• Pompey and Crassus
were consuls of Rome
• Stripped much power
from Senate
• They decided to make
Julius Caesar a Consul
without power
• Caesar did not trust
Pompey or Crassus
• After leaving Rome, Caesar returns to
gain total control of the government
• Pompey declares himself sole Consul
and orders Caesar to disband his army
and return to Rome
• Crassus dies during a military
campaign in 53 BC
•Pompey is not supported by the
common people because they
support Caesar
•Pompey ends up fleeing to
Rome and is followed by
Caesar
•He takes total control of the
government and becomes
dictator for life
•Julius Caesar makes use of
popular prejudices and false
claims in order to gain power (a
demogogue)
•Senate fears his reforms and
tries to convince the people
that Caesar was trying to
restore the kingship
•The Senate hates him
•Majority begins to support
Caesar
• Antony began having an affair with Cleopatra
(their affair produced twin sons) and was
consumed with greed thus a struggle for
power over the entire Roman Empire grew
between him and Octavius
• War was declared and during the Actium
War, greatest naval battle of that time, Marc
Antony was defeated
PLAY BEGINS ONE MONTH
BEFORE THE ASSASSINATION!
• 18 year old Octavius, Caesar's nephew, took
over power with Marc Antony by his side
• 2ND TRIUMVIRATE was formed between
Octavius, Antony, Lepidus
• Lepidus eventually retired his position and the
Roman Empire was to be split- Octavius
ruling the western region and Antony ruling
the eastern
• Antony and Cleopatra fled and committed
suicide, twins were killed by the Romans,
Caesar and Cleopatra's son was never heard
of again.
• Octavius became sole ruler of the Roman
Empire and it's emperor; given the name
Octavius Augustus, "anointed one"; his rule
was the beginning of 200 years of Roman
peace (“Pax Romana”) and the beginning of
what is known as the "Golden Age"
• IMPT!!! - The political conflict of the play is between
Brutus, Cassius, and other tribune conspirators
versus those who support Caesar (Antony and
Octavius).
• Brutus, Cassius, as well as others conspire against
Caesar's desire for absolute power in an attempt to
preserve Republican Rome and their own freedom.
• In order to understand the themes you must
understand the religious beliefs at that time as well
as the view of the universe. During this time it was
believed that the monarch's right to rule came from
Gods as well as the people, and so opposition to the
anointed ruler was really opposition to Gods.
THEMES
• Chaos results when prescribed social order is broken.
• The best intentions of good, noble men can lead to
tragedy. (*tragic hero…know the traits!!!)
• Language is a 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 a stable rule, even though dictatorial,
are preferable to social chaos.
Characteristics of the Roman People
• Polytheistic ~ belief in many
gods
• Superstitious
• Respect for physical strength
• Patriotic
• Sense of honor
• Deep regard for reputations
• Respect for others
Weaknesses of the
Roman People
• Easily influenced or swayed;
“fickle”
• Relatively uneducated
POLITICAL TERMS
1. Bondsman – slave
2. Commons - the common people
3. Consul- the chief magistrate and the highest
official in Roman Republic
4. Dictator- total political control by one person
5. Plebeian- the common people
POLITICAL TERMS
6. Praetor- Roman judge or magistrate, next to
consul in rank
7. Rabblement / rout - the rabble, mob
8. Senators - mainly patricians (wealthy, highborn citizens); made the laws
9. Tribune - a magistrate who protects the rights
of the lower classes
10. Triumvirate -rule by three men
MILITARY TERMS
1. Alarum- a trumpet or drum call to arms
2. Battle- a unit or part of the army
3. Battles - the armed forces drawn up for
fighting
4. Charges - the troops
5. Cohort - an army division
MILITARY TERMS
6. Ensign - the f lag (standard) or standard bearer
7. The "horse" in general- the cavalry
8.
Legion - (3000-6000) soldiers of 10 cohorts
9.
Parley - a conference between opposing forces
10. Tributaries - captives who had to pay a tribute or
ransom to Rome before they could obtain their
freedom
Greek Philosophies
Epicureanism: The secret of the good
life was the intelligent pursuit of
pleasure.
The Epicureans did not believe that
there were gods that man had to
please nor did he have a soul whose
afterlife should be central concern
for his life.
