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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
Act I, Scene 1
1. Why does Flavius makes the following observation?
These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
Who else would soar above the view of men
And keep us all in servile fearfulness. (1.1.73-76)
What imagery is used in the above metaphor, and what does this imagery symbolize?
Act 1, Scene 2
2. What feast day are the Romans celebrating when Caesar returns after defeating Pompey?
3. What hint do we receive that Caesar is a superstitious man?
4. What warning does the Soothsayer give Caesar as he makes his way through the crowds? How does Caesar
react?
5. Why does Cassius offer to be Brutus’ “mirror”?
6. In Cassius’ monologue, from lines 180 – 220, what two criticisms of Caesar does Cassius make?
7. In what classical allusion does Cassius aggrandize himself in this same monologue?
8. Why does Cassius say that Caesar “doth bestride the world as a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his
huge legs?
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9. During Cassius’ continuing attempt to lure Brutus to the side of the conspirators, Cassius says, “The fault,
dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings” (1.2.231-232). What does
Cassius mean?
10. What does Brutus mean when he says to Cassius, “Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this: Brutus had
rather be a villager / Than to repute himself a son of Rome / Under these hard conditions as this time / Is
like to lay upon us” (1.2.262-266).
11. How do we know that Caesar does not trust Cassius?
12. How many times did Marc Antony offer Caesar the crown in the coliseum?
13. What embarrassing thing happened to Caesar during his time in the coliseum?
14. Why does Cassius tell Brutus, “No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling
sickness” (1.2.348-349)?
15. What plan to bring Brutus to the side of the conspirators does Cassius concoct in his soliloquy at the end of
scene 2?
16. How does the Cassius’ revelation in the soliloquy change our feelings toward him as a character and why?
Act 1, Scene 3
The term pathetic fallacy refers to a situation in which a writer creates a setting for an event that reflects the
mood of the action.
17. Name five unnatural occurrences that have occurred during the night.
18. Describe the different reactions to these strange occurrences, as related by Casca and then Cassius.
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19. Why does Cassius ask Cinna to leave something on paper at a public place and something on wax by
Brutus’ window?
20. Who is the man Casca describes when he says, “O, he sits high in all the people's hearts: / And that which
would appear offence in us, / His countenance, like richest alchemy, / Will change to virtue and to
worthiness”?
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Act 2, Scene 1
21. During Brutus soliloquy at the beginning of Act 2, he uses two pieces of image: a ladder and a serpent’s
egg. What do these two things symbolize?
22. What is in the letter that Brutus’ servant, Lucius, brings to him?
23. How does Brutus react to this letter?
24. Name the conspirators who come to visit Brutus’ house late at night.
25. How does Brutus respond when Cassius suggests killing Marc Antony as well as Caesar?
26. What anachronism does Shakespeare commit at this point of the play?
27. What Decius Brutus say when Cassius worries that Caesar might not come to the senate that morning
because of the strange happenings that night?
28. Who is Portia, and what does she want of Brutus?
29. Who is Caius Ligarius?
Act 2, Scene 2
30. Why does Calpurnia not want Caesar to leave their house and go to the senate on this day?
31. Name three strange things that Calpurnia mentions have happened on this night.
32. What does it mean when Caesar says, “Cowards die many times before their deaths; /
The valiant never taste of death but once”?
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33. What bad news do the auguers have for Caesar?
34. What excuse does Calpurnia want Caesar to give the senate for not coming that morning?
35. Describe Calpurnia’s dream.
36. How does Decius Brutus interpret Calpurnia’s dream?
37. How does Decius Brutus tempt Caesar into agreeing to go to the senate?
38. What is the meaning of Trebonius’ aside at this point in the play?
39. What is dramatic irony?
Act 2, Scene 3
40. What is in Artemidorus’ letter that he intends to give Caesar?
Act 2, Scene 4
41. Why is Portia so anxious on this morning?
Act 2, Scene 5
42. Who are the two men who demand to speak to Caesar first?
43. Why does Caesar decide to listen to the one man and not the other?
44. Who is Metullus Cimber?
45. What does Caesar mean when he says, “I am as fixed as the North Star”?
46. What does Caesar mean when he says, “Doth no Brutus bootless kneel?”?
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47. What does Caesar say before he dies?
48. Why do the conspirators bathe their hands in Caesar’s blood?
49. Why does Antony send his servant to talk to Brutus?
50. What does Antony think the conspirators want to do when he first walks in on the murder scene?
51. Why does Antony tell the conspirators, after he agrees to join them that his “credit now stands on such
slippery ground, / That one of two bad ways you must conceit me, / Either a coward or a flatterer”?
52. What personal request does Antony make of the conspirators?
53. What two conditions does Brutus make of Antony if he is to let Antony speak at Caesar’s funeral?
54. Name four predictions that Antony makes in his soliloquy, alone with Caesar’s body.
55. Whose servant comes to Antony at this point?
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Act 3, Scene 1
56. When Brutus gives his speech to the Roman crowd, he says, “—Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I
loved / Rome more.” Why does Brutus say this?
57. Antony’s speech at Caesar’s funeral is one of the most famous in all of English literature. What three
things does Antony say Caesar did for the Roman people?
58. How does Antony use the word noble and turn it against Brutus and the conspirators?
59. What document does Antony read to the Roman crowd?
60. What did Caesar bequeath to the Roman people?
61. At the end of his speech, when he is alone, Antony says, “Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, /
Take thou what course thou wilt!” Why does he say this? How does this comment give us some insight
into Antony’s character?
Act 3, Scene 2
62. Why does the crowd kill Cinna, the Poet?
63. What does this action show about mobs?
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Act 4, Scene 1
64. What are the men doing when this scene opens?
65. What is so shocking about this already shocking process?
66. How does Antony feel about Lepidus?
67. To what animal does Antony compare with Lepidus?
Act 4, Scene 2
68. What has happened to the relationship between Brutus and Cassius and how do we know?
Act 4, Scene 3
69. Why is Cassius angry with Brutus?
70. What does Brutus mean when he says Cassius has an “itchy palm”?
71. What does Brutus mean when he accuses Cassius of having choler?
72. What reason does Cassius give when Brutus accuses of him of not sending gold to support the army?
73. What dramatic move does Cassius make to cool Brutus’ anger?
74. What has happened to Portia?
75. What has happened to many of the senators of Rome during this civil war?
76. What battle strategy does Cassius offer the generals?
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77. What battle strategy does Brutus offer the generals?
78. What does the Ghost of Caesar tell Brutus?
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Act 5, Scene 1
79. How does Octavius (Caesar) respond when Antony gives him battle orders?
80. Why do the generals of both armies meet before the battle at Philippi?
81. Whose birthday is it on the day of the battle?
82. What inauspicious sign did Cassius’ soldiers claim to see?
Act 5, Scene 2
83. What instructions does Brutus give to Messala in this short scene, and why does he give them?
Act 5, Scene 3
84. What are the consequences of Brutus’ orders to Messala?
85. Who kills Cassius? Why?
86. What does Tintineus do when he finds out Cassius is dead?
Act 5, Scene 4
87. What is the name of the soldier that pretends to be Brutus? What happens to him?
Act 5, Scene 5
88. What request does Brutus make of Clitus and Dardanius?
89. What does Strato do for Brutus?
90. Who says of Brutus, “This was the noblest Roman of them all”?
91. Who says of Brutus, “His life was gentle, and the elements / So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up /
And say to all the world 'This was a man!'”