Julius Caesar
Sticky Notes
Act III
Scene 1
• In Act 3, scene one, lines 6-8 there is an example of
dramatic irony (when the audience is aware of events that
the characters are not) because we know that reading
Artemidorus’ letter could save Caesar’s life, but he has no
way of knowing that.
• In line 8 Caesar is characterized as being overly proud, but
also concerned with the public’s perception of him.
• In lines 19-22, Cassius is characterized as being emotional
instead of rational when he gives in to panic at the idea
that the conspiracy may be discovered.
• In Caesar’s speech on lines 58-73, Caesar uses a simile to
compare himself to the North Star.
• In lines 128-142 Brutus reveals a flaw in his character.
He is too trusting of Antony to accept his motives for
killing Caesar and reveals himself to be extraordinarily
idealistic.
• Line 158 contains an example of imagery when Antony
says “Now, whilst your purpled hands to reek and
smoke,”
• Lines 204-210 have an example of a metaphor when
Antony compares Caesar to a defenseless animal being
killed in cold blood by hunters.
• Lines 254-275 are a soliloquy in which Antony makes it
clear that he is furious and willing to make Rome and
its citizens suffer to see that the conspirators are
punished.
• This soliloquy contains many examples of imagery
(curse, fury, fierce, infants quartered with the hands of
war, this foul deed, groaning for burial).
Scene 2
• Act 3, scene 2, lines 12-44 is an example of prose and Brutus’ speech is
reasonable and unemotional.
• In lines 71-105, Antony’s speech is in blank verse and in this speech he
pretends to support Brutus while actually raising doubts about his
character.
• In lines 172-177 he uses personification to compare Caesar’s wounds to
Brutus’ neighbor who answered a knock on the door.
• Lines 206-226 contain verbal irony (making statements contrary to what is
meant.) when he says that he doesn’t want to stir the crowd to mutiny,
but that is exactly what he means to do.
• Line 221 has alliteration when he says “for I have neither wit, nor words,
nor worth.”
• Lines 221-222 is an example of a metaphor that compares Caesar’s stab
wounds to mouths that can speak of the treachery of Brutus and the other
conspirators.
Scene 3
• Act III scene 3 contains dark comic relief with the
murder of Cinna the poet as a result of having
shared a name with one of the conspirators by
using self-mocking wit.
• This scene illustrates the theme of the
breakdown of social order.
• The horrible murder of Cinna the poet is symbolic
of Rome’s fall into moral chaos and it’s loss of
unity and integrity.
• Scene 3 also foreshadows the downfall of the
conspirators.
Scene 1 Summary
Scene one opens with Caesar and the Senators
making their way to the Capitol. Both the
Soothsayer and Artemidorus attempt to intervene
in Caesar’s behalf, but Caesar ignores them and
attends to the issues of the Senators. While Caesar
is explaining to the Senators that he will not grant a
pardon to end the exile of Publius Cimber, Casca is
the first to stab Caesar. The other conspirators then
begin to stab him until the last of the conspirators,
Brutus, gives him the final blow. Caesar is shocked
at the betrayal of Brutus since they were good
friends.
Brutus and the conspirators discuss how noble
the murder was in that it freed Caesar from
having to fear death (because he is now dead).
They dip their swords and hands into the blood
of Caesar to parade around Rome.
In the meantime, Antony has returned to the Capitol after
the death of Caesar. He asks first to be killed right there
with Caesar, but is assured that the conspirators mean
him no harm. After a disagreement between Cassius and
Brutus, Antony is granted permission my Brutus to speak
at Caesar’s funeral as long as he does not blame the
conspirators, speaks well of Caesar, and says he does so
with their permission. Cassius did NOT think this was a
good idea! At the end of the scene Antony speaks in a
soliloquy that promises retribution for the death of
Caesar and destruction of all of the conspirators.
Scene 2 Summary
Scene two begins with Brutus explaining in very rational terms why
the conspirators have killed Caesar. By the end of his speech, the
commoners believe that the assassination was necessary and are
somewhat hostile to Antony. Antony makes an impassioned speech
in which he admits that Brutus and the conspirators gave him
permission to speak and continues to call them “honorable men”
until the term “honorable” becomes verbal irony. He gives several
examples of how kind and UN-ambitious Caesar was, then finishes
each example with “but these are honorable men.” He showed the
Caesar’s wounds and pointed out which each of the conspirators
must have inflicted upon the body, and then told them that Caesar
willed each of them 75 drachmas. By the end of scene two, the
Roman commoners have become enraged to the point of violence
against the conspirators.
Scene 3 Summary
Scene three is supposed to be a slightly comical
scene. Cinna the poet is confronted by a mob of
commoners, and is dragged away and
presumably killed simply because he has the
same name as one of the conspirators. Though
this is a grisly and somewhat disturbing scene,
Caesar’s use of language makes it clear that it is
supposed to provide comedic relief.