Julius Caesar Acting Day Review: Act I

Julius CaesarActing Day Review: Act I Ms. Marootian

Act IScene i Quote: “Hence! home, you idle creatures get you home: Is this a holiday? what! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walkUpon a labouring day without the signOf your profession? Speak, what trade art thou?” (I.i). Here Flavius is establishing the differences between a plebian (commoner) and a tribune (elected officer). These men represent the working class and they are mistreated by the officials.

Bawdy Commoners Quote: “A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles” (I.i). Here the cobbler is using puns to interact with the officials who seem to misunderstand the humor. They assume the commoners are stupid. Yet, puns take an extreme amount of dexterity to create. What might Shakespeare be saying about the common folks?

Mad Marullus Quote: “You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements…..To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome” (I.i). Marullus is angry because these men are celebrating Caesar’s victory over Pompey in Spain because in the past Pompey was a celebrated man. This comments on the fickle nature of the Roman Public proves particularly relevant to the English political scene of the time. Flavius and Murellus’s interest in controlling the populace lays the groundwork for Brutus’s and Antony’s manipulations of public opinion after Caesar’s death

Undressed Statues & Clipped Wings Quote: “Go you down that way towards the Capitol; This way will I disrobe the images,If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies” (I.i). Here Flavius and Murullus are showing their outright dislike of Caesar’s rapid rise to power. They hope taking the decorations off his statues will make him see that he is not special. Quote: “These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch” (I.i). The men hope to regulate Caesar’s popular support so they will be able to regulate his power and bring him back down to earth…

Superstitious Caesar…. Quote: “Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,The barren, touched in this holy chase,Shake off their sterile curse” (I.ii). Caesar urges Antony to touch Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, as he runs, since Roman superstition holds that the touch of a ceremonial runner will cure barrenness. Antony agrees, declaring that whatever Caesar says is certain to become fact. Here the audience can notice Antony’s seemingly solid loyalty to Caesar.

Kinda. Quote: “Beware the ides of March” (I.ii). Here the soothsayer is cautioning Caesar to be weary of March 15th. Yet Caesar dismisses the warning stating, “He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass” and the procession continues. Why do you think he is not believing the soothsayer? What might this say about him as a leader?

Mirror, Mirror Quote: “Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear: And since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I, your glass,Will modestly discover to yourself” (I.ii). Cassius is trying to get Brutus to see all the good and nobility in himself. Thus begins the manipulation of a weak man.

Fearful Brutus Quote: “What means this shouting? I do fear, the people choose Caesar for their king” (I ii). Brutus is revealing that he is nervous that Caesar will become king. Brutus adds that he loves Caesar but that he also loves honor, and that he loves honor even more than he fears death.

All Men Created Equal Quote: “I was born as free as Caesar, so were you. / We both have fed as well, and we can both / Endure the winter’s cold as well as he” (I.ii). Here Cassius is recognizing the fact that Caesar is no different than the other men and therefore does not deserve more power.

A Sickly Caesar Quote: “He had a fever when he was in Spain,And when the fit was on him, I did markHow he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake;His coward lips did from their colour fly” (I.ii). Here Cassius is helping to construct his argument further about why Caesar would make an awful leader. He lacks stamina and is probably epileptic.

Public v. Private Does Caesar’s private life (infirmities) affect his public life? Caesar comments to Antony about Cassius, “He loves no plays, / As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music. / Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort / As if he mocked himself, and scorned his spirit / That could be moved to smile at anything” (I.ii). Cassius remains merely a public man, without any suggestion of a private self. Such a man, Caesar properly recognizes, is made uncomfortable by others’ power

Thanks, but no thanks, Antony. Quote: “And then he offered it the thirdtime; he put it the third time by: and still as herefused it” (I.ii). Here the men are discussing how Ceasar turned down the crown thee times. Although Casca is certain he was doing it for show. It is clear that Ceasar, like many others, is easily seduced by power because Casca notices his difficulty giving the crown back.

Manipulative Cassius Quote: “I will this night, In several hands, in at his windows throw, As if they came from several citizens, Writings all tending to the great opinion That Rome holds of his name” (I.ii). Cassius reveals his plan to turn Brutus against Caesar by planting forged letters in Brutus’s house. Cassius has astutely perceived that Brutus’s internal conflict is more likely to be influenced by what he believes the populace to think than by his own personal misgivings.

Julius Caesar Acting Day Review: Act I