Annotation Questions for Act III of Julius Caesar
Team 1 ___________________________________
Page 35
1. What are the senators asking of Caesar prior to assassinating him? Underline your answer and
comment in the margin.
2. To what does Caesar compare himself in the beginning of page 35? Underline your answer.
What figure of speech is being used here? What does this comparison suggest about Caesar’s
personality? Comment in the margin.
3. What does Caesar mean when he announces, “Et tu, Brute?” Underline this statement and
provide your answer in the margin.
4. An allusion to “Olympus” is being made. Underline evidence of this. What is Olympus, and why
would Shakespeare incorporate this allusion on this page? Explain in the margin.
5. Why do the conspirators kill Julius Caesar in the first place? Underline and explain your answer.
6. Underline the word “enfranchisement”. What does this word mean, and why would
Shakespeare use this term in this particular context? Underline and explain your answer in the
margin.
7. When Brutus states that “ambition’s debt is paid,” what does this mean? Underline this passage
and comment in the margin.
Team 2 ___________________________________
Pages 36-37
1. On this page, underline what Trebonius states. Then describe in the margin how the Roman
people are feeling.
2. How does Brutus justify himself for killing Caesar? Underline evidence of this and provide a
comment in the margin.
3. What about Cassius? How does he justify himself? Underline evidence of this and provide a
comment in the margin.
4. On page 36, who makes a presence? Underline evidence of someone new and provide your
answer in the margin.
5. Why do you believe Antony sent his servant to speak with Brutus? Underline your answer and
comment in the margin.
6. Cassius demonstrates his doubt on page 37. Underline evidence of this and explain why he may
be right to doubt at this time.
7. On page 37, underline Antony’s first line. Then underline what the servant states in the middle
of the page. How is Antony’s manner of speaking different from the servant’s? Explain in the
margin. Why may Shakespeare have these two characters speaking in different styles?
Team 3 ___________________________________
Page 37-38
Annotation Questions for Act III of Julius Caesar
1. Does Antony rhyme when speaking on page 37? If not, what type of verse does he use? Provide
your answer in the margin.
2. How does Antony feel when he beholds Caesar’s body? What does he ask of the conspirators?
Underline your answer and explain in the margin.
3. On page 38, Brutus mentions how he and the conspirators “appear bloody and cruel”. Underline
this. How does Brutus justify the bloody deed that has been carried out? How does he
legitimize what he and the conspirators have done? Comment in the margin.
4. Is it Brutus’s intention to harm Antony? How do you know? Underline your answer and
comment in the margin.
5. Brutus mentions that he will explain his motive for killing Caesar. When, though, does he intend
on doing this? Underline your answer and comment in the margin.
6. When Mark Antony shakes hands with the conspirators, do you think this gesture is honest?
What words in his monologue lead you to believe that he may not be speaking in earnest?
Underline those words and comment in the margin.
7. At the end of the monologue, what simile does Mark Antony use to describe Caesar? Underline
your answer. Why does Antony use such a comparison? Explain in the margin.
Team 4 ___________________________________
Page 39
1. Refer to page 39. Brutus has not yet provided Mark Antony with a legitimate reason for
murdering Caesar, but he does state that his “reasons are so full of good regard/That were you,
Antony, the son of Caesar, / You should be satisfied”. Underline this. What does this statement
mean? Why would Antony have a problem with this statement? Comment in the margin.
2. In an aside to Brutus, Cassius mentions what a terrible idea it would be to allow Mark Antony to
speak at Caesar’s funeral. Underline evidence of this and comment in the margin.
3. Do you think Cassius is right for having skeptical feelings about Mark Antony? Underline the
passage that demonstrates Cassius’s skepticism and provide your answer in the margin.
4. What may be considered an error in judgment on the part of Brutus? How may this hurt him?
Underline Brutus’s error in judgment and comment in the margin.
5. What directive does Brutus give Mark Antony? Underline your answer and provide a comment
in the margin.
6. After all conspirators exit, what kind of speech does Mark Antony perform? How do you know?
Write your answer in the margin.
7. In his speech, Mark Antony addresses Caesar who is obviously dead, not present any longer.
Underline evidence of this. What literary device is being used here? Write your answer in the
margin.
8. In the very first line of his speech, Mark Antony compares Caesar to what exactly? Underline
your answer. What figure of speech is being used? Write your answer in the margin.