Julius Caesar Act Ii Notes

JULIUS CAESAR ACT II NOTES

SCENE 1

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When Act II opens, we find Brutus pacing in his orchard unable to sleep and pacing
In Brutus’s soliloquy (Ln. 10-34) he rationalizes his reasons for joining the conspiracy – his whole argument is based on what Caesar “might” do
Ln. 11-12: He has no cause of his own to go against Caesar – he just know he needs to act in favor of the general good
Ln. 14-17 uses a metaphor to compare Caesar to a snake and Caesar’s power to the sting – “he may do danger”
Ln. 21-26 uses another metaphor comparing someone climbing a ladder to Caesar; the ladder represents ambition; he feels that if Caesar continues to climb this ladder, he “might” step on or overlook those who have helped him get there
Ln. 32-34 uses a simile to compare Caesar to a hatching serpents egg – suggest to kill the snake in the shell before it “might” have a chance to do harm
Is Brutus deceiving himself that this is an honorable cause?
Ln 36: Brutus’s servant Lucius finds the 1st of Cassius’s forged letters to Brutus

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Ln. 40: Brutus needs to make his decision what to do – so he has Lucius check the calendar
Ln. 44: Brutus notices the extraordinary weather events (signals disorder in the chain of being)
Ln. 46: The letter accuses Brutus of not being aware of what is happening in Rome; notice “see thyself” sounds very much like Cassius’s “mirror” speech
Ln. 55-57: Brutus reveals that if Rome will promise to correct its wrongs, he will speak and strike out against Caesar
Brutus never suspects they are forgeries; his sense of honor blinds him to the fact that there are others out there less honorable than he.
Ln. 59: It is revealed that it is early in the morning of the ides of March!
Ln. 61-65: Reveals that Brutus is not necessarily at peace with his decision to join the conspiracy; he cannot sleep and feels as if he is in some great mental fog

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Ln. 77-85 use of apostrophe and personification as Brutus is talking to the idea of conspiracy and how it hides its ugly and monstrous face; once you start down that path nothing can stop you from fulfilling it
Ln 90-94: Cassius repeats his “honor” argument that everyone honors Brutus and that he wishes Brutus could see that himself
Cassius introduces Brutus to the conspirators

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Ln. 100: Cassius and Brutus walk away; it assumed during this time that Cassius seals the deal and fully convinces Brutus to join the conspiracy
Ln. 114-140: Brutus is adamant that the men do not swear an oath; he says honorable men do no need to take an oath because the honor runs in their blood; this is Brutus’s first mistake and it again shows he is not a good judge of character

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Ln. 141-146: The conspirators want to add Cicero to their cause because of his wisdom and his ability to persuade men through speech
Ln. 150-152: Brutus says no to Cicero because Cicero is not a follower and will not join something he wasn’t part of from the beginning; this is Brutus’s second mistake
Ln. 155-161: Cassius urges the others to murder Antony alongside Caesar because of Antony’s hidden ambition – how does Cassius view of Antony differ from Caesar’s and what we’ve seen so far?
Ln. 165: Brutus says no to killing Antony; saying that Antony is just an useless appendage of Caesar; Brutus’s third mistake
Ln.166: Sacrificers do something in honor of something else or for a purpose
Ln. 172-174: Brutus uses a metaphor comparing Caesar’s assassination to a hunting; a sacrifice give to show honor and respect to the gods

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Ln. 180: to purge is to cleanse from impurity; he is bring back the pure Roman state by getting rid of Caesar
Ln. 181-183: Brutus has misread Antony and thinks Antony will not be moved to action once Caesar is dead because he believes Caesar to be the brains behind them both; again he is not a good judge of people
Ln. 183-184: Cassius expresses his fear of Antony (now more than once)
Ln 189: Brutus, like Caesar, sees Antony only as a party boy too.
Ln. 191-192: Anachronism of the clock which strikes three; also motif of threes
Ln. 194-195: Cassius worries about Caesar’s growing preoccupation with superstitions – will it keep him from the capitol?
Ln. 203-211: Motif of mirrors; Decius lists a number of animals which are tricked and captured; he intends to capture Caesar with flattery
Decius’s job is to get Caesar to the Capitol no matter what

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Ln. 224-227: Brutus warns the conspirators to act as if everything is normal like a good Roman actor
Ln. 237-243: Portia notices that Brutus is acting strangely, brooding around the house

