Background on Shakespeare and the play
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Where and when was Shakespeare born?
What famous actress shares a name with
Shakespeare’s wife and how old were they
when they married?
What three categories of plays did
Shakespeare compose?
What was the name of his acting troupe?
What was the name of his theater?
How was it different from the other ones
common in London at the time?
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Why do people think Shakespeare didn’t
really write the works to which his name is
attributed?
Whom do some scholars think may have
written his work?
How many plays did he write before his
death?
How many sonnets did he write before his
death?
How many stories was his theater?
Where did the wealthy sit?
Where did the “groundlings” stand?
Did they have elaborate costumes?
Did they have a lot of props and scenery?
Did they have special effects?
Who played women’s roles?
How are Shakespeare’s plays structured?
What is a Soliloquy?
What is an apostrophe?
What is an aside?
What is a pun?
What is imagery? How is it especially important in
Shakespeare’s work?
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Who was the famous queen after whom this
period was named?
What other names does this period have?
What was England accomplishing globally at
this time?
What power did people at the time attribute
to the stars?
Did women have the right to vote?
April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in
Stratford-on-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare. There
is a baptismal registration for Shakespeare, but few other
written records exist. He was the 3 rd of 8 children.
1582: According to church
records, Shakespeare married
Anne Hathaway.
At the time of their marriage,
William was eighteen and
Anne was twenty-six.
 Comedies - light and amusing, usually with a
happy ending (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The
Taming of the Shrew)
 Tragedies –serious dramas with flawed characters
who cause disastrous endings (Romeo and Juliet,
Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello)
 Histories – involve events or persons from history
(Julius Caesar, Henry VIII)
1594: William became involved with a company of
actors named “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.”
This group later (1603) changed their name to
“The King’s Men”.
In 1598, Shakespeare, in
collaboration with other actors,
designed and built The Globe.
This circular theatre was
the first of its kind,
breaking away from the
traditional rectangular
theatres.
 Edward deVere (Earl of Oxford)
 Christopher Marlowe
 Francis Bacon
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At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have written
around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also known to have
contributed over two thousand words to the English language.
Shakespeare also came up
with many phrases:
• Eaten out of house and home
• Pomp and circumstance
• Foregone conclusion
• Full circle
• The makings of
• Method in the madness
• Neither rhyme nor reason
• One fell swoop
• Seen better days
• It smells to heaven
• A sorry sight
• A spotless reputation
• Strange bedfellows
• The world's (my) oyster
Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard
No artificial light
Three stories high – upper levels or “galleries” were for the
wealthy
The “groundlings” paid a penny a piece to stand on the
floor in front of the stage—”the pit” (800 people)
Large platform stage
Back of platform was curtained off inner stage
Two door entrances/exits on either side of curtain
Small balcony/upper stage
Elaborate costumes but no props
Young boys played the parts of women; women were not
allowed to be actors
gallery
“heaven”
Tiring
house
The
“pit” &
groundlings
stage
Tragedy: A narrative that ends in destruction, in which main
character makes a tragic mistake due to a flaw that causes an
error in judgment.
Plays are broken up into acts, which are broken up into scenes.
Monologue: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character
onstage to everyone.
Soliloquy: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character
alone on stage, inaudible to other characters.
Apostrophe: A line directed toward someone not present, or
inanimate object for dramatic purposes (not in expectation of a
response.)
Aside: A short speech given by one character, traditionally the
other characters cannot hear (a character’s thoughts aloud.)
Pun: A humorous play on words
• Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery.
• The executioner decided to drop out of Executioner
School. It was just too cut throat for him.
Imagery: use of sensory detail
• The salty scent of the beach lingered on our sandy toes.
• He savored the first bite of the apple pie, with its layers
of sweet fruit filling.
Act III: Crisis/Turning Point
A series of complications
Act II: Rising Action
A series of
complications
Act I: Exposition
Establishes setting,
characters, conflict, and
background
Act IV: Falling Action
Results of the turning
point; characters locked
into deeper disaster
Act V:
Climax/Resolution/Denouement
Death of the main characters and then
the loose parts of the plot are tied up
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Queen Elizabeth reigned 1558–1603.
Known as the Golden Age or Renaissance
Period of international expansion, and naval triumph over the
Spanish Armada.
It was the end of the period when England was a separate realm
before its royal union with Scotland.
English empire was growing as it claimed colonies across the
world.
Elizabethan superstition: they relied heavily on astrology and the
stars.
Women: Married women lost all control of their property, even
clothing, to their husbands. They could not vote.
Quotes that have lived through the
Ages
"Beware the ides of March."
Soothsayer, Act I, Scene II
"Cowards die many times before their
deaths; The valiant never taste of death
but once.” Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II
"Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar."
Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene I
"Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war”
Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene I
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me
your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to
praise him.” Mark Anthony, Act III,
Scene II
"This was the noblest Roman of them all”
Mark Anthony, Act V, Scene V
Overcast of impending doom, darkness and
catastrophe—look for the motif of omens and
foreboding signs.
 Themes of betrayal, revenge and man’s thirst
for power. Is Shakespeare saying there is no
trust left, only manipulation and corruption?
 Julius Caesar is largely set in Rome, 44 B.C.
