brutus lets the other conspirators know that killing Caesar should not be done out of wrath. They should sacrifice him not butcher him. ‘Let’s be sacrificers but not butchers… Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends, let’s kill him boldly but not wrathfully.’ Brutus’ honorable intentions lead him to kill Caesar with high respects, as Brutus does respect Caesar as well as love him. He must also let the other conspirators know that in their act, they must do it out of confidence and courage to stand up for the people not with envy for themselves. Brutus’ intentions were indeed honorable and he was not the only one to see so.

Brutus’ reasoning for his actions allowed him to conclude that what he was doing was the right thing. Through his patriotism Brutus would protect the people of Rome and he would maintain his honor. These motivators made Brutus act for the people, leaving the benefits to them. Unfortunately, Brutus’ goal was not met, as a matter of fact; he met the polar opposite of what he wanted to happen. Antony, an extremely loyal follower of Caesar turned the clean sacrifice into a dirty, bloody murder enraging the people and riling up those who supported Caesar. But after all had been settled, even Antony admitted the Brutus was an honorable man. Even though it was not met, Brutus’ goal was a noble one. His actions were driven out of selflessness and high respect, not envy and anger. His mind was set on what was best for Rome and not himself proving it worthy.

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

It is almost strange to me that I take peoples suffering and use it for creative thinking but in this way, I can show others all of the trouble the Sudanese people live through every day. The Sudanese strife can be portrayed in many ways but I chose to show that for every bad encounter, a good one trails closely behind it. Many, many things happened to the Sudanese Lost Boys; loss of loved ones and homes and war trodden dreams but now that they have been given the opportunities to not only give themselves a new start but to help their families and friends back home. Keeping in mind that life in the United States is no easy task, many of the Lost Boys have pulled through with each other through thing such as sports and assimilation centers, after all, there is no Heaven on Earth.

I used the text on my poster to evoke action to the viewer. Some sections emphasize protection that should be given and some emphasize help that is on the way but the main supporters of the text are my chosen images. My images are, if not emotional, informative. There are news headlines, real images of Dinka people and culture and literal representations of what is happening to the people over in Sudan. Chains and bonds, fire and tears and separation all connect to the suffering people in literal and figurative terms. To bring back that idea of one good result for every bad, the images in the good side of the page show gentle hopes and peace and help for the people that arrive. Education for jobs, jobs to earn money, money to live, the whole idea of a new start forming into a domino effect. Another emphasis on my pictures works it’s way into the placement. I used the images of suffering on the lower half of the page, and the brighter side of the issue on the top.

Throughout the page, I show still parts of Dinka culture but I also work in the plight of the Lost Boys. In a burning country, I have a trail of feet showing where the boys went physically but where they went mentally and emotionally are other stories. Filling in the back of the page are words that can only explain the bare minimum of what the boys faced even though those words are powerful in themselves. A hidden eye reveals itself to say that even though all of this trouble, even though so many lives are being stolen, even though ear-piercing explosions seem to shatter the sky, no one seems to know, and even if they know, they pretend they do not see.

From the fire to the fading banner to the tears and the child soldier between the text and images are small cuts of despair from the people that ooze the need for empathy that I hope will be mended by people all over the world. The people of Sudan are suffering and the only things that people will truly ever do, is talk about doing something, no matter how much they say they will help. There is no solution to this issue if all anyone will do is say what they will do but not get off their bums and truly do something. As was written in Shakespeare’s play ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘Speak arms not words for me!’. In other words, enough talk and more action. As in said on the poster, ‘The World promised protection, let’s keep that promise.’ The World promised protection, not the US, not Canada, not Spain or the UK, the world promised to do something and my work speaks out on that issue. Ease the suffering, help put out the flames and let the people know that their cries are heard.

There Is No Heaven on Earth

From the hot climate of Africa, to the industries of Houston Texas, Peter assimilates to American culture. A Sundanese refugee, part of a group known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, Peter had much trouble starting out because not only was he adjusting to the US culture but the US people were adjusting to him. During the first few months, Peter and his friends were discriminated against by people and jobs were hard to find because of their color. Many people showed strong racism towards him and on a few occasions, crimes were committed against them such as thievery, when they were barely making ends meet as it was. Money was tight and out side friends were scarce and to top off the trouble, the people in Sudan still needed help. Many of the jobs with better pay required some kind of education and in Houston, Peter just couldn't find it, so he packed his few belongings and headed on up to Kansas City, KA.

Peter knew that what he was looking for (a better start, help for back home) just couldn't be found where he was. In Kansas, Peter was able to find good people, other Sudanese refugees who had found a place to receive a good education, he took the opportunity and did his best to get the most out of it. After moving to Kansas City, Peter made new friends and within the relationships he gained more and more respect from other people. Even though the beginning was hard, Peter made it through the culture shock and cultural divisions safely.