Julius Caesar Background Notes
I. The Play
a. The play is about the ______of a Roman general and ______who lived and died more than ______.
b. ______drew his material from the ancient ______text The Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans written by ______.
II. War and Individual Power
a. The Roman Empire was constantly at ______during Caesar’s time.
b. Generals like ______had enormous ______.
c. These generals moved with their armies over the entire ______.
III. Private Armies and Betrayal
a. These powerful armies would rule the ______with Roman ______who heavily ______citizens to make money.
b. Sometimes the ______turned on ______, battling for ______
IV. Caesar and Pompey: Jealousy and Murder
a. First Triumvirate: made up of the three ______generals: Caesar, ______, and ______
b. Caesar and Pompey were ______
c. In ______B.C. the two generals ______to bring order to a weakened ______
V. Jealousy!
a. When Crassus was killed in ______, Caesar left Rome in search of ______
b. He conquered the ______in Europe, sending back ______to the people, who gave him their devotion
c. ______of Caesar’s military triumphs in the Gallic wars, ______looked towards success in the ______
d. The Senate was wary of Caesar’s ______and feared that with the love of the people, Caesar might declare himself ______
VI. Views of Caesar
a. Caesar saw himself as a ______of the ______
b. Critics said he ______support with ______and handouts
c. Enemies said he ______Romans of their ______
VII. Unconquerable God
a. Caesar declared ______for ______years and saw to it that his supporters, including ______, became senators
b. Built a statue to himself with the inscription “______”
VIII. Caesar’s Arrogance
a. Common people ______him
b. The month of Quintilis is renamed ______in his honor
c. Later he was declared ______(Feb. 15, 44 B.C.)
d. Offered the crown ______times but ______
e. Why? Looked down upon to be a ______– not ______, the Roman’s had killed their previous king for being a ______
f. He became increasingly ______and hungry for power, which ______the senate
g. Members of the Roman Senate created plans to assassinate him on ______because of his ______to the traditions of the Republic (too much ______)
h. They ______.
IX. Shakespeare’s Play
a. Shakespeare’s play starts with events that happened a ______before the ______.
b. The play condenses ______years of history into one play in which ______days are acted out.
Major Characters
Character / Main DetailsJulius Caesar
Mark Antony
Brutus
Cassius
Octavius and Lepidus
Casca, Trebonious, Decius, Cinna and Metallus Cimber
Literary and Drama Terms
Anachronism:
Apostrophe:
Aside:
Pun:
Comic Relief:
Foreshadowing:
Soliloquy:
Hyperbole:
Blank Verse: