The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
 Born

April 23, 1564– died April 23, 1616
Baptismal name: Johanna Shakespeare
 Eldest
son and third child of John
Shakespeare and Mary Arden.

Came from Stratford upon Avon-agricultural area.
 William
Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway
in 1582- he was 18 and she was 26
 They had 3 children; Susanna(1583), and
twins Hamnet(1585-96) and Judith (15851662)
 He
began acting in London in 1592(he
acted and served as a writer and reviser
of plays).
Family remained in Stratford while Will started
new life in London
 It took 4 days by foot and 2 days by horse.

 At
28yrs, he began to impress his
contemporaries with the quality and
popularity of his work.
 He publishes his first narrative poem,
Venus and Adonis in 1593, and The Rape
of Lucrece the following year(1594).
 Histories Tragedies:
King Lear,
Othello, Anthony and
Cleopatra, Macbeth,
Romeo and Juliet,
Julius Caesar
 Comedies: Alls well
that ends well,
Measure for Measure,
As you like it, The
taming of the Shrew,
Tempest, Twelfth
Night
Henry the
IV, Henry the VI,
Henry the V, Henry
the VIII,Richard the
II, Richard the III.
 Poetry:
Sonnetsmost famous sonnet
18,Passionate
Pilgrim, A Lover’s
Complaint, Rape of
Lucrece.

Early in 1599 Shakespeare, who had been acting with
the Lord Chamberlain's Men since 1594, paid into the
company a sum of money amounting to 12.5 percent
of the cost of building the Globe.

Lord Chamberlain’s Men were one of the two acting groups
permitted to perform with in London’s city limits.
He did so as a chief shareholder in the company, and
by doing so he helped to establish a uniquely
successful form of commercial operation for the
actors of the time.
 This investment gave Shakespeare and the other
leading actors both a share in the company's profits
and a share in their playhouse.

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First performance was June 25,
1599
Held 1000 people
Original Globe theater
performances took place in the
day light- no lighting at the time.
Stage had little scenery and no
curtain.
June of 1613- the Globe Theater
burned down
The New Globe theater had a
spotlight for evening
performances
 Most
of Shakespeare’s lines are written in
poetry

Although these lines do not usually rhyme , they
do have a set rhythm- called METER.
 The
pattern of one unstressed syllable
followed by a stressed one, dah DUM, is
called IAMB.
 Each pattern is referred to as a FOOT.
 Because Shakespeare uses 5 iambic feet to a
line, this pattern is know as iambic
pentameter.
 In
order to keep lines in “rhythm” Will often
changes the order of words or shortens words.
 For example, the following line has no set rhythm:

My MAS’ter did BID me KNEEL THUS, BRU’tus
 Will
changes the order so that it has the iamb
rhythm:

Thus BRU’tus, DID my MAS’ter BID me KNEEL
 Will
shortens words by omitting letters so that a 2
syllable word is one syllable

EX: over becomes o’er; and it is becomes ‘tis
 Rome
copied theater from Greece (remember
Sophocles- Antigone)
 Began as religious festivals– later gained popularity
when wealthy citizens contributed.
 Comedies were preferred-has happy ending
 Mimes and pantomime- created by the Romans
 Used Masks
 All theaters were open to the elements.
 Founded
by 2 brothers– Romulus and Remus
 Near the river TIBER
 Rome adopted Greek culture as they
conquered neighboring Greek towns.
 Rome wasn’t always ruled by emperors–
had a republic for 100 years- coins
advertised the image of the emperors
 509BC- a republic was established; ruled by a
senate and by elected officials (consuls and
tribunes)

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The color PURPLE= POWER- purple dye was very expensive
Gladiators= slaves- trained to fight; mortal combat
forum= market- watch street plays, out door farmer’s market
citizens= into fashion/ rings.
Battle and Defense- Rome
Legionary- Emperor’s army; most successful
 Used catapault ropes,sheilds, calvary, Javelins, spearheads, swords.
 Soldiers- good standard of living;25 years of service= citizenship


Death and Burials
Life was very short
 1 in every 3 children died.
 Buried in catacombs; cremation was preferred


Education
Fathers taught children- men
 Women- took care of the house= enslaved to men.
 Language- Latin (west) Greek (East)- most people were illiterate.



Dinner- Main meal; 2-3 hours; began at 2pm; olives main appetizer
Most homes did not have baths- went to large bathing areas in the
center of the town.
People feared Caesar because he commanded a large
army made up of fiercely loyal troops and was LOVED
by the common people (or plebeians)
 The play captures 3 years of action into 5 acts
 Born on July 13, 100 BC
 Children: Julia(only legitimate child with Cornelia),
Caesarion(illegitamate son), and Octavian (adopted
sister’s daughter’s son)
 Wives: Cornealia(daughter of leader of popular
faction),Pompea(grand daughter of Sulla-former
dictator),Calpurnia(daughter of popular faction)
 Had an affair with best friend’s mother- Brutus
 Held several positions: Governor of Asia, General
Statesman, served the Senate, Council, Dictator, High
Priest (Pontinus Maximus), Author, Pro- Council.
 Love affair with Cleopatra(leader of Egypt)- his only
son

Beni Vedi Vici: I came, I saw, I conquered(over
came)- in reference to conquering Asia Minor.
 Was kidnapped by Cicillan pirates- had a joking
relationship with them- but warned them that
once he was released he would kill them– he did.
 Caesar- had many goals to unite the new Roman
Empire, however, he led as a dictator which
upset the senators– they were proud of the
democracy they established and were not willing
to concede to a dictator.
 March 15th murdered by 60 people in 44 BC- The
IDES of MARCH (15th day of the month- military
festival in honor of the God Mars)

Drama-literature enacted in front of an audience
by people who play the parts of the characters
 Tragedy- a drama that tells the story of the
downfall of a central character, or protagonist,
who wins the audience’s sypathines in some way.
 Monologue- long speech given by actormonopolizing conversation- directed to other
characters.
 Soliloquy- a speech where a character speaks to
himself or herself- revealing inner thoughts.
 Aside- a statement intended to be heard by the
audience or by a single other character by not by
other characters on the stage.
