English 10A – Study Guide
Date of Exam:______
Materials Needed:
-Number 2 Pencil-Notebook Paper for Essay
-Scantron (Will be provided)
Section 1 & 2 – Multiple Choice and Matching
Julius Caesar
Act 1, Scene 1
- Describe the confrontation between Marullus and Flavius and the Commoners in the opening scene. What are they fighting about?
- In line 75, what does Flavius fear about Caesar?
Scene 2
- Line 10: This speech suggests something important about Antony? What is it?
- Line 131: Why has Cassius told these stories about Caesar? What’s his point?
- Line 161: Why does Cassius mention Brutus’s famous ancestor?
- Line 212: Caesar’s analysis of Cassius is accurate. Why does he fear Cassius?
- Line 232: How does Brutus respond to this news about the crown?
- Line 320: What is Cassius going to write in the letters to Brutus? What does he hope these letters will accomplish?
Act II, Scene 1
1. In lines 10-34, what reason does Brutus give in his soliloquy for killing Caesar?
2. What do the letters addressed to Brutus say?
3. In lines 73-76, why can’t Lucius identify the men with Cassius?
4. In lines 123-128, what does Brutus believe is even stronger than any oath the men could take together?
5. In lines 150-152, why does Brutus object to Cicero joining the conspiracy?
6. Why does Brutus oppose killing Mark Antony? What does he compare Antony to in line 165?
7. How does Decius plan to get Caesar to the Capitol?
8. What advice does Brutus give the conspirators as they leave his house?
9. In lines 291-302, why does Portia think she is strong enough to share in Brutus’ plans?
Scene 2
1. Why is Caesar concerned when the scene begins?
2. In line 10, what is Calpurnia’s request of Caesar?
3. What are some of the things Calpurnia sees in her dream in lines13-26?
4. In lines 32-33, what is Caesar’s response to Calpurnia’s concern he might be killed?
5. In lines 71-72, what reason does Caesar give Decius for staying home?
6. How does Decius use flattery to get Caesar to change his mind?
7. How does Decius interpret Calphurnia’s dream?
8. In line 94, what does Decius say the Senate will offer him if he goes to the capitol?
9. How does Decius play upon Caesar’s emotions in lines 96-104?
Scene 3 & 4
1. How does Shakespeare add the element of suspense in these two short scenes?
2. What is Artemidorus’ warning?
3. In lines 8-9, what does Artemidorus mean when he says, “Security gives way to conspiracy”?
4. How does he plan to give Caesar his letter?
5. Why doesn’t Lucius carry out Portia’s request?
6. In lines 6-10, what does Portia mean in her aside, “O constancy, be strong upon my side; / Set a huge mountain ‘tween my heart and tongue. / I have a man’s mind but a woman’s might. / How hard it is for women to keep counsel!”?
7. In lines 32-38, how does the soothsayer describe the Caesar’s journey down the street?
Act III, Scene 1
1. Name three people that speak to Caesar on his way to the Capitol? What do they have to say?
2. In lines 16-17, why does Cassius think their assassination plan has been discovered?
3. What is Metellus Cimber’s job in the assassination attempt? What is Casca’s? What is Decius’s?
4. In lines 103-110, what does Brutus tell the frightened conspirators should do after Caesar’s assassination and why?
5. Who is the first person to see the conspirators after the murder? What is the reason for this?
6. What does Antony do in lines 183-189? Why does he do this?
7 In lines 226-235, what does Antony want Brutus to let him do? Why do you think he wants this?
8. In lines 232-235, what is Cassius so upset about and why?
9.What restrictions does Brutus place on Antony when he allows him to speak at the funeral?
10. Why does Antony want Octavius to postpone his arrival to Rome?
Scene 2
1. In Brutus’s speech, how does he justify the killing of Caesar?
2. How does the crowd feel about Brutus at the end of his speech? In line 70, what do they say Antony better not do?
3. In Antony’s speech, what reasons does he give to prove Caesar wasn’t ambitious?
4. How does Antony use sarcasm in his funeral speech?
5. What is the purpose of Antony brining up Caesar’s will?
6. How does Antony use Caesar’s dead body to manipulate the crowd?
7. How does the crowd feel about Brutus at the end of Antony’s speech? What are they planning to do to his house?
8. What two pieces of important news does the messenger bring to Antony at the end of the scene?
Scene 3
1. What has Cinna the poet said he had dreamt about in lines 1-4?
2. What questions does the crowd ask Cinna?
3. Where does Cinna say he is going?
4. Why does the crowd murder Cinna and what does this show about their emotional state?
Act IV
1. Why are Brutus and Cassius arguing in Scene 2?
2. What do we find out happened to Portia? Why did she do this?
3. What does Caesar’s ghost tell Brutus?
Act V, Scene 1
1. What are the various ways Antony and Octavious insult Cassius and Brutus?
2. What are the various ways Cassius and Brutus insult Antony and Octavious?
3. In lines 72-88, why is Cassius reluctant to fight the battle? What are the omens he has observed?
Scene 3
4. In lines 28-34, what does Pindarus describe?
5. What request does Cassius make of Pindarus?
6. In line 47, what is ironic about the way Cassius dies?
Scene 5
7. In line 51, what does Brutus say about Caesar’s death?
8. How does Brutus die?
9. How does Antony regard Brutus at the end of the play? What does he call him in line 68?
Section 3 - VOCABULARY
Know the definitions and be able to recognize examples of the following terms:
1) Internal Conflict-
2) External Conflict-
3) Aside -
4) Dramatic Irony-
5) Setting-
6) Comic relief-
7) Monologue-
8) Rhetoric-
9) Soliloquy –
10) Stage Direction –
Section 4 – QUOTES
Be able to recognize quotes from characters like:
CAESAR - ANTONY-
CASSIUS-BRUTUS-
CALPURNIA-DECIUS-
OCTAVIUS-OTHERS…
Section 5 – Essay
You will need to write a well-constructed 5-paragraph (introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion) essay about the characters in the play. The exact topic will not be revealed until the day of the test.