The Historical
Julius Caesar
Early Rome
• Rome was established in 753 B.C.
• A democratic republic was then established which
lasted until the death of Julius Caesar.
• The Romans were proud of their democratic system
and were repulsed by the thought of being ruled by an
emperor.
Gaius Julius Caesar
• Born: 12th or 13th July, 100 BC.
Died: 15th March, 44 BC.
• A lawyer, politician, and military leader. Before the
people wanted to crown him emperor, Julius Caesar
conquered and talked his way to gain power. He was
was part of a Triumvirate with general Pompey and
wealthy colonel Crassus.
• Captured by pirates… twice!
• Pompey once had more favor with the people than
Caesar, but after a civil war, Pompey was dead and
Julius was in charge and loved by all (or most..).
The Scene…
Pretty historically accurate,
Shakespeare’s play takes
place in Ancient Rome,
where Julius Caesar
has just returned in
triumph from war.
The crowd greatly respects Caesar for all the good
he has done and hails him as their new leader,
but there are some Roman officials who fear he
will become too powerful of a ruler, more like
an emperor, and they will lose the liberties they
have enjoyed as citizens of a free state.
A small group of men conspire to assassinate
Caesar, believing they are acting to
preserve the freedoms of the Roman
Republic.
Shakespeare: His Life and Times
Early Life
• Born 1564
—Died 1616
• Stratford-upon-Avon,
England
Stratford-on-Avon in Shakespeare’s Time
As reproduced in William Rolfe, Shakespeare the Boy (1896).
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Family and Theatre
• Married to Anne Hathaway
Had twins - Hamnet & Judith, and daughter Susanna
• Sometime between 1583-1592, he moved to London and
began working in theatre.
• Member and later part-owner of the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men, later called the King’s Men
• Globe Theater built in 1599
• Burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays
Elizabethan
Theatrical
Conventions
The Rebuilt Globe Theater, London
The Globe Theater
The Stage
In Shakespeare’s Time
• Shakespeare created at least 38 plays, made up of
tragedies, histories, comedies, and tragicomedies.
• A show lasted about 2 ½ hours, usually in open air
theatres during the afternoon.
• There was no scenery, but elaborate props and
costumes to give reality.
• Devices such as trap doors and scaffolds were used to
make gods, witches, etc. disappear.
The Stage
In Shakespeare’s Time (continued)
• There were no actresses. All parts were played by
men or boys.
• In front of stage was a big open area where the
"penny-public" stood to watch as they could not
afford seats. The wealthy had seats on upper levels.
Tragedy and the Tragic Hero
• Shakespeare’s tragedies are often called his
“greatest plays.”
• Every tragedy contains a “tragic hero”
– Tragic hero: a main character who goes
through a series of events that lead to his/her
downfall
Qualities of a Tragic Hero
• Possesses importance or a high rank
• Exhibits extraordinary talents
• Displays a tragic flaw—an error in
judgment or defect in character—that leads
to downfall
• There are attempts to mislead him
• Faces downfall with courage and dignity
Soliloquy and Aside
• Shakespeare uses soliloquies and asides even
though these are not things that are used in real life.
• Soliloquy: a long speech given by a character
while alone on stage to reveal his or her private
thoughts or intentions. (monologue)
• Aside: a character’s quiet remark to the audience or
another character that no one else on stage is
supposed to hear. A stage direction (often in
brackets) indicates an aside