 Ancient Rome
 Tiber River
 the Capitol
 the house of the Senate
 The Forum
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Literary Focus
 Mood
 Setting
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Dramatizes the events leading to the murder
of Caesar and the struggle to control Rome
after Caesar’s assassination
Based on Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble
Greeks and Romans
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Patricians – old noble
families, wealthy
middle class; had
much power
Plebeians – working
class citizens,
represented but with
little power
Consuls – highest ranking officials,
presided over Senate and all
elections
 Senate – Rome’s ruling body,
selected by consuls
 Tribunes – only plebeians as
elected officials; could veto Senate
decrees; immune from arrest;
many were assassinated when
they stood in the way of a
senator’s ambition
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NOT a true democracy
During crisis, powerful man could be dictator
YET…more people had a VOICE
Rome looked down on monarchs
By 44BC, Romans were convinced that
ambitions of one man threatened the
Republic
Based on a true story, this play takes
place in Ancient Rome,
where Julius Caesar
has just returned in
triumph from war.
The crowd hails him as their new leader, but there are some
Romans who fear he will become too powerful of a ruler,
more like an emperor, and they will lose the liberties they
have enjoyed as citizens of a free state.
A small group of men conspire to assassinate
Caesar, believing they are acting to preserve
the freedoms of the Roman Republic.
Death of Caesar
They surround him in the Forum,
and stab him to death.
The play goes on to tell the story of what
happens after the murder, as the
conspirators quarrel among themselves, war
erupts, and liberties, instead of being
protected, appear to be lost.
Caesar
Brutus (tragic hero)
Antony
Cassius
Conspirators (Casca, Trebonious, Decius Brutus,
Cinna
and Metallus Cimber)
 Calpurnia (Caesar’s wife)
 Portia (Brutus’ wide)
 Soothsayer (seer—warns “Beware the Ides of
March!”
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He is the head of the Roman
state. He is a great
soldier, and has just
returned from a series of
wars during which he
defeated the sons of the
previous Roman ruler,
Pompey.
He is popular with the
crowds that stand in the
streets to greet his
triumphal return,
cheering and clapping.
Calpurnia is Caesar’s
wife.
He is a loyal friend and supporter of Caesar, who he believes will
make a good ruler of Rome. He is appalled at the killing of
the head of state, and although he shakes hands with the
conspirators immediately after the murder, he vows to
avenge Caesar’s death.
He gives a funeral oration over
Caesar’s dead body that stirs
the crowd to anger and desire for
revenge. He will be one of the
three rulers of Rome, after
Caesar’s death, and he gathers
an army to fight the
killers.
He is a respected Roman, a
man of intelligence and
honor, who is a personal
friend of Caesar, yet
wonders whether, as a ruler,
he will overstep his powers
and become a tyrant rather
than a good head of state.
He is finally convinced to join
the conspirators as their
leader. As they raise their
daggers to commit the
murder, Caesar recognizes
his dear friend and cries, in
Latin, “Et tu, Brute?” or
“You too, Brutus?” Portia is
Brutus’ wife.
Casca, Trebonious,
Decius, Cinna
and Metallus
Cimber are the
other members of
the conspiracy,
each of whom
participates
by stabbing Caesar.
Cassius is one of the leaders
of the conspiracy. He is
suspicious of Caesar from
the beginning, gathers
others into the band, and
convinces Brutus to join
with them in their plans
for assassination.
He and Brutus flee Rome
after the killing, each
gathers an army, and they
try to conquer Mark
Antony’s army.
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Julius Caesar begins with a comic-relief scene, the streets
of Rome lined with mobs of citizens who have left their place
of work to greet Caesar on the occasion of his triumphant
return from defeating Cneius, the son of Pompey in battle.
What reasons does Shakespeare have for beginning the play
in this fashion? It is a scene intended to engage our attention
immediately as we, along with the Roman commoners, await
the arrival of Julius Caesar with is returning to Rome in
triumph, have conquered the sons of his rival, Pompey, who
was defeated and subsequently killed in Egypt by one of his
own soldiers.
1.
1. Continued…
 Much of the humor of this scene is achieved through the pun. Find THREE
examples of this play on words.
 "A trade sir, that, I hope, may use with a safe conscience, which is
indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.” The pun is Bad soles, it has a
double meaning of bad souls.
 "Truly, sir, all that I live by is with awl” The pun is with the awl, meaning
all.
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What is the importance of Flavius and Marullus in this scene? What
impression do we get of the Roman mob?
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In Act I, scene ii, we meet the central characters of the play:
Caesar, Cassius, Brutus and Mark Antony.
Write a brief character sketch of Julius Caesar from the
impression that we get of him in this scene. Give specific
references to illustrate your point of view.
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3. What impression do we get of Brutus in this scene?
Develop your answer with specific reference.
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4. The most important aspect of this scene is Cassius’s
manipulation of Brutus in order to convince him to join the
conspiracy against Caesar. What tactics—both emotional
appeals as well as logical argument—does Cassius use to
convince Brutus? What are his most effective tactics? Why?
Refer to specific lines to illustrate your ideas.
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5. This scene ends with Cassius delivering the first soliloquy in
the play. Define soliloquy, noting some of its important
characteristics. Paraphrase Cassius’s speech, indicating, with
reference to specific lines, what it reveals about Cassius’s
character and the real motives for his hatred for Caesar.
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6. Act I scene iii opens with a violent thunderstorm that
frightens Casca because he believes that the storm is a
supernatural phenomenon foreboding some evil to the State.
List any FOUR of these strange occurrences that Casca reports
to Cicero.
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7. Cassius deliberately searches out Casca during this terrible
storm just as he had done Brutus in the previous scene. What
tactics does he use to appeal to Casca? What is Cassius’s
purpose for including Casca in the conspiracy when, by his own
admission, he regards Casca to be a dull-witted individual?
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8. At the end of this scene, Casca and Cassius discuss the
reasons why Brutus is needed to ensure the success of the
conspiracy. What reasons do they give?