The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

S. Allen

English II B 2013

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Answer all questions on your own paper; use complete sentences.

Act I, Scene 1

1.  Where does this scene take place?

2.  What military victory has Caesar just won?

3.  What is the function of a tribune?

4.  Why are Flavious and Marullus upset to see the commoners “without the sign of profession”?

5.  What is the feast of Lupercal? - What do we have that’s similar today?

6.  What do the tribunes plan to do as the scene closes?

Act I, Scene 2

1.  Why does Caesar want Calpurnia to stand in Antony’s path during the race in honor of the feast of Lupercal?

2.  What is Antony’s response to Caesar’s instructions?

3.  What does this suggest about the relationship between Caesar and Antony?

4.  Define soothsayer.

5.  What complaint does Cassius make about Brutus’s behavior towards him?

6.  How does Brutus respond to his complaint?

7.  How do the shouts of the people (line 79) affect Brutus?

8.  Cassius’s story (lines 90- 131) attacks what aspect of Caesar’s character?

9.  What is this attack supposed to say to Brutus?

10.  What does Casca inform Brutus and Cassius of when they pull him aside?

11.  What astute observation does Caesar make of Cassius?

12.  What faults does Caesar see in Cassius’s nature?

13.  What are Caesar’s feelings toward Antony?

14.  What does Caesar mean by the following statement? “I rather tell thee what is to be feared/ Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.” (211-212)

15.  What does this statement show about Caesar’s nature?

16.  What does the “falling sickness” in line 253 literally mean?

17.  What happened to Flavius and Marullus?

18.  How does Cassius describe Brutus at the end of the scene?

19.  What plans does Cassius make to sway Brutus to his cause?

20. Explain the 3 physical weaknesses concerning Caesar that have now been revealed.

Act I, Scene 3

1.  What day does this scene take place?

2.  What is the weather like?

3.  How does the weather foreshadow the plan?

4.  Who makes the first reference to Caesar as king?

5.  Why does Cassius believe the Roman people are largely responsible for Caesar’s growing power?

6.  Who first mentions the idea of a conspiracy?

7.  Was it his idea? Combine into 1 sentence

8.  If not, whose idea was it?

9.  What instructions does Cassius give Cinna to help sway Brutus to their cause?

10.  Where are the letters to be left? (lines 142-146)

11.  Why is Brutus a needed member of the conspiracy?

12.  Using the introductory list of characters, name all eight of the conspirators.

Act I quotes: Identify the speaker of each of the following quotes:

1.  “Let me have men about me that are fat,

Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep a nights.

Yond Cassius has a mean and hungry look;

He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.”

2.  “When Caesar says ‘Do this,’ it is performed”

3.  “Be not deceived; if I have veiled my look,

I turn the trouble of my countenance

Merely upon myself.”

4.  “ I was born free as Caesar: so were you.”

5.  “For whom so firm that cannot be seduced?”

6.  “What means this shouting? I do fear the people

Choose Caesar for their king.”

7.  “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world

Like a colossus, and we petty men

Walk under his huge legs and peep about

To find ourselves dishonorable graves.”

Act II, Scene 1

1.  When & Where does this scene take place?

2.  What important political question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?

3.  How does Brutus justify the killing of Caesar?

4.  Brutus sends Lucius to check the date. What is the significance of the date?

5.  After Brutus joins the conspiracy, he takes command. Why does he NOT have the conspirators take an oath?

6.  Why do the conspirators want Cicero to join them?

7.  Why does Brutus not wish to include Cicero?

8.  What is Cassius’s reaction?

9.  What does this show about Cassius and Brutus’s relationship?

10.  Why did Brutus not want Marc Antony killed?

11.  What is the plan to ensure that Caesar goes to the Senate?

12.  How does Portia try to persuade Brutus to tell her what is troubling him?

Scene 2

1.  Where does this scene take place?

2.  What strange and horrible things that have been seen does Calphurnia report to Caesar?

3.  How does Caesar react to the bizarre things?

4.  How is this different from his reaction to the soothsayer’s warning?

5.  Why does Calphurnia want Caesar to stay home?

6.  How does Decius convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?

Scene 3

1.  What is Artemidorus’s plan?

2.  Of what significance is this scene to the play?

Scene 4

1.  Why is Portia so nervous and upset?

2.  On what errand does she send Lucius?

3.  Of what significance is this scene to the play?

4.  How has Shakespeare presented Caesar’s character? (What kind of person is Caesar? Evidence? Needs a direct quote!

Act II quotes: Identify the speaker of each of the following quotes.

