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Explore the political assassination in Shakespeare's play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" set in the Roman Republic. Discover the themes, characters, and historical context of this iconic tragedy, amidst the backdrop of Elizabethan England's Renaissance and political turmoil. Witness the downfall of tragic heroes like Caesar and Brutus through deception, ambition, and loyalty. Uncover the dramatic ironies and poetic devices entwined in this gripping tale of power and betrayal.
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Shakespeare and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar “Let me have men about me that are fat, Sleek headed men, and such as sleep 0’nites; Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much; such men are dangerous” -Julius Caesar
Quickwrite You have 2 minutes to write 5+ sentences in which you respond to the following. • A good friend of yours has been elected president of the student council. Soon, you notice that he or she is abusing the position by claiming privileges and using it to further his or her social life. How would you deal with this situation?
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar • play, in five acts, about several men trying to save the Roman Republic from Caesar’s ambition of having complete control. • Before Caesar, Rome was a Republic • = equal citizenship and people could elect tribunes to represent them in tribunals = like congress and the senate!
Julius Caesar in Context • Debuted at Globe Theatre in 1599
Another noteworthy production: • Orson Welles, creator of the famous “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast also directed and starred in his 1937 production of Caesar set in Nazi era Germany.
Wow! 1485-1625=Exciting Times!!! • Shakespeare lived and wrote in =Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Era: • The height of the Renaissance under Queen Elizabeth
HOT ISSUE!!! • One of the hottest political issues in Elizabethan England was the role of the monarch and what loyalty should be owed him or her. Hmmm? Sound familiar?
During this time… • Renaissance=rebirth=15th &16th century Europe • Art, scholarship, and literature flourished • Reformation-King Henry VIII (Elizabeth’s dad) split from Pope and Catholic Church and founded Protestant Church of England • Age of Exploration-The Americas and more • Age of Discovery-many scientific discoveries including telescope and planetary motion
Heard of these guys?Other figures from the Renaissance • Copernicus • Galileo Galilei • Leonardo Da Vinci • Christopher Columbus • Hernán Cortés • Vasco da Gama • Ferdinand Magellan • Francisco Pizarro • Donatello • Michelangelo
TRAGEDY • tragedy: a play in which events turn out disastrously for the main character or characters
Tragic Hero • a character whose basic goodness and superiority are marred by a tragic flaw • a fatal error in judgment that leads to the hero’s downfall. • Brutus-is noble, but is a poor judge of character-too rigid in his ethical and political principles • Caesar-brings great things to Rome, but proud, arrogant, and ambitious
Monologue Dialogue a conversation between characters. a speech by one character in a play, story or poem. Given to another character.
Aside Soliloquy a speech given by a character alone. short speech delivered by an actor in a play, which expresses the character’s thoughts. Traditionally, the aside is directed to the audience and is presumed to be inaudible to the other actors.
Irony Dramatic Verbal Irony of Situation
Verbal Irony • Author says one thing and means something else. English
Irony of Situation • When what is expected does not occur. English
Dramatic Irony • Audience knows something that a character in the literature does not know. English
Antony says Brutus is “an honorable man” What type of Irony is it?
The audience knows about the plot to assassinate Caesar, but Caesar does not. We watch Caesar go out on the Ides of March with suspense. What type of Irony is it?
Shakespeare’s Theatre • emphasis on language and the human voice • Shakespeare had to create atmosphere and setting through language. IMAGERY. • Shakespeare’s audience accepted the stage convention of heightened language, often in verse. • no-one spoke in verse outside the theatre.
Imagery: picture the images that these words conjure ‘Tis now the very witching time of night When chruchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow, You cataracts and hurricanes spout… Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble
Look and listen for the poetic devices… • Alliteration-repetition of consonants, usually at the beginning of words. Whereat with blade, with bloody, bladeful blade, He bravely broached his bloody boiling breast.” Quince-Midsummer • Assonance-repetition of vowel sounds “What lusty trumpet thus doth summon us?”-King John • Consonance-repetition of consonant sounds
Characters • Flavius and Marullus =Tribunes/government workers. • Julius Caesar=Conquering Roman general, a mighty soldier swayed by superstition.
Casca: Conspirator\hates the ordinary citizenry yet is jealous when the people honor Caesar.
Calpurnia=Wife of Caesar • Marcus Antonius/Mark Antony =Vows to avenge Caesar’s death.
Soothsayer=Fortune Teller • Cassius=Displays greed and envy and motivates most of the conspirators.
Marcus Brutus=Only conspirator whose motives to assassinate Caesar are pure. • Cicero=A senator • Cinna=A poet
Famous Quotes • Et tu, Brute?-Then Fall, Caesar. • Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears: • Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man. • Beware the Ides of March
Three Ways to Persuade-According to our good friend, Aristotle. • Ethos (credibility) • Pathos (emotion) • Logos (Logic)
ETHOS • Appeal based on the characterof the speaker. An ethos-driven document relies on the reputation of the author. • Why should I trust you as a speaker? What makes you such an expert?
PATHOS • Appeal based on emotion. Advertisements tend to be pathos-driven. • How are you going to make me emotionally involved? Humor? Sadness? Fear?
LOGOS • Appeal based on logic or reason. • Statistics, Cause and effect, examples, quotes from experts
Lastly… • Address readers' concerns, counterclaims, biases, and expectations. • What might the opposition say, and how do you plan to counter attack?
Restatement- Restatement-Rephrasing an idea in different words, in order to more fully explicate the concept, and magnify its importance to listeners. • Repetition- Repetition-the reuse of the same words, or nearly identical terms, repeatedly for emphasis, in order to emphasize their importance. • “ I have a Dream”-MLK
Parallelism The repeated use of phrases, clauses, or sentences that are similar in structure or meaning. Writers use this technique to emphasize important ideas, create rhythm, and make their writing more forceful and direct. • “ I came, I saw, I conquered.”
Rhetorical Question-a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered. • . . . For if we lose the ability to perceive our faults, what is the good of living on? --Marcus Aurelius
Diction-word choice Notice the change in tone: “An odor filled the room.” “A Stink filled the room.”
Diction: What words have a strong connotation (emotion)? • “our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.”
What words have a strong connotation (emotion)? • “our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.”