Julius Caesar Study Notes Here are some questions and ideas to guide you in a study of Julius Caesar. Act I Scene 1 1. Before the play opens, Rome was ruled by a triumvirate. What is a triumvirate? Who made up the triumvirate? 2. The play opens with Caesar coming home triumphantly from which military victory? 3. Why are Murellus and Flavius angry at the crowd? 4. Examine Flavius’ last lines in the scene, ll. 74-77 (“These growing feathers pluck’d….”) Explain the poetic image. What is Flavius comparing Caesar to? Why does the image give the reader a sense of what is happening at this moment in Rome? Scene 2 5. What purpose does the soothsayer’s remark to Caesar – “Beware the Ides of March” – serve for the drama at this point? 6. Why does Caesar’s request to Antony to touch his wife, Calpurnia, during the race? 7. What is happening off stage when Cassius is talking with Brutus? How does the reader know? 8. Cassius is clearly against Caesar. Carefully examine his speech – “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Collossus” (ll. 135-161). What reasons does he give Brutus for disliking Caesar? 9. Look up and record a definition of honour. It becomes an important concept for actions of various characters. 10. At the end of the scene (ll.306-320), what does Cassius propose to do and why? Scene 3 11. What is the atmosphere throughout this scene when Casca meets Cicero then Cassius? Why do you think that has Shakespeare staged this scene in this atmosphere? 12. What do you think Cassius’ “enterprise/Of honourable dangerous consequence” (ll.123-124) is? Why is it “Of honourable dangerous consequence”? Act II Scene 1 13. Look at Brutus’ speech – ll.10-27. In your own words, rewrite the argument he presents for joining the conspirators to kill Caesar. 14. Why would the men with Cassius have their hats pulled down and their faces buried in their coats (ll.73-74)? 15. What does it mean “to swear an oath”? Why does Brutus not want to swear an oath with the other men? 16. Why do the men want Cicero to be recruited to their cause (ll.141-153)? What reason does Brutus give for not wanting him part of the group? 17. What is Brutus’ argument for not wanting to kill Marc Antony in the murder plot (ll.162-190)? 18. Look again at the dialogue between Brutus and Portia (ll.234-309). Write a summary of Portia’s concerns and Brutus’ response to her. 19. Why does Shakespeare put the stage direction “Thunder” (ll. 334) at the very end of this scene? Scene 2 20. Again, look at the stage directions – “Thunder and lightening”. What other references to the supernatural are there in this scene. What dramatic purpose do they serve? 21. What arguments and events in this scene convince Caesar to disregard his wife’s, Calpurnia’s, entreaties to stay at home and to go to the Senate? Scene 3 & 4 22. What dramatic purposes do the short scenes 3 and 4 (Artemidorus and Portia and the Soothsayer) serve? 23. In terms of the structural pyramid below, summarize the events of Act II and state how the actions “rise” or build tension in this Act. Structure of Shakespearean Play Act III - Climax Act IV Falling Action Act II – Rising Action Act I - Introduction Act V - Denouement Act III Scene 1 24. What happens to Artemidorus’ letter? Why? 25. What dramatic purpose does Metellus’ petition to Caesar serve in this scene just before Caesar’s execution? 26. Explain the imagery Shakespeare uses in Caesar’s famous speech – “I am as constant as the northern star….” (ll.60-73). 27. What major error in judgment does Brutus make in this scene following the assassination? Why is such a bad mistake? 28. Examine Antony’s speech – “O, pardon me, though bleeding piece of earth….” (ll. 254-275). Rewrite the speech in simpler, plain English. You can rephrase it in your own words. 29. Who is Octavius? Scene 2 30. Notice that the mob (“All”) plays a central part in this scene, almost like a single character. Why is the mob so important in this scene? 31. Examine Brutus’ speech (ll.13-46). Summarize the arguments that he makes for killing Caesar. 32. What is the crowd’s reaction to Brutus’ speech? 33. What is a plebeian? 34. Examine Marc Antony’s speech that comes in four parts (ll. 72-106; ll. 117-145; ll. 168-195; ll. 207-227). This is masterful example of oration and rhetoric. Make notes on Antony’s cleverness through this speech. What devices does he use to sway the crowd? 35. What happens to the crowd during Antony’s long funeral speech? How do we know? 36. By the end of Scene 2, what has happened to the conspirators? Scene 3 37. What is the dramatic purpose of this short scene? Act IV Scene 1 38. Who comprises the new triumvirate? 39. What are they doing in this scene? Scene 2 & 3 40. What is happening between Brutus and Cassius in these scenes? What are some examples of the growing conflict between them. 41. In Scene 3, ll. 93-107, what does Cassius threaten to do to himself? 42. What do we learn has happened to Portia? 43. Over what major strategic battle plan do Cassius and Brutus disagree in Scene 3? Who wins the argument? 44. What element of the supernatural does Shakespeare introduce towards the end of Scene 3? Act V Scene 1 45. What is the outcome of the meeting between Antony and Octavius on the one side and Brutus and Cassius on the other? 46. Cassius asks Brutus if he would be taken to Rome as a prisoner. What is Brutus’reply? Scene 2 & 3 45. Cassius’army is overthrown. What news does Cassius receive about Brutus’ army? Is it true? What happens to Cassius? 46. How does Cassius die? What does it mean “to perform a Roman’s part”? 47. In your view, is Cassius’ death tragic? Why or why not? 48. People do not see things clearly. List 2 or 3 examples of how events are misinterpreted in Scene 3. Scene 4 & 5 49. Why would people pretend to be Brutus on the battlefield? 50. Who does Brutus claim to have seen on the battlefield? 51. How does Brutus die? In your opinion, is it an honourable death? Is it in keeping with Brutus’ character that has been established throughout the play? 52. Examine Antony’s speech – ll. 68-75. What is Antony’s opinion of Brutus? Some final questions on the whole play 53. What do you think is the climax or turning point of the play? Give reasons for your choice. 54. Why do you think that Julius Caesar speaks to a modern day audience? Consider the topics of assissination and conspiracy. 55. What does Julius Caesar have to say about the nature of friendship? 56. Consider the motives of each of these characters: Caesar Brutus Cassius Antony 57. If this play has a moral, what would it be? Justify your answer. Memory work passages Choose one of these passages to memorize. This exercise will count in the Language strand: Murellus, Act I, Sc. 1, ll. 34-54 “Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?….” Cassius, Act I, Sc. 2, ll.135-155 “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Colossus….” Brutus, Act II, Sc. 1, ll. 10-31 “It must be by his death……” Portia, Act II, Sc 1, ll. 261-278 “Is Brutus sick?..... Caesar, Act III, Sc. 1, ll. 58-73 “I could be well mov’d, if I were you….” Antony, Act III, Sc 1, ll. 254-275 “O,pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth…” Antony, Act III, Sc. 2, ll. 72-93 “Friends, Romans, countrymen…..
