The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
 Why do we study Shakespeare?
 He captures the human experience
 His characters are interesting , diverse, and




authentic; they reveal a broad and deep
picture of human nature
His plays are still relevant in in the modern
world; we can still learn about ourselves
through his plays today.
We learn the power of strong language . and
its used to communicate.
 Average person 4,ooo word vocabulary.
 Shakespeare used over 29,000 different
words
 Clearly, words are power
His language is rich, subtle, and eloquent.
There are many literary allusions on his work
in everyday situations.
William
Shakespeare
Shakespeare and his times
Changes that were happening:
 Born in the midst of the
Renaissance
 Henry VIII breaks away from
Catholic Church and forms the
Church of England
 Rapid advances in art, science, and
philosophy
 Medieval premise that the world is
preparation for eternal life is
questioned
 Everyday life as meaningful and an
opportunity for noble activity
 Queen Elizabeth (Monarch) when
he begins to write.
English Renaissance
Some Renaissance ideas important to the play.
 Humans had potential for development
 This was a time for heroes.
 Elizabethan man was a talented courtier, adventurer,
fencer, poet, and conversationalist.
 He was witty and eloquent gentleman who examined his
own nature and the causes of his actions
 The “Natural Order” hierarchy - God, humans, animals
inanimate objects. (When everything was in its proper
position, there was harmony)
 “Great Chain of being” – The human social structure:
royalty, nobility, gentry (If the chain is broken, everyone
suffers)
 Any upset in this chain was portended by signs ad
divinations in nature – signs in the stars, the weather,
unusual animal behavior, etc. (As seen in Julius Caesar)
Succession Crisis
 Queen Elizabeth was 66 years old.
 No children, refused to marry, and
had never name an heir.
 Unclear succession caused Great fears in the Elizabethans.
 War of the Roses – Long bloody battle between two rival branches
vying for the throne
 Quick Successions- Edward, Lady Jane Gray, Mary and then Elizabeth
 Challenges that Elizabeth had faced early in her reign.
 All these made the topic of who would succeed Elizabeth, and if an
appropriate heir were not found and named, a cause of great concern.
Shakespeare was not able to comment directly on his country’s political
situation, but through the theater he provided a sharp commentary that
politically aware theatergoers would appreciate.
Globe Theater/Writing Career
 Globe Theater was




