From Loyalty to Betrayal: A Comparative Psychological Analysis of Internal Conflicts of Brutus in 'Julius Caesar' and Bimala in 'the Home and the World'

Betrayal and loyalty often serve as powerful drivers of plot and character development. This study aims to conduct a comparative psychological analysis of the internal conflicts experienced by Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Bimala in Rabindranath Tagore's The Home and the World by applying Kurt Lewin’s internal conflict theory that includes approach-approach, approach-avoidance, and avoidance-avoidance decision-making theories. The study uses a qualitative method, with primary data from texts and secondary data from journals, articles, books, and web sources. The study finds out that both Bimala and Brutus experienced approach-avoidance and avoidance-avoidance conflict in their decision-making. They both faced approach-avoidance before their respective betrayals- Brutus between his loyalty to Caesar and his duty to Rome, and Bimala between her attraction to Sandip's nationalist fervor and her loyalty to her husband, Nikhil. After the betrayal, they face avoidance-avoidance conflicts: Brutus must choose between continuing a damaging civil war or facing dishonor, while Bimala must decide between abandoning her newfound purpose or remaining loyal to a tainted cause. The analysis reveals how these conflicts highlight the themes of honor, loyalty, and political ethics in Brutus's case, personal integrity, nationalism, and the clash between modernity and tradition in Bimala's journey. Both characters' struggles ultimately render them tragic figures. So, this research will enrich our understanding of internal conflicts in literature which will contribute to further research on related factors.