1 / 6

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar. By William Shakespeare “Beware the Ides of March”. Historical Background. 60 BC – Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey rule Roman Empire (They’re called the First Triumvirate)

Olivia
Download Presentation

Julius Caesar

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare “Beware the Ides of March”

  2. Historical Background • 60 BC – Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey rule Roman Empire (They’re called the First Triumvirate) • Pompey became nervous (jealous?) of Caesar’s popularity and power (Caesar had conquered France and Britain), so he joined with others to demand Caesar give up his armies. Caesar, “I don’t think so!” • Caesar destroys Pompey, and eventually his sons in Spain. The play opens as he returns from Spain and his triumph there. He enters Rome where there are leaders who worry about the idea of and “emperor” ruling Rome. • Source for above – Plutarch, a Greek biographer, and his Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans.

  3. 4 main characters • Julius Caesar – title character uncharacteristically dies in Act III; democratically elected leader of Rome, but may have designs on being emperor; haughty (he should be – he conquered much of the known world) • Marc Antony – young, notorious (likes to party and chase women); lieutenant of Caesar and fought under him; now fully supports Caesar; deep understanding of Roman people

  4. Caesar’s “opposition” • Caius Cassius – Brutus’s brother-in-law; thin, quick-tempered, practical; also supported Pompey (arch enemy of Caesar); pardoned by Caesar at Brutus’ request • Marcus Brutus – quiet, idealistic; supported Pompey in battle against Caesar; after Pompey’s defeat, Caesar pardons Brutus and resumes friendship; worried about Caesar’s ambition; wife’s father killed himself rather than submit to Caesar’s rule

  5. Terms • Blank verse • Comic relief • Aside • Soliloquy • Tragedy • Tragic hero • Tragic flaw

  6. Act I • Ii – Street in Rome; Tribunes (Roman officers once loyal to Pompey) vs. commoners; commoners make fun of officers – officers lose their temper 1. What pun does the cobbler make regarding his profession? (You can just write the line.) • Iii – Caesar and wife parading through Rome 2. Why does Caesar want Antony to touch Calpurnia as he “doth run his course?”; “Beware the Ides of March!” – Caesar disregards but shouldn’t; long Cassius/Brutus conversation; Cassius feeling him out for conspiracy to eliminate Caesar; never uses the words, “assassinate,” “kill,” or “murder” (typical Shakespearean technique) 3. Describe one of the two incidents Cassius describes to try to show how weak Caesar is. 4. After Caesar returns to the scene what is it about Cassius (physically) that makes Caesar distrust him? 5. Why couldn’t Casca understand Cicero? • Iiii – Ides of March Eve 6. What’s the weather like? 7. Name a strange sight seen that very night. (Could be a bad omen); going to conspirators’ meeting, Cassius meets Casca; Casca informs that Senate will crown Caesar tomorrow; Cassius gets Casca to join • 8. Use any line from Act I to demonstrate the iambic pentameter Shakespeare uses in his blank verse. (write the symbols by hand)

More Related