Greek Philosophies
Epicureanism: They felt the most lasting
pleasure was to be found in a simple,
quiet life of moderate indulgence and
mental activity. This was a completely
self-centered philosophy that tolerated no
emotion that disturbed one's detachment
from day today events
Motto: Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.
***Caesar and Antony exemplify this
Greek Philosophies
Stoicism: The stoics believed that the
secret of happiness and pleasure was to
be found in doing one's duty, in pursuing
virtue (honor), and in mastering man's
passion with reason.
The highest aim of man was to live in
harmony with his belief and in doing so
achieve inner strength and peace.
Greek Philosophies
Stoicism: This his is a very individualistic
philosophy, but its rigid morality not give it a
broad appeal. It did have a a strong influence on
Roman law, the Roman Empire, and on much of
Christian thought. Remember Portia's reference
to marriage!
***BRUTUS – This is his philosophy. Also Brutus
is a Tragic Hero...review characteristics of a
tragic hero!
•Married to Portia (father killed
himself rather than live under
Caesar’s rule)
•Descendant of Lucius Brutus
•Idealist, enjoyed reading and study
•Liked Caesar but feared ambition
•Supported Pompey, had once
fought against Caesar
• Quick tempered,
practical
• Brutus’s brother-in-law
( Portia’s brother)
• Supported Pompey
against Caesar
• Held a grudge against
Caesar
• Famous for his “wild living”
• Fought under Caesar
• Held public office
• Supported Caesar’s schemes
• Understood instability of
commoners and how could
sway their emotions
Tragedy
A play depicting serious and
important events in which
the main character or
characters suffer great loss
or even death.
TRAGIC HERO CHARACTERISTICS
• Noble in stature/royal
• Not perfect has tragic flaw
•
•
•
•
(harmartia)
ex. Pride (hubris)
Downfall partially own fault/due to
free choice
Misfortune not wholly deserved
Accepts his fate and gains wisdom
Catharsis is experienced
Tragic Hero
The main character in a
tragedy who is flawed, but
is more noble than evil.
Tragic Flaw
Harmartia –
a fundamental character
weakness that is
partially responsible for
the hero’s demise.
The Frog and
The Scorpion
“Why did you
sting me, Mr.
Scorpion? For
now we both
shall drown.”
The scorpion replies,
“I couldn’t
help it, it’s
in my
nature.”
Pun
A play on the multiple
meanings of a word, or
on the sound of a word.
Anachronism
• An event or
detail that is
inappropriate for
the time period.
• i.e. the chiming
of the clock in
Julius Caesar
from Act II, sc i
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that uses
exaggeration to express
strong emotion or to create
comic effect. Also called
“overstatement”.
An example of hyperbole
“Weep your tears
into the channel,
till the lowest
stream do kiss
the most exalted
shores of all.”
JC Act I, sc 1
Personification
Nonhuman
things or
qualities are
talked about
as if they’re
human
Soliloquy
A long speech
in which a
character
alone on stage
expresses
private
thoughts or
feelings
Foreshadowing
Using clues to
hint at what
might happen
later in the
plot.
“Beware the
ides of
March.”
Catharsis
• A sense of
emotional
release
experienced
from watching
a tragedy
Verse
Poetry.
Many of the
characters in
JC speak in
blank verse,
which is
unrhymed
iambic
pentameter
Prose
Prose is the
language of
the common
people. The
commoners
speak in prose
language.
Iambic pentameter
•An iamb is a unit of speech
consisting of two syllables; one
unstressed syllable followed by
one stressed syllable, such as in
the words deny and expect.
•Iambic pentameter is a line of
poetry containing 5 iambs; 10
syllables total.
Foil
A character used to
contrast another
character.
Writers use a foil
to emphasize the
difference
between
characters.
EXTENDED METAPHOR
comparison
between 2
unlike things
without
using like or
as. Several
lines long.
example
•“our Ship of State, which
recent storms have
threatened to destroy, has
come safely to harbor at
last, guided . . .”
Motivation
Something that
causes a
character to
do something
or act in a
certain way
Verbal irony
A contrast
between what
is said and
what is meant.
An example
can be sarcasm.
Dramatic Irony
occurs when
the audience
knows
something
important that
a character
does not know
Situational Irony
what actually
happens is the
opposite of
what was
expected to
happen