Julius Caesar --- Importance of Self-Knowledge

"Behind every event is a reason; at the forefront of every reason is man (Aristotle, 384 - 322 BC)" In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare supports this notion; the most notable events - namely, the murder of Caesar, the civil war, and the deaths of other key characters - result from two character flaws. One is the inability of some characters to construct a realistic image of themselves, and understand their weaknesses. The fact that the characters are so …

…to flee Rome and pursue a battle against his growing power. Finally, Brutus' inability to see his tragic flaw - that is, his idealism - leads to his downfall; he is personally shamed when he realises that he is not as righteous as he thought. Had some characters been more balanced in their self-image and less malleable, the outcome of the play would have been very different. In fact, Caesar might not have been killed.