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Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by Brutus. The ultimate back-stabber.

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Which of the following is NOT a similarity that the author notes between Brutus and Hamlet?

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There're no tricks to figuring this one out.

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We just have to remember what Professor Bradley was trying to tell us about the similarities

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between Hamlet and Brutus.

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The second paragraph is where the Professor zeroes in on these two, so we'll go back

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and skim it again before we go any further.

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Now that we've refreshed our memories, let's take a look at choice (D).

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Most everybody knows that Hamlet was a bookworm, and even though Brutus's name sounds like

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"brute," he's widely thought of as an intellectual.

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Professor Bradley points out this similarity in paragraph two, so (D) is incorrect.

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But what about choice (A)? The Professor does describe both Hamlet and Brutus as "philosophic,"

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meaning that they both like to ponder the nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.

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This description lives in the same world as choice (D), which we've already eliminated,

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so we're sure (A) is wrong.

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Could (C) be the right answer? Both Brutus and Hamlet are known for being highly concerned

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with "doing the right thing," which is a little weird because they both end up becoming murderers.

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Professor Bradley points out these "good guy" intentions, so we can get rid of (C).

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Alright B, this one might be tempting, because if we've read or seen Hamlet, we know that Hamlet is

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bummed about his dad's death.

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The historical Brutus actually had a dad who died as well; however, there's no discussion

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of this same theme in Julius Caesar or in the Professor's lecture.

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This makes (B) the only choice not Bradley-approved...and the correct answer.

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Seems like these guys really had a lot in common. Maybe they should've started a support group.

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