The Tragedy
of
Julius Caesar
-BACKGROUND
INFO
-CHARACTERS

How to read a play (no need to copy):
-Look at the cast of characters
-Read the description of the setting
-Try to get a feeling for the mood of the play
-Look for the conflict
-Watch for any evidence that reveals a
change in the main character
-Try to spot the themes

General who would be king, but because
of his pride and ambition, meets an
untimely death.

Shakespeare seems to say that good
government must be based on morality.

Shakespeare compresses actual historical
time of 3 years into 6 days.
STOP
*Create a TIMELINE for Julius
Caesar’s life.
Background



102/100 BC
Gaius Julius Caesar born
to patrician (aristocrat)
family
60 BC Joined Pompey &
Crassus in “The First
Triumvirate”
59 BC Married only
daughter, Julia, to
Pompey (to consolidate
alliance -Pompey
becomes son-in-law)


58 BC Caesar
left for Gaul
(France) and
conquered all
54 BC Julia
died in
childbirth;
Crassus killed
in battle
Crossing
the
Rubicon
49 BC Caesar
crossed the
Rubicon river
with his army
which was
automatic civil
war
 Declared dictator
 48 BC Fought
Pompey;
Pompey defeated
& escaped to
Egypt

48 BC, Oct. 2 Caesar
landed in Egypt &
given the head of
Pompey, who was
betrayed by
Egyptians
 Brought back
Cleopatra to throne
and became her lover
 47 BC Won battles in
Asia Minor with
slogan:
veni, vidi, vici : “I came,
I saw, I conquered”

The Roman Empire
Rome 45 BC
Roman people celebrated triumph over Pompey
 Issued coin with Caesar’s face
 Allowed his statues to be adorned like statues of
gods
 Senate gave him right:
to wear laurel wreath (made of leaves)
to wear purple and gold toga
to sit in gold chair at all public functions

Rome 44 BC, February
Named dictator perpetuus
 Wore purple garb for first time
 NOT THIS!
THIS!

Antony offered him a diadem (crown)
 Caesar refused

Rome 44 BC
Ides of March (March 15)
Caesar attended last Senate meeting
 Brutus & conspirators struck Caesar 23
times at the base of Pompey’s statue
 Legend has it when Caesar saw Brutus, he
said, “You too, my child?” (“Et tu, Brute?”)
 Conspirators did not kill Mark Antony
who had control of the military and access
to the money and to Caesar’s will

Review Quiz
1. Who made up the triumvirate?
2. Who died and how did they die?
3. Why did the Roman people love Julius
Caesar?
The Death of Julius Caesar
Roman Life
Patricians
Roman aristocracy
 The privileged class
 Held all government positions & public
offices
 Elected into Senate by the plebeians
 Rich

Plebeians (plebes)
Had minimal rights of citizenship
 Could not hold public office or
government positions
 Exempt from military service
 Lived in communities separate from
patricians
 Poor; did not have right to marry a
patrician

Women
Legal marriage age for girls – 12 years old
 Men married in their 20’s and 30’s
 Women were treated like property
 Often died young in childbirth from
complications & from diseases
 Sought to marry into wealthy families

KNOCK, KNOCK!
WHO’S THERE?
DON’T WORRY, YOU ARE HALF
WAY THERE!
KEEP IT UP!
!
CLASS WILL BE OVER SOON
& MS. TRAN WILL STOP
TALKING!!
Themes
STOP!
The tree will give us life to continue!
So let’s draw a tree map to survive!
1. Fate vs Free Will
Play questions force of fate vs the capacity of
free will.
 Characters believe that belief in fate to be
passive or cowardly where one waits for things
to happen, rather than making things happen or
asserting self.
 Play supports fate and freedom maintaining a
coexistence.
 Certain events lie beyond human control but to
wait for them in fear is worse than death.

2. Public Self vs Private Self

Play's tragedy comes from character’s
neglect of private feelings in favor of what
they think is to be the public good.

Characters put aside loyalties for the good
of the country.
3. Misinterpretations and
Misreading
Characters fail to interpret correctly the
omens they encounter.
 Inability to read people and events lead to
downfall while ability to read people and
events is key to survival.

4. Inflexibility vs Compromise
Inflexibility, stubbornness brings untimely
death.
 Individuals succeed through adaptability.
 Brutus’ honorable ideals open him up to
manipulation; Caesar’s consistency brings
his death.

5. Rhetoric and Power
Rhetoric is the ability to make things
happen by words alone.
 The most powerful type of authority.
 Words serve to move hearts and minds.

Tragedy
–
–
–
–
–
Chaos results when the lawful social order is
broken.
The best intentions of good, noble people can lead
to tragedy.
Language is powerful weapon, and in the hands of
a skilled person, it can be used to manipulate others.
Violence and bloodshed can never have morally
good results.
Orderliness and stable rule, even rule by a dictator,
are preferable to chaos.
Characters
The First Triumvirate
Julius Caesar –The greatest and most
powerful Roman.
Crassus
Pompey – defeated by Caesar; killed in
Egypt
 The Second Triumvirate (after Caesar dies)
Octavius Caesar –Caesar’s great nephew
and heir to his uncle’s wealth and power
Mark Antony – Caesar’s loyal friend
M. Lepidus

-Marcus Brutus – Caesar’s great friend, he
joins the conspiracy against Caesar
because he loves Rome more than he loves
his friend.
-Portia – Brutus’ wife
-Calpurnia – Caesar’s wife
-Cassius – the conspirer and organizer of
the conspiracy
-Casca – A member of the conspiracy. Used
by Shakespeare because he scoffs at
ceremony and is superstitious
Brutus, the Hero
Hero of the play is not Caesar but Brutus
 Tragic hero (A.K.A. Ms. Tran)
 Noble man
 Believes his actions are for the good of
Rome
 Is thought to be Caesar’s illegitimate son

YAY! You are done (for now).
Plot Synopsis will
be given to you on
Monday.
 We will find out
what happens in
Acts I-V before we
begin reading Act I.
 Turn in your notes


The End (Back to the future)

The energy is restored back to you. May
the force be with you.