Loyalty signifies one's duty and fidelity to a cause, a person, a place or an ideal. There are times, however, when more than one object of loyalty is present, and the result is conflicting loyalties. This paper will examine conflicting loyalties in two very different characters from two different genres and historical times. The first character is Brutus, a noble patrician in Shakespeare's Elizabethan drama Julius Caesar. The second character is Mookie, an African-American pizza delivery man in 1989 Brooklyn, New York in Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing. Although both characters are worlds apart in every way, they share a common predicament: how should one behave when faced with conflicting loyalties. Both Brutus and Mookie want to do the right thing, but first they have to know what the right thing is, and convince themselves of its justness.
Brutus' conflicting loyalties involve political ideals. He is a descendant of the Brutus who drove the Kings out of Rome, and as such is devoted to republican ideals. He is friends with and loyal to Rome's leader, Julius Caesar, who is a dictator but also answers to the Senators of the Forum and popular favor. However, Caesar's popularity is such that he is offered the crown, and this greatly disturbs Brutus. "I do fear, the people choose Caesar for their King" (Act I, Scene 1, 77-79). "Yet I love him well" (Act I, Scene 1 82). In Brutus' view, as well as others, Caesar's ambition goes against republicanism. He is guilty of the abuse of greatness.
Brutus is torn between loyalty to Caesar and to Rome. He may love Caesar, but will sacrifice this love for what he considers his duty to the state. "I know no personal cause to spurn at him (Caesar)/ But for the general. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the question" (Act II, Scene 1, 9-12).
Brutus convinces himself of the necessity of murdering Caesar in order to grant Rome her "full petition." ...