The+Play

= Julius Caesar: The Play =

1. This scene shows that Caesar has just returned from killing Pompey. The people gather and cheer in the streets since Caesar favored giving power to them, but the senators are now afraid and troubled that they will lose all of their power.

2. The roman crowd usually appears when Caesar is present; they always cheer for Caesar and value him greatly as a leader.

3. Caesar shows the weakness of being ignorant, pompous, and reliant on others. His strengths are his pride, success and fortune.

4. My first impressions of Antony are that he is a noble Roman and a great servant and general to Caesar. Brutus says, "I am not gamesome; I do lack some part / Of that quick spirit that is Anthony"(1.2.33-34).

5. Cassius tells Brutus that he does not see the truth; he goes into a dialogue about how Brutus, Caesar, and himself grew up together in the same manner, so why does Caesar end up having more power than them?

6. From the first soliloquy of Cassius, we learn that Cassius is trying to persuade Brutus that they are both equals, and that Brutus, although an honorable man, has chosen the wrong side of the conflict between Caesar and the senate. He indicates this by saying, "Well, Brutus, though art noble. Yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought / From what from that it is disposed"(1.2.321-322). He also says he plans on throwing papers with multiple handwritings all written by him through Caesar's window on the subject of whether or not he should rule as if multiple citizens wrote it themselves. This is shown by "I will this night in several hands in at his window throw, as if they came from multiple citizens, / Writings, all tending to the great opinion / That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely / Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at"(1.2.328-332). Judging by what he says in these lines, he seems to be a very sly and persuasive character that will undergo any means to get the favored outcome of Caesar losing his absolute power over the people.

App: What does Cassius mean when he tells Brutus, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings"?

Before Cassius uses this line, he tells Brutus, "Men at some times are masters of their fates"(1.2.146). I believe that Cassius says that gods and fate are not to blame for the reign and dictatorship of Julius Caesar, and it is their own fault that they have not yet prevented him from gaining so much influence. Cassius uses this line when he is trying to persuade Brutus that Julius Caesar should have no more power than they do or be in a higher position than they hold.

The whole idea of men being masters of their faith started with Greco-Roman Philosophy. Greco-Roman Philosophy arose in ancient Greece to be used by the Romans later on. The philosophy was based upon humanism and the focus of the individual to strive and become better, unlike some places, like Han China, that used a fixed social ladder and strictly enforced your one role in society. The philosophy also used Imperial reasoning and logic to make decisions and come to conclusions. The philosophy convinced people to take control of their own lives and not think about faith or and divine influences. Before this time, societies would sometimes be convinced that fate would determine your life, and nothing you could do could stop it. In ancient Greece before the philosophy was invented, works of literature show that people believed in fate. An example of this is //The Odyssey// by Homer. In this work of literature, the main character Odysseus must return to his home of Ithaca, but the fate of the Gods determine that he will face many hardships such as losing his entire crew before he gets there.

In conclusion, Cassius' line tells Brutus that the reign of Julius Caesar is their fault since man controls their own destiny, and the line shows traces of philosophy passed down from the Greeks to the Romans.

1. The atmosphere of this scene is very dark and mysterious. It is set by the thunder and lightning as well as meeting of the conspirators at three in the morning.

3. Rather than giving persuasion and advice, Cassius seems to let everyone decide equally on what needs to happen, and how the killing of Caesar will take place. Casca seems to be more assertive as he tells the others that he knows where day breaks rather than them.

4. Brutus is conflicted because the only way to take Caesar out of power would be to kill him. He comes to the conclusion that he needs to kill Caesar before he rises to power.

5. "No, not an oath..."(2.1.125). The first time Brutus overrides the others' opinions, he tells them that they should not take an oath. I think that oath would be better because it is always best to have men sworn to do what you ask of them.

"O, name him not! Let us not break with him"(2.1.162). In this instance, Brutus decides that they should not tell Cicero. I believe he was correct in this as it is good to keep a small group on conspirators to keep it more secret.

"Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius"(2.1.175). In this line, Brutus urges Cassius to not kill anyone but Caesar. This is a stupid mistake as Antony is a very powerful general who might try to take vengeance on Caesar with a powerful army.

6. "And for Mark Antony, think not of him, / [F]or he can do no more than Caesar's arm when Caesar's head is off"(2.1.194-196).

7. I believe that he means Caesar's body would metaphorically be other people such as Mark Antony. The carcass for the hounds would represent the deaths of others just to kill Caesar, and the dish is only the clean "purging" of Caesar. He wants to kill Caesar and only Caesar.

1. This scene, as in act II, scene I, is also very dark and mysterious as well. It is characterized by the thunder and lightning as well as Calphurnia's odd dream.

2. Caesar first views the omens as a test of his cowardice. He acts confident and claims that death will come when it will come. He changes his mind when she suggests to pretend he is ill and he can just send Mark Antony instead.

3. He refers to himself as "I" in lines 59-68. He only does this when he tells Decius what to say to the senate.

4. The author wants to show that he is easily manipulated by other people.

5. Brutus and Portia have a much more faithful relationship which is shown by her stabbing herself for her husband. On the other hand, Caesar disregards what Calphurnia says at first; they represent a much more traditional type of marriage.

