Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
About the Play
Julius Caesar, the play by William
Shakespeare was based on the real
Julius Caesar, Emperor of Rome, who
lived from July 13,100 BC to March 14,
44 BC.
Shakespeare read about Julius Caesar
from the book Caesar, Parallel Lives”
written by
Plutarch in _________.
Where did Shakespeare’s
Idea come from?
He may have also been influenced by “The
Monk’s Tale” included in The Canterbury
Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. You will read
this when you are a senior.
Main Characters
 Julius Caesar- Emperor of Rome
 Marc Antony- general in the army and
friend of Caesar
 Cassius- Roman senator and leader of
the secret plot to get rid of Caesar
 Brutus- a Roman senator, friend of
Caesar and considered an man of honor
Plot
 Caesar is a successful military man who is now
in total control of Rome and plans to keep it
that way
 Caesar is told “Beware the Ides of March” but
ignores the warning
 The prophesy comes true and Caesar is
murdered on that day
 Some of Caesars good friends were in on the
plot to kill him because they were afraid he was
becoming too power hungry
Themes
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Fate vs. Free Will
Public Self vs. Private Self
Misunderstandings
Speaking Well and the Power It Brings
Motifs
 Omens and Portents
 Letters
Famous Quotes
 Friends, Romans and countrymen lend
me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not
to praise him (Act 3, Scene 2)
 “But for my own part, it was Greek to me”
(Act 1, Scene 2)
 “Cry, “Havoc”! And let slip the dogs of
war!” (Act 3, Scene 1)
More Quotes
 “Et tu, Brute” (Act 3, Scene 1)
 “Not that I loved Caesar less, I loved
Rome more” (Act 3, Scene 2)
 “Beware the Ides of March!” (Act 1,
Scene 2)
 “This was the noblest Roman of the all”
(Act 5, Scene 5)