1.  “I know no cause to spurn at him/ But for the general.”

2.  “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg/ Which hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous/ And kill him in the shell.”

3.  “For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm/ When Caesar’s head is off.”

4.  “Cowards die many times before their deaths;/ The valiant never taste of death but once.”

5.  “If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayest live;/ If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.”

6.  “How hard it is for women to keep counsel!”

7.  “MY ancestors did from the streets of Rome/ The Tarquin drive, when he was called a king.”

8.  “O conspiracy, Sham’st thou to show they dang’rous brow by night,” When evils are most free?”

9.  “I think it is not meet Mac Antony, so well beloved by Caesar/ Should outlive Caesar; we shall find of him a shrewd contriver.”

10.  “For he loves to hear/ That unicorns may be betrayed with trees,? And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,/ Lions with toils, and men with flatterers.”

11.  “Brutus is wise and, were he not in health,/ He would embrace the means to come by it.”

12.  “You are my true and honorable wife!”

13.  “When beggars die, there are no comets seen;/ The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”

14.  “A lioness hath whelped in the streets,/ And graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead.”

Act III, Scene 1

1.  What did Caesar and the soothsayer talk about?

2. Why did Artemidorus’s plan to warn Caesar fail?

3. What special task did each of the following men prepare for the success of the assassination?

Decius?

Metellus?

Casca?

4. What is Caesar’s response to Metellus Cimber’s petition?

5. Why does he give this response?

6. To what does Caesar compare himself?

7. What do the words, “Et tu, Brute,” mean?

8. What does Brutus instruct the conspirators to do before they go before the public? Why?

9. What message from Antony does his servant bring?

10.  What request does Antony make of the conspirators? (221-223)

11.  Who disagreed with Brutus’s response to Antony?

12.  Why does Cassius object to letting Antony speak at Caesar’s funeral?

13.  What reassurance does Brutus give him? (235)

14.  Give the four conditions for Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral.

15.  After the conspirators left, what tribute does Antony pay Caesar?

16.  What does Antony promise to do?

17.  What characteristics for Antony are now revealed?

18.  Who has now arrived near Rome?

19.  What are Antony’s instructions to the new arrival? Why?

Scene 2 pages 952-961

1.  Where does this scene take place?

2.  When Brutus delivers his speech to the Roman people, what reasons does he give for killing Caesar? P.952

3.  What was the crowd’s reaction?

4.  What major mistake does Brutus make in letting Antony speak?

5.  What does Antony say during his speech that becomes increasingly more ironic?

6.  What are Antony’s real motives in speaking at the funeral?

7.  How does Antony appeal to the crowd’s emotions and the people’s greed?

8.  What proof does Antony give that Caesar was NOT ambitious?

9.  Why does Antony read Caesar’s will to the people?

10.  What is the crowd doing at the end of Scene 2?

11.  At the end of the scene, what are the fates of Brutus and Cassius?

12.  How does Antony respond to the wild actions of the people?

Scene 3

1.  What happened to the man named Cinna in this scene? Why?

2.  What is the significance of this scene?

Act III quotes: Name the speaker of each of the following quotes.

1.  “But I am as constant as the Northern Star.”

2.  “You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,

But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,

And say you do’t by our permission.”

3.  “ Not that I loved Caesar less,

But that I loved Rome more.”

4.  “ . . .do no consent

That Antony speak in his funeral.

Know you how much the people may be moved

By that which he may utter?”

5.  “For Brutus is an honorable man,

So are they all, all honorable men.”

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