completed in 1599
Julius Caesar was the first
recorded performance on
this stage
Wrote Tragedies, Histories,
and Comedies
Julius Caesar was based on
Plutarch’s Lives of Noble
Grecians and Romans
Shakespeare wrote
 37 - plays
 154 - sonnets
Shakespeare’s Tragic Hero
Aristotle’s Tragic Hero
Elizabethan Tragic Hero
 High Ranking
 Tragic Flaw (Hamartia)
 Downfall partially own fault and
 By the Renaissance, people
partially fate.
 Misfortune not wholly deserved
 Accepts his fate and gains wisdom
 Catharsis is experienced
Tragic Heroes we’ve studied
Oedipus – Pawn of Fate
Creon – Hubris (Excessive Pride)
viewed themselves as less
pawns of fate and more in
control of their own destinies.
 Believed the suffering is caused
mainly by actions and actions of
men.
 Elizabethan tragic hero is more
responsible for their own
downfall.
 This “waste of human potential”
was more tragic to the
Elizabethans than the erratic
notion of fate.
Shakespeare’s Play Structure
Exposition:
Act I
Characters & Setting
Rising Action:
Act II
Introduction of Conflicts
Climax:
Act III
Turning Point
In a tragedy, things usually go from bad to
worse in Act III
Falling Action:
Act IV
Conflict resolution begins to fall into place
Result of the climax
Denouement:
Main conflicts are resolved
Act V
This act includes a catastrophe, which is
another climactic turning point in the story
line.
Julius Caesar Background Notes
 For centuries Romans debated and even fought
civil wars to decide whether a monarchy, a
republic, or a dictatorship was the best form of
government
 For the first 250 years after its founding, Rome
was ruled by kings whose domination became
increasingly oppressive.
 In 509 B. C. the Romans led by Brutus’ family
evicted the reigning Tarquins (kings) from the
throne and the Roman monarchy became a
republic.
Julius Caesar Background Notes
 The Roman people discovered they exchanged
rule by a king for the rule by a group of
patricians (group of wealthy Romans).
 This republican form of government was
composed of two consuls, The first one being,
the Roman Senate that was made up of praetors
who administered civil justice. The second
consul was the tribune who represented the
people.
 By 100 B.C. Rome was a moderate democracyruled by the Senate.
Julius Caesar Facts
 Born July 12 or 13 100 or 102 B.C,;
premature and epileptic; son of
minor nobility; Caesarean birth
 As a great commander- second
only to Alexander the Great;
skillful gifted politician and
orator, popular among the
people, defender of the
populares, gave power and
money to the plebeians, gave
citizenship to the people he
conquered
Julius Caesar Facts
 Caesar means: Kaiser
(German); Tsar (Slavonic);
Quasar (Islamic)
 Caesar's family traced its
lineage to Venus.
Caesar Timeline
 84 bc married Cornelia (daughter of Lucius
Cornelius Cinna); had a daughter Julia; ordered
by Lucius Sulla to divorce but he refused
 73 bc named pontiff at Rome
 68 bc Cornelia died
Caesar Timeline
 68-66 bc Gave great support
to Pompey, boyhood/best
friend
 66 bc married Pompeia
(granddaughter of Sulla and
relative of Pompey the Great)
 62 bc Became praetor
(judge), second in power only
to the consul of Rome
Pompey
Caesar Timeline
 61 named governor of Spain; divorced
Pompeia; suspected of affair
 60 formed an alliance with Crassus
(wealthy) and Pompey (respected leader
and friend); result was the creation of the
FIRST TRIUMVIRATE (a rule btw. three)
against traditional politicians, i.e. Cato
Caesar Timeline
 59 bc Julius Caesar married Calpurnia {she was
barren; childless} and Pompey married Caesar's
daughter Julia
 59bc Caesar was a patrician and a consul
member. Known for siding with the common
people and granting them favors; became very
popular
Timeline leading up to our play
 58 bc – Caesar leaves Rome for Gaul (Germany and
France) and expands the Roman Empire into
Europe
 54 bc – Julia dies in childbirth and Pompey and
Caesar’s relationship becomes strained
Pompey
Crassus
Caesar
Caesar vs. Pompey
 52 bc – Pompey marries Cornelia Metella, the
daughter of one of Caesar’s greatest enemies.
 52 bc – repressed Gaul fought back. Caesar burned
their fields. Again he fought side by side his men
wearing a scarlet cloak to encourage them.
Although surrounded and outnumbered 5 to 1, he
sent a detachment to attack the Gallic section
from behind. Frightened, they fell back and Rome
was victorious. Julius had conquered all of Gaul.
Caesar vs. Pompey
 49 bc Caesar’s terms as Proconsul in Gaul expires. Pompey and
the Senate order him to disband his army and return to Rome,
where he will face the prosecution from which he has been
immune.
Disobeying the order to disband, Caesar and his troops
cross the Rubicon River, entering the jurisdiction in which
he can be seized and imprisoned, essentially declaring civil
war against his former ally.
 49 bc – Caesar and his troops invaded Rome where he made
himself the absolute ruler, dictator. Pompey's troops
surrendered and Pompey fled to the Balkans. Caesar and his
army followed Pompey as he fled to Greece and then on to
Egypt. Since Caesar did not have a living heir declared his
nephew, Octavius, his sole heir.
Caesar vs. Pompey
 48 bc – Caesar’s troops defeat Pompey’s.
Pompey flees to Egypt. Caesar follows and
is presented with Pompey’s head. The
Egyptians had betrayed Pompey and
killed him as “a gift” for Caesar. (Caesar
merely wanted him captured - Pompey
was his friend); took Cleopatra as
mistress; they had a son; helped her
fight her brother Ptolemy XIII; she soon
became the ruler of Egypt
 47 bc – defeated Pompey's ally
Pharnaces "Veni, vidi, vici"- (I came, I
saw, I conquered)
 46 bc – Caesar returns triumphantly to
Rome. Caesar is appointed Dictator , and
many question his autocratic rule and see
his governing as a threat to the Republic
 45 bc – Several foreign campaigns followed
with Caesar making his power absolute by
defeating his enemies, Pompey’s sons, in
Spain; he returned to Rome; was granted
dictatorship for ten years; he granted
clemency to Cassius and Brutus and gave them
responsible positions – they became senators
 45 bc – Caesar plans a public celebration for
his triumph over Pompey. This angers many,
since only triumphs over foreign “enemies” are
to be celebrated. Pompey was a fellow
Roman. Caesar acts more and more like a
monarch, appointing people to government
posts with no input or consent of the Senate,
issuing coins with his likeness. Erecting a
statue of himself with the inscription “to the
unconquerable God”
 44 bc at the feast of Lupercal ,Caesar is
named dictator for life and this is where our
play begins…
 Caesar was loved by the
common people; declared
dictator for life by senate
 While in Rome, his affair with
Cleopatra and news of their son
humiliated Caesar's wife
Calpurnia and her family
 44 The Romans had overthrown
their last king 450 years before
and had set up a republican
government.
 The idea of another king ruling the "free Romans" was unthinkable.
So 60 conspirators plotted and assassinated Caesar (stabbed him to
death); this threw nation into chaos
 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.
A Roman Dictator

