1. Setting:
a) Public Square
2. Characters:
a) Julius Caesar
b) Calphurnia – Caesar’s wife
c) Casca – conspirator against Caesar
d) Marcus Antonius(Antony) – triumvirs(three officials who share power) after the
death of Caesar.
e) Soothsayer – Old English word meaning “truth.” Possible synonyms are fortune teller and
seer.
f) Marcus Brutus – conspirator against Caesar
g) Portia – Brutus’s wife
h) Cassius – conspirator against Caesar
i) Decius – conspirator against Caesar
j) Cicero – senator
After them, Marullus and Flavius
The Feast of Lupercal: an old Roman fertility festival celebrated on February 15. In the ceremony young men raced around the Palatine Hill (at the base of which is the Lupercal cave) and whipped bystanders with strips of goatskin. Those who were whipped were assured of fertility. The Lupercal cave is where the twins Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were suckled by a wolf.
3. Background Info:
a) Antony is urged by Caesar to touch Calphurnia during his run, so her “sterile curse” will
vanish.
b) Antony replies to Caesar’s command by saying, “When Caesar says ‘Do this,’ it is
performed.”
4. Foreshadowing –
a) Soothsayer calls out to Caesar, “Beware the ides of March!”
b) “ides” refers to 15th day of
March,May, July, October and 13th of
other months on a Roman calendar.
c) Caesar asks the soothsayer to
come forward and says, “Speak, Caesar is
turned to hear.”
Everyone Exits Except Cassius and
Brutus.
5. The Action Line of the Play – the Assassination – Begins NOW!
a) Cassius has noticed that Brutus has
been acting strange.
b) Brutus admits he’s been having
conflicting thoughts (he is torn
between his love for Caesar and his love for Rome.)
c) Cassius responds to Brutus by saying:
“’Tis just (true): And it is very much lamented, Brutus, that you have no such mirrors as will turn your hidden worthiness into your eye, that you might see your shadow (reflection – of what others think of him) I have heard where many of the best respect (reputation) in Rome (Except immortal Caesar), speaking of Brutus, and groaning underneath this age’s yoke, have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.”
What is the significance of this quote?
others think of him. Cassius states that many respected citizens wish that Brutus could see
himself as they do.
In all Shakespearean Tragedies the center of the drama, no pun intended, is the protagonist, or main character. The Protagonist is someone with a highly sensitive moral conscience who suffers and dies because of having a tragic character flaw or being unsuited to play the role that he/she must play.
Q1. Who is the Protagonist?
Q2. What weakness does he show in relation to Cassius and the Idea of conspiracy?
A1. Brutus – is the protagonist.
A2. Brutus’s high-minded traits and concern with honor make it hard for him to recognize
the personal jealousy and ambitions that motivate Cassius in the conspiracy.
e)Brutus hears shouting and fears the people want to make Caesar king. (78-81)
f) Cassius recalls a time he and Caesar were swimming. Caesar became weak and
Cassius saved him. Also, Caesar once had a fever and often experiences seizures. (Cassius is
implying that Caesar lacks stamina and is probably epileptic.)(82-131)
g) Cassius says that the names, “Caesar” and "Brutus,” sound equal. Therefore, they should
hold equal power. Why should one man hold the power? Real Power is the opinion of the
population!
Cassius.
“Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that “Caesar”? Why should that name be sounded more than yours?”
“What could they say (till now) that talked of Rome, That her wide walks encompassed but one man? Now it is Rome indeed, and room enough, when there is in it but only one man.”
(The PUN is ROME/ROOM –Cassius is implying that Rome has a great deal of room now because there is only one great man, Caesar, and everyone else is small.
A Character Foil is a character who serves as a contrast to another character, so that each one stands out vividly.
How is Cassius a FOIL to Brutus?
e) The games are done and Caesar is returning.
f) Cassius and Brutus agree to ask Casca what happened at the run.
g) Caesar and his train return.
h) Caesar comments to Antony that Cassius looks concerned.
Caesar. “He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.” line 195
Antony.“Fear him not, Caesar, he’s not dangerous; He is a noble Roman, and we given.” (well disposed to support Caesar) lines 196-197
Caesar asks Antony what he truly thinks of Cassius and they EXIT.
Quickwrite # 2
Caesar had an intuition that Cassius was dangerous. He was right!
Intuition is direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process.
Have you ever had an intuition about something? What was the situation? Did you confide in a friend or relative or ask someone for advice? Did your intuition turn out to be true? Explain in at least 5-7 sentences.
i) Cassius and Brutus asked Casca about the procession.
j) Casca tells them Antony offered Caesar the crown thrice (3 times), but he turned it down.
k) Then, Casca says Caesar fainted because the crowd had a foul odor.
Brutus. “’Tis very like he hath the falling-sickness”
Cassius. “No, Caesar hath it not; but you, and I, and honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness.”
Brutus means: The falling sickness: old term for the disease we now call epilepsy.
Cassius means: The Romans are falling under Caesar’s imperial rule, they will not stand honorably as they did in the republic.
l) Casca adds that despite Caesar’s seizure, the people still love and respect him.
m) Also, the great orator, Cicero, spoke in Greek, but Caesar could not understand
and replied, “It was Greek to me.” line 280- Cicero may have been speaking in Greek
because he was mocking Caesar and only wanted his like-minded, educated
acquaintances to hear.
˜Cicero – was the greatest Roman orator, as well as leading politician and philosopher. He was the foremost exponent of republican principles in the Senate and had previously saved the republic from a plot to overthrow it. An ally of Pompey, Cicero strongly opposed Caesar and was a bitter enemy of Mark Antony. After Pompey’s death, Caesar forgave Cicero. Although Cicero did not take part in Caesar’s assassination, he strongly applauded it.
n) Remember Flavius and Marullus? They were both deprived their positions as Tribunes, civil servants, because they removed the crowns from Caesar’s statues.
What does this tell us about Caesar?
Caesar acts swiftly and harshly to those who oppose him!
o) Brutus leaves Cassius saying they can meet up to talk tomorrow.
p) Cassiuss’s Soliloquy:
S=
A lone on stage
I nner most thoughts
L ong speech
Read Cassius’s Soliloquy on page 899.
(Lines 304-318)
You may fly solo or work in pairs to translate these lines into modern English!
*Cassius believes Brutus is noble.
*He hopes to bend Brutus’s noble nature.
*He decides to forge letters from Roman citizens
declaring their support for Brutus and fear of Caesar’s ascent to power.
*He’ll throw them into Brutus’s house that evening.
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