Shakespeare
1. How many plays and sonnets did Shakespeare write?
2. What was Shakespeare before he was a playwright?
3. What was the name of the theatre where most of his plays were performed?
4. What was the name of the acting company with whom he performed?
5. Who played the female roles in Shakespeare's plays?
6. List 5 ways that Shakespearean drama was different from Greek drama.
The Play
1. What holiday is being celebrated?
2. What else do Marullus and Flavius do to further hinder the celebration of Caesar’s
victory?
3. Of what does the soothsayer warn Caesar?
4. What does Brutus think of Caesar’s rise to power?
5. Brutus says, “For let the gods so speed me as I love / The name of honor more than
I fear death” What do these lines imply about Brutus’s most important value in life?
What is Cassius’s point in telling the story of the swimming competition between him
and Caesar?
6. Why does Caesar feel that Cassius is dangerous?
7. What handicap does Caesar reveal about himself when speaking to Antony?
8. What sickness does Caesar have?
9. According to Casca, what are the senators planning to do to Caesar tomorrow?
10. According to Brutus, why is it is necessary that Caesar be killed?
11. What is Brutus’s internal conflict?
12. Why does Metellus think it would be a good idea to ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
13. Why does Brutus say they should not ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
14. What reason does Cassius give for why Caesar might not come out of his house
today?
15. How does Portia prove her strength to Brutus?
16. How does Decius interpret Calpurnia’s dream?
17. What arguments does Decius use to change Caesar’s mind about going to the
Capitol?
18. What does “Et tu, Brute?” mean?
19. Where does Caesar’s dead body lie? How is this ironic?
20. What does Brutus tell the conspirators to do after killing Caesar?
21. What promise does Brutus tell the servant to relay to Antony?
22. After being assured he is in no danger, what favor does Antony ask of the
conspirators?
23. Who is coming to Rome to meet with Antony?
24. What does Brutus offer at the end of his speech?
25. What has Caesar bequeathed the Romans in his will?
26. What happens to Cinna the Poet?
27. Who are the members of the second triumvirate?
28. What kind of list are the three making at the beginning of the scene?
29. What does Antony say they will do to Caesar’s will?
30. Why is Cassius mad at Brutus?
31. For what has Brutus asked Cassius that he did not receive?
32. How does Portia die?
33. What unexpected visitor does Brutus see when everyone else is asleep?
34. What is significant Cassius about the day of the battle?
35. How does Brutus feel about the battle at this point?
36. Who wins the first battle?
37. What does Cassius send Titinius to do?
38. Why does Cassius decide to kill himself?
39. What does Titinius do when Messala goes to inform Brutus of Cassius’s death?
40. Who does Lucilius pretend to be?
41. What does Brutus ask Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius to do?
42. How does Brutus die?
43. According to Marc Antony, why is Brutus better than the other conspirators?
Literary Terms
Round characters
Flat characters
Pun
Shakespearean tragedy
Denouement
Conflict
Situational irony
Comic relief
Blank verse
Plot
Aside
Static characters
Soliloquy
Character Identification
Flavius
Antony
Cinna
Cassius
Soothsayer
Cato
Lepidus
Strato
Portia
Artemidorus
Brutus
Casca
Calpurnia
Octavius
Titinius
Monologue
Resolution
Prose
Exposition
Dramatic foil
Dynamic characters
Theme
Climax
Dramatic irony
Crisis
Inciting moment
Verbal irony