6. When Cicero says this, he is explaining that people may interpret things differently after they happened in their own way, so that it may be incorrect. These lines are very relevant to act II, scene II. When Caesar first hears of the dream that Calphurnia had, he believes that it is a bad omen and the dream may mean something will happen on the future. He plans not going to receive the crown when Decius decides to interpret it differently. He tells Caesar that is is actually positive, and Caesar believes him. This leads to his death.

7. Decius prevails by convincing Caesar to receive the crown rather than stay home and not accept it. He interprets the dream differently and convinces Caesar that people will believe he is afraid if he does not show up.

8. Scene III serves the purpose of showing that word has gotten out about the planned assassination. Scene IV shows the paranoia in Portia of her husband; she believes he is ill because he will not tell her of the conspiracy.

1. Caesar pushes aside the soothsayer's belief on the ides of March, but the soothsayer suggests that it is still to come.

2. Caesar ignores the people who come up to him with requests and acts ignorant of everyone else

3. 5. People ran out and cried as if it were Doomsday.
 * Height || Lowliness ||
 * Caesar tells Metellus that he should not kneel before him. || Metellus kneels before Caesar. ||
 * Caesar restates his point. || Brutus kisses Caesar's hand. ||
 * Caesar sarcastically asks, "Hence. Wilt though lift up Olympus?"(3.1.81) || Cassius kneels before Caesar. ||

6. He acts calm and mourns Caesar rather than attack the conspirators.

7. Brutus believes it will benefit them to for Antony to do the ceremonies so long as he abides by the rules, and Brutus will tell the crowd he speaks by permission.

8. To show that Antony is actually full of rage and hatred; he just covered it up for the conspirators.

2. He wants Brutus to still rule despite the fact that he killed Caesar.

3. He follows the rules given by sarcastically working his way around them. He also uses a fake will to get the citizens worked up.

4. The crowd becomes easily convinced by both parties. They begin to get worked up over the death of Caesar and go crazy over getting revenge on Caesar.

5. I do not believe Antony's statement. In these two lines, he says that he is not of good as a speaker as Brutus, but just someone who loved Caesar that will go on with the ceremony. Throughout the rest of the scene, he constantly proves this statement wrong. He was far more clever in his speech than Brutus was; he managed to put the crowd on his side without breaking the rules given to him by Brutus. Instead, he sarcastically worked his way around them to convince the plebeians that Caesar was wronged, and he should have not been assassinated. He used the fake will to put the crowd on his side as well.

6. It reveals that the mob is angry and irrational; they attack him only because he shares his name with a conspirator.

7. He dreamed that he was in the same realm of Caesar and views it as a bad omen; he later gets killed by the mob.

8. You can find touches of humor in the irony of the opening lines and in Cinna's statement in line 17.

1. Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius have taken power and are already starting a hit list for many of the senators.

2. It seems very one-sided; Antony and Octavius seem to have all of the power while Lepidus does what they say.

3.This Antony of act IV has finally taken power. He is no longer dealing with trying to trick the people of Rome, so he has no reason to hide what he feels.

4. Brutus and Cassius are beginning to argue rather than Brutus overriding every suggestion by Cassius; they are both on equal terms now.

5. It shows that they are on equal terms at this point in the story.

6. He accuses him of taking bribes. If he is true, then it shows he has become corrupt.

7. Both sides are having difficulty maintaining power, and they are running to conflicts.

8. Brutus demands that the troops meet them at Philippi.

1. It shows the opposition of both forces.

2. The imagery of a battlefield helps the reader picture what the fight will be like.

3. Brutus and/or Cassius may die in the upcoming battle, and Brutus doesn't expect them to live because of an omen of defeat.

4. Cassius shows that he is ready to face the danger that the battle has to offer, even if he dies.

5. Cassius committed suicide because Titinius was killed, but he was actually tricked by his slave who claimed he was dead; Titinius never died.

6. He is seen as someone who gives up quickly and does not accept defeat.

7. He spares Lucilius, even though he tricked his army into thinking he was Brutus.

8. He describes him as a noble character, portrays him as a hero, lets him die in a way that redeems himself for his actions, and ends the play with a tribute to him.

9. Although Octavius, the future ruler, got the final words of the play, they were still about Brutus, the true hero.

Last Words


 * Caesar || Et tu, Brute?- Then, fall Caesar || He accepts that if Brutus thinks he doesn't need him, then he must die. ||
 * Cassius || Caesar, thou art revenged, even with the sword that killed thee. || Caesar can be revenged now that Cassius, a conspirator, has killed himself with the same hand that killed Caesar. ||
 * Titinius || By your leave, gods, this is a Roman's part. Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. || He believes that as a Roman, it is duty to kill himself with Cassius' sword out of honor so he will not be captured. ||
 * Brutus || Caesar, now be still. I killed thee with half so good a will. || Caesar's spirit can now rest since Brutus has killed himself. ||