Julius Caesar Acts 1 and 2
What are the 3 portentous events that are happening that Casca mentions?
1. Someone's hand is on fire but is not burnt, people are walking down the streets on fire 2. Owl out in the afternoon 3. A lion looks at Casca and keeps walking down the street
What is a soliloquy?
A speech given by one person alone on stage revealing their internal thoughts.
What is a soliloquy
A speech to himself revealing his internal thoughts
What is the setting of the first scene?
A street in Rome
Where was the setting of Act 1: Scene 1 of Julius Caesar?
A street in Rome
"Lowliness is young ambition's ladder... he then unto the ladder turns his back...scorning"
Ambitious people seek to rise and look doesn't on those beneath
What reasons does Portia give to insist that Brutus reveal his feelings to her?
As a wife, it's her job to know what is concerning him, so she can be there to comfort him.
Why do the men want Cicero on their side at first? Why do they change their minds?
At first, the men want Cicero on their side because he is a wise old man. They change their minds because he is more of a leader than a follower.
How is Caesar like a serpent's egg?
At this time, he is harmless
Atremidorus reads from a letter at the beginning of Act 2: Scene 3. Who wrote the letter, and what does Atremidorus plan to do with it?
Atremidorus wrote the letter, and he plans to pass it on.
What does the Soothsayer tell Caesar?
Beware of the ides of march
Who is the Soothsayer?
Blind fortune teller
Brutus explains that he has not been able to sleep. How does he explain to a man's conscience between the "acting of a dreadful thing / And the first motion"?
Brutus explains that he has an internal struggle.
What has Portia noticed about Brutus's recent behavior?
Brutus has not been acting like himself, and he seems to be bothered.
Why does Brutus insist that the men do not need at oath?
Brutus insists that the men do not need an oath because the action is their bond, and if they make an oath, it seems like something is wrong.
Brutus: What means this shouting? I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king. Cassius: Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so. What does this exchange reveal? How does Cassius interpret Brutus' words?
Brutus is afraid of Caesar being made king and Cassius interprets it as if he's afraid, he must not want it to happen.
What is Brutus instructed to do to Casca? Why?
Brutus is instructed to pluck Casca's sleeve so that Casca knows to return and tell them what happened at the Feast of Luprecal.
Explain Part 1 of Cassius' soliloquy.
Brutus is loyal and respected, but he is succeptable to manipulate because people can convince him to change his mind.
Why is Casca eager to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy?
Brutus is noble and the people will trust him.
How does Brutus respond? What does this reveal about his character?
Brutus responds by saying that he will consider what Cassius said and that Cassius is his noble friend. This shows that Brutus trusts him.
Who is Lucius?
Brutus' servant
Who will eventually be in conspiracy to kill Caesar?
Brutus, Cassius, and Casca
How does Cassius react to the events in the street?
By taking off his shirt and expressing that he wasn't afraid of the storm (challenging it)
Why does Cassius tell Brutus the story about Caesar swimming in the Tiber River?
Caesar almost drowned and Cassius saved him
Why doesn't Caesar fear Cassius?
Caesar believes he is untouchable
Explain Part 4 of Cassius' soliloquy.
Caesar can sit comfortable now because we will make him suffer by getting rid of him. If we can't, he'll make our lives miserable forever.
Explain Part 2 of Cassius' soliloquy.
Caesar doesn't trust, like, or respect Cassius, but Caesar loves Brutus. Brutus should not trust Cassius' word on its own. He need others to comfirm its truth.
What is the meaning of Cassius' second story?
Caesar got sick with a fever and had a seizure. He could not handle his sickness and showed weakness.
Why does Caesar ask Antony to stand on his right side?
Caesar is deaf in his left ear.
"Adder" is a word for snake. How does Brutus begin to consider changing his mind?
Caesar is not logical- he thinks with his head and not his heart.
"It must be by his death" means
Caesar must be killed
Caesar and Mark Antony have an interesting conversation about the company that Caesar keeps. What does Caesar reveal? How does Antony respond? (I.ii.202-207)
Caesar reveals that he wants people that are fat, bald, and get a good night's sleep. Fat=Wealth Bald=Old and content Good Sleep=Not stressed Cassius looks like a villian to Caesar. Antony says that Cassius is a noble Roman.
What instruction does Caesar give to Antony? Why does he say this and how does Antony respond?
Caesar tells Antony touch Calphurnia and cure her from the barren curse (I.ii.8-10). Antony says, "When Caesar says, 'Do this' it is performed," showing that he will do anything for Caesar (I.ii.14)
What does Casca tell Brutus and Cassius?
Caesar was offered the crown 3 times by Marc Antony and refused it. We also learn that Caesar had a falling sickness, eplipsy (I.ii.265)
What event are the workers celebrating in the beginning of Act 1?
Caesar's victory over Pompey and return to Rome
Who is Calphurnia?
Caesar's wife
Who is the "serpent" he speaks of? Why must this "serpent" be killed immediately?
Caesar- he must be killed for his potential to be a horrible, toxic, snake.
How does Flavius insult the commoners?
Calling them idle creatures (I.i.1) and naming someone a naughty knave (I.i.16)
How does Caesar respond to the Soothsayer?