Normally, the Chief Executive position was divided between two Consuls, so no one person
would wield excessive power and become a tyrant.

If there was a need to have a one person hold absolute power for a brief period that would
have been a Roman Dictator. This would occur in times of putting down rebellion or for a
specific task that needed to be done.
 The term of this position would last six month or less
 A dictator had greater independence from the senate
 They had the ability to punish without trial
 Complete immunity from being held accountable for his actions
 He could act on his own authority (without consulting the senate)
However…
 All other government offices continue as before
 They did not have control over the public treasury
 Senate was in charge of funding his programs and commands
 Terms were not allowed to last longer than six months

Julius Caesar modified his first term as dictator to one year. The appointment was
renewed nine times. He was eventually voted, “dictator for life”

He was assassinated one month after his appointment, as several of the senators most
likely feared Caesar becoming a King.
Greek Philosophies
Epicureanism
(Caesar & Antony)
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.
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 selfcentered philosophy that tolerated
no emotion that disturbed one's
detachment from day today events
Motto: Eat, drink and be merry for
tomorrow we die.
Stoicism
(Brutus)
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.
This is a very individualistic philosophy,
but its rigid morality not give it a
broad appeal. It did have a strong
influence on Roman law, the Roman
Empire, and on much of Christian
thought. Remember Portia's reference
to marriage!
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
Literary Terms To know
Anachronism - An event or
detail that is inappropriate for
the time period.
“Why are you walking about without a sign of you
profession?” Act I Scene1
Pun - A play on the multiple
meanings of a word, or on the
sound of a word..
…all that I live by is the awl…” “awl is took for
repairing shoes, but is pronounce “all”
Literary Terms To know
In media res - “in the middle
of something”
The action has already started prior to the first
scene
Anaphora - When the beginning of a
series of sentences starts with the same
few words
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was
the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it
was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of
incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the
season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was
the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we
had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way …
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Literary Terms To know
Soliloquy- A long speech in which a
character alone on stage expresses private
thoughts or feelings
“To be or not to be that is the question…”
Hamlet , William Shakespeare
Aside - A literary device in that an
actor speaks to the audience;
he/she is not heard by the other
characters.
Literary Terms To know
Prose- Prose is the language of the
common people. The commoners speak in
prose language
The cobbler…
Verse - Poetry.
Many of the
characters in Julius Caesar speak
in blank verse, which is unrhymed
iambic pentameter

Brutus speech vs. Antony’s
Literary Terms To know
Iambic Pentameter- Prose is the
language of the common people. The
commoners speak in prose language
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
Romeo and Juliet

Iambic pentameter is a line of poetry
containing 5 iambs; 10 syllables total.
Extended Metaphorcomparison between two unlike things
without using like or as. Several lines
long.
Antigone
-Ship at State
-Tree that doesn’t bend in a storm