Read the two excerpts from act 2, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar . Excerpt 1: [BRUTUS.] Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma or a hideous dream. The genius and the mortal instruments Are then in council, and the state of man, Like to a little kingdom, suffers then The nature of an insurrection. Excerpt 2: BRUTUS: Kneel not, gentle Portia. . . . You are my true and honourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. PORTIA: If this were true, then should I know this secret. . . . Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose 'em. I have made strong proof of my constancy, Giving myself a voluntary wound Here in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience, And not my husband's secrets? How do Brutus’s moral dilemmas in each excerpt compare?
Answer
A
In both excerpts, Brutus is trying to stop someone from taking too much power for himself.
B
In both excerpts, Brutus is convinced by the person he loves that he is doing the right thing.
C
In both excerpts, Brutus is deciding whether or not to end the relationship rather than reveal the truth.
D
In both excerpts, Brutus detests lying to someone he loves.
Explanation
In the first excerpt, Brutus is troubled by the plot against Caesar and describes the inner turmoil he experiences before carrying out a terrible act. In the second, Portia asks Brutus to trust her with his secret, and he struggles because he loves her but has not told her the truth. Both excerpts show Brutus’s moral conflict over deception, especially lying to someone close to him. Choice D best captures this shared dilemma.
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