Act II, scene i
- How does the setting of this scene contrast with those of Act I?
The setting contrasts with the setting of Act I because it now takes place within a domestic context, whereas Act I took place in the streets of Rome.
- What conflict does Brutus reveal in his soliloquy, and what resolution does he reach?
Brutus is conflicted as to whether or not he should join the conspiracy against Caesar. He determines that he will join the group.
- List three instances in which Brutus overrides the opinions of the other conspirators. Do you think that he is right?
-Cicero should not be part of the group of conspirators
-Antony should not be killed
-The group does not need to have an oath to their union
- What reason does Brutus give for not killing Antony?
-Brutus says that Antony is “but a limb” of Caesar, and when Caesar is dead he will be too weak to take up leadership on his own
-The conspirators’ course would appear “too bloody” if they killed both Caesar and Antony
- Interpret Brutus’ statement: “Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods/Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.”
-Brutus does not believe that the murder of Caesar should be gruesome
-He believes it should be clean and dignified
-This way, the murder will appear “necessary and not jealous” to the commoners (the people of Rome) and it will seem that they purged Rome of Caesar rather than murdered him hastily and brutally
Act II, scene ii
- What is the atmosphere of this scene?
-It is eerie – Caesar is in his nightgown and is awoken by his wife calling out in a nightmare
- How does Caesar react to the omens and the upheavals?
-Caesar tells Calpurnia that he does not fear anything – he will die when he is ready to die
- How might you interpret Caesar changing his mind and yielding to Calpurnia’s pleas?
-Caesar may only have given in to her in order to temporarily appease her
- Compare the relationship of Caesar and Calpurnia to Brutus and Portia.
-Caesar ultimately goes against Calpurnia’s wish for him to stay home from the Senate. This indicates how little bearing her views have on the decisions that he makes.
-Brutus regards Portia in a more considerate manner. He acknowledges her strength and his fortune to have a wife like her.
-Both women do go to extreme measures to sway their husbands (e.g. Portia sends Lucius to spy on the goings-on of the Senate).
- By what means does Decius use to convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?
-Decius says that Caesar will be mocked if he cannot provide a good reason for Caesar’s absence
-He says that Calpurnia’s dream of the bleeding statues was misinterpreted – they represent the new life that Caesar is giving back to Rome, rather than his death
Act II, scenes iii and iv
- What purposes doe these two brief scenes serve?
-These two scenes create suspense as the audience awaits Caesar’s reception of the letter from Artemidorus
- He has written a letter for Caesar, which names all of the conspirators
-The suspense is intensified in the fourth scene as the soothsayer tells Portia that he will try once again to warn Caesar about his fate