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Ln. 255-256: Portia wants Brutus to share his emotions and what is going on with him
Ln 257: Brutus responds with nothing showing his stoicism
Ln. 261-268: Portia says that if he’s “sick” the way he has been acting lately, would only make him even more so – so she knows that it is an inner conflict
Ln. 279-287: Portia says if Brutus refuses to confide in her even though she has pledge her devotion to him through the bonds of marriage, than it is as if she is a harlot and not his wife

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Ln. 291: If Brutus comments that she is dear to him are true (if he honored them), then Portia thinks he would find in her and trust her
Ln. 299-302: Portia gives proof of her self-control, by wounding herself in the thigh and not crying out in pain; Portia also believes in stoicism
Ln. 304-306: Brutus comments that he is not worthy of such a wife, and lets her know that he will confide all the secrets stored in his heart to her
Ln. 316-317: Ligarius says that if Brutus is engaged in a honorable endeavor then no sickness will stop him from taking part

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Ln. 327-328: use of puns – Brutus is talking about curing those sick of tyranny, while Ligarius is talking about murdering Caesar

SCENE 2

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Ln. 2-3: Motif of three as Calphurnia cries out in her dreams three times during the stormy night; also foreshadowing
Ln. 5-6: Caesar’s request to have the priests do a sacrifice and interpret it show he is relying more and more on signs and superstitions and less on logic
Ln. 10-13: Caesar’s response shows his ego and arrogance before his wife; says those who threaten him will never do so to his face – he is so great that they are afraid to do so

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Ln. 25-26: Calphurnia expresses her fear of the strange phenomena going on
Ln. 28-29: Caesar does not feel these signs are meant just for him – but they are warning for the world in general
Ln. 30-31: Calphurnia urges on that these signs foretells Caesar’s death – a big event is coming
Ln. 32-37: Caesar says the valiant (or heroic) man must embrace death and not fear it – because death in the end will choose to visit everyone
Ln. 39: the fortune tellers say the signs are not favorable for Caesar to go out today
Ln. 42-48: uses a beast metaphor: (a) says he should be a beast without a heart (a sign and no bravery – think cowardly lion) and also (b) Danger and he are twin lions and Caesar is the worse of the two
Ln. 49: Calphurnia asks Caesar to listen to reason and not his own ego

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Ln. 55: Caesar concedes to stay to please his wife
Remember Decius’s job is to get Caesar to the Capitol no matter what
Ln. 63-65: Caesar wants Decius to know it’s not by his own decision he does not come today
Ln. 71: pun on the word “will”: (a) he cannot come (b) he’s making his will
Ln. 75-82: Calphurnia’s dream has Caesar’s statue spouting blood – which she has interpreted as a bad sign (using this interpretation to get him to stay)
Ln. 83-90: Decius reinterprets the dream (remember Cicero’s words earlier about men interpreting signs) – he says that Caesar’s blood will bring great life to Rome and it is a sign of Caesar’s greatness

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Decius manipulates Caesar by appealing to Caesar’s ambition and also Caesar’s fear of appearing weak
Ln. 93-94: Decius mentions the crown intended for Caesar
Ln. 99-101: Mentions that the Senate will think Caesar is controlled by his wife

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Notice the asides: Each revealing their devious side. Caesar on the other hand, thinks them all friends – great irony here (think friends close, enemies closer)

SCENE 3 & 4

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Motif of letters continued
Artemidorus names all of the conspirators in his letter
Ln. 6-7: Warns Caesar to not let his guard down, especially if he’s not invincible.
Ln. 10-11: His plan is to give his letter to Caesar on the way to the capitol

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What is Portia’s state of mind as this scene opens?
Ln. 6-8: Uses an apostrophe to call upon determination to keep her strong at a time like this

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Ln. 8: We can assume from her words that Brutus has revealed the assassination plot to her
Notice that Portia is all jumpy – she thinks she hears fighting and flip-flops on whether to send Lucius or not
Ln. 31: Portia wants to know if the soothsayer has any news of harm towards Caesar – worried that maybe he has seen that Brutus is going to harm Caesar
Ln. 34-36: foreshadowing: crowd a man to death – they will surround him

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Is Portia acting like a stoic now?
Ln. 45: dramatic irony in her words – says she is merry, but she is anything but