Question

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.

BRUTUS. It must be by his death: and for my part
I know no personal cause to spurn at him
But for the general. He would be crowned:
How that might change his nature, there’s the question.
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,
And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,
And then I grant we put a sting in him
That at his will he may do danger with.
Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power. And to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections swayed
More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrel
Will bear no colour for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities;
And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg
Which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous,
And kill him in the shell.

How does the characterization of Caesar in this passage connect to the central idea of the passage?

By reflecting on Caesar’s position in society, Brutus decides to report the conspiracy to Caesar and join him on ambition’s ladder.
When Brutus realizes the power that ambition brings, he decides to kill Caesar and Cassius in order to successfully climb the ladder.
Brutus decides to join the conspiracy against Caesar because he fears that Caesar will become ruthless once he climbs ambition’s ladder and has absolute power.
Brutus decides that he must cut the legs off from the ladder to prevent Caesar and Cassius from stepping on anyone along the way.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The characterization of Caesar in this passage connects to the central idea of the passage in a few ways. First, Brutus's fears about Caesar's ambition are based on his belief that Caesar is a man who is not ruled by reason. He says that he has never known Caesar to let his emotions sway his judgment, and he worries that this will lead Caesar to abuse his power if he is crowned king.

Second, Brutus compares Caesar to a serpent's egg, suggesting that he believes Caesar is inherently dangerous. He says that if Caesar is allowed to hatch, he will become "mischievous" and "grow to these and these extremities." This suggests that Brutus believes that Caesar is capable of great evil, and that he must be stopped before he can do any harm.

Finally, Brutus's decision to join the conspiracy against Caesar is based on his belief that Caesar is a threat to the Roman Republic. He says that he fears that Caesar will "turn his back on the ladder" and "look in the clouds, scorning the base degrees" by which he rose to power. This suggests that Brutus believes that Caesar will become so arrogant and power-hungry that he will no longer care about the people of Rome.

In conclusion, the characterization of Caesar in this passage connects to the central idea of the passage by showing that Brutus believes that Caesar is a dangerous man who is not ruled by reason. This belief leads Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar, which he believes is necessary to protect the Roman Republic.

The correct answer is: Brutus decides to join the conspiracy against Caesar because he fears that Caesar will become ruthless once he climbs ambition’s ladder and has absolute power.