Essay: Uncovering Hero-Sidekick and Rivalry-based Male Friendships in Shakespeare’s Plays

Friendship is arguably one of the most essential aspects of humanity. Innately, humans more often than not seek comradery and companionship. Friendship is a focus of stories, crafting relatable feelings about these friendships. This is true of Shakespeare’s works, but most primarily with male friendships. Many of the male friendships in Shakespearean dramas play a vital role in effecting the plot development. It is my opinion that in his plays Shakespeare established two male friendship archetypes. While no two friendships are alike, one could argue that any might fall into these categories. The first is a hero-sidekick relationship, while the other is a rival relationship.
Despite these two different relationships types, they both share certain traits. For example, in each friendship it seems that one man will possess traits the other lacks, and vice versa. In terms of the hero-sidekick relationship, while Hamlet is very emotional and arguably good at using those emotional qualities (though he does go over the top he is able to push Claudius over the edge), Horatio is far more logical and strategic, as well as quiet and mild mannered. This forms a dichotomy that certainly help Hamlet further along than he would have alone. And for the rivalry dynamic, one can look at Macbeth and Banquo. Both men are tempted by the witch’s and their prophecies, but while Macbeth is easily manipulated and overeager, Banquo is noble and resists. What can be noted with these sort of split traits however is that in the hero-sidekick relationships the two often work together and make the best of both of their traits, while in the rivalry dynamic these varying traits clash and lead to conflict and opposing ideologies.
The hero-sidekick dynamic is evident in many of Shakespeare’s plays, including his tragedies. These relationships are often very well known, with popular examples being Hamlet and his friend Horatio, or Romeo and his friend Mercutio. These relationships are often quite admirable, and contain much mutual respect and fondness. In Shakespeare’s tragedies, while at least of man in the hero-sidekick friendship typically dies, it is usually not directly the fault of the other man. For example, while one could argue that Mercutio’s death is possibly Romeo’s fault for setting off the chain of events leading to Mercutio’s fight with Tybalt, it was not directly Romeo’s fault and he had never wanted Mercutio to be hurt.
The hero-sidekick friendship is a central concept in Hamlet, with the character of Hamlet losing much of his personality if Horatio were not introduced. Hamlet’s isolation from everyone else in court adds to his agonizing over the death of his father and his mother’s marriage to his uncle, Claudius. However, when Horatio comes to see his friend, Hamlet’s behavior changes and the Horatio becomes the only person Hamlet truly openly speaks with in typical conversation. Horatio becomes Hamlet’s confidant about the existence of the Ghost and Hamlet’s plan feign madness. Hamlet remarks throughout the play that Horatio is a true friend, and admires the traits that Horatio has that he doesn’t, such as his virtue and self-control: “Horatio, thou art e’en as just a man As e’er my conversation cop’d withal” (III.ii.56-7). Come the end of the play, after the bloody deaths of many of the primary characters, Horatio is one of the few named characters who remains. Of his dying breath, Hamlet encourages him to live on and to tell Hamlet’s story, which Horatio does upon the arrival of Fortinbras. the one calming in fl uence amid the chaos of Elsinore. Throughout the play, Horatio is there as an ally, sounding board, and accomplice for Hamlet. In turn he makes no requests of Hamlet and desires nothing for himself. This solidifies Horatio’s place as the sidekick. This is not to say Horatio is unimportant in his own right, and there is nothing wrong with that role, but in a way something to strive for. A relationship like this, besides all the death of course, is one that seems almost ideal and filled with mutual respect and understanding.
Rivalry-based friendship plays a crucial role in Julius Caesar, though not between Brutus and Caesar. Rather, the interesting dynamic here is between Cassius and Brutus. Cassius and Brutus are presented as having been friends since childhood, however their mutual affection has been strained. Cassius has a desire to take power from Caesar but Brutus is reluctant to participate in any type of coup. Cassius manipulates Brutus, twisting Brutus’ every comment into a chance for persuasion. For example, when Brutus reacts to the crowd, “I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king” (I.ii.79 – 80), Cassius quickly replies: “ Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so” (I.ii.80). As the play progresses, Cassius is shown repeatedly manipulating Brutus, and the audience is shown more and more that Brutus seems to be the honorable one and Cassius the manipulator. By the end of the play, their relationship has deteriorated. With the forces of Cassius and Brutus fighting the armies of Mark Antony for Rome, the two friends start quarreling over tactics. They begin to devolve into sounding like children, with Brutus dismissing Cassius, “Away, slight man” (IV.iii.37). Eventually, Cassius pleads with Brutus to let Antony’s troops come to them instead of retreating, requesting “Hear me, good brother” (IV.iii.212) and even more so with “Now, most noble Brutus, The gods today stand friendly, that we may, Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!” (V.i.92 – 94) These lines imply that Cassius had true affection for Brutus as his friend. This ends up mattering little anyways, as the events of the play have placed too large of burdens on the friendship, which collapses come the end of the story. These two men were of the same standing, and followed the same path, but with very different methods and ambitions. Cassius has one of his men kill him, and later Brutus kills himself. One could likely see their personalities even in their deaths, with Cassius having someone do the work for him, while Brutus acts of his own accord. Brutus, in the end, is the one who is celebrated for his honor. The rivalry-based friendship between Brutus and Cassius led a breakdown of that relationship, and eventually to their deaths.