Calls him a dreamer and dismissing him. "He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass." (I.ii.29)
Why has Calpurnia been unable to sleep? About what omens does Calpurnia tell Caesar?
Calphurnia has been unable to sleep because she is having dreams of Caesar being murdered by the Romans. The omens she tells Caesar are that a lioness (female lion) gave birth in the street, graves opened and dead bodies emerged, and blood was coming out of one of Caesar's statues and Caesar bathed in it.
How are Cassius and Brutus related?
Cassius and Brutus are brother-in-laws.
What does Cassius say about his own words? What does this mean?
Cassius calls his words weak to make Brutus think that he is making his decisions on his own.
Explain Part 3 of Cassius' soliloquy.
Cassius is going to forge letters claiming that the Roman citizens see Caesar's ambition as a bad thing.
How is Cassius related to Brutus?
Cassius is married to Brutus' sister
Why does Caesar distrust Cassius?
Cassius reads too much, observes too much, hates plays, he dislikes music and doesn't smile, he has an evil look about him
How does Cassius compare Caesar to Brutus? How does he characterize Caesar?
Cassius says, "Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar," meaning that Brutus has just as much power as Caesar. He calls Caesar a Colossus (he acts more important than he should be) and says that Caesar is equal to Brutus.
What is the meaning of Cassius' first story?
Cassius tells the story of when he saves Caesar from drowning, yet Cassius has to bow in Caesar's presence like he has less importance than him.
How has Brutus been feeling lately?
Concerned, preoccupied, not his usual self
How does Decius plan to get Caesar to come to the Capitol?
Decius's plan gets Caesar to come to the Capitol by telling a him how man can be snared by flatters, and by flattering him the most.
What are Marullus and Flavius' reaction to the citizen's behavior? Why?
Disgusted over the hypocrisy, they used to praise Pompey
What does Casca mean when he calls the civil strife in heaven?
Either the gods are fighting or the gods are angry at the people.
What is ironic about Portia's statement: "How hard it is for women to keep a secret"?
Even though she told Brutus she could keep a secret, she told Lucius that it is a struggle to keep one. In scene 2, she identified herself as a strong, independant woman, but in scene 4, she blames her inabilities on her gender.
Brutus says in his soliloquy that he has no personal reason to kill Caesar. Why must he do it?
For the general public- if Caesar is crowned, it will change him
What does portentious mean?
Forshadowing bad things to come
Why does Caesar insist on leaving the house?
He cannot avoid fate and does not want to look like a coward.
How does Cassius feel about Caesar? How does he compare himself to Caesar?
He feels that Caesar is weak and should not be king. He compares himself by expressing how he should not be inferior to Caesar.
What has Brutus revealed about his slumber?
He has not slept well since the Feast of Lupercal, he is in a hideous dream
How is Brutus feeling? Who does he express his feeling to? (I.ii.34-54)
He is not gamesome and does not want to participate in the feast of Luprecal (I.ii.33). He also says that he is vexed (distressed), meaning he does not feel his normal, happy self (I.ii.45). He expresses these feeling to Cassius.
What does the story about drowning reveal about Caesar?
He is not the strong one; Cassius is
Who is Casca refering to when he talks about the storm, and what does this mean?
He is refering to Caesar. This means that Caesar is just as scary as the storm.
Brutus says, "Marc Antony is about a limb of Caesar bu when Caesar's head is off
He means Antony is only powerful when he has Caesar
Cassius offers to help Brutus in lines 73-84 (I.ii). What does he offer to help him with? How does Brutus respond?
He offers to paint a picture of what Brutus cannot see (telling him what is going on). Brutus agrees to hear Cassius out.
What direction does Cassius give Cinna? What does Cassius hope to accomplish by this task?
He tells Cinna to put the forged letters in Brutus' chair. Hopefully, Brutus will make the decision to kill Caesar for the 'greater good'.
What does the Soothsayer say to Caesar? How many times does he say it? How is this number significant?
He tells him beware of the eyes of March. Caesar was warned three times. Three is significant because all of the bad things that happened to him was in threes.
Why doesn't Caesar trust Cassius?
He thinks and reads too much (tries to get knowledge) He doesn't usually smile, but when he does, it's creepy He doesn't listen to music and doesn't like plays
What does Cassius threaten to do with his dagger?
He will kill Caesar or kill himself rather than be a slave.
Act 2 opens with Brutus?
In his orchard
What does Brutus say must happen to a serpent's egg in his solilquy?
It must be killed before it becomes dangerous.
Why does Brutus believe that he should kill Caesar when he is like a serpent's egg?
Kill him before he hatches and becomes dangerous, he will become mischievous and danger them all
When Brutus says "Let's be sacrifices, not butchers," he means
Killing caesar is necessary-killing ANtony would be murder
Who is Cassius?
Manipulative (will manipulate Brutus)
Who does Cassius think they should kill along with Caesar?
Marc Anthony
What day is it? Why is this significant?
March 15th. This is significant because it is the day that the soothsayer warned Caesar about.
Who does Cassius want to murder in addition to Caesar?
Mark Antony because he's Caesar's loyal friend, and could plan to seek revenge on them after them men kill Caesar.
What is Brutus response to this idea?
Mark Antony was only his friend, and he is nothing without Caesar. Also, too much blood will make them look like butcherers.
Does Brutus want the men to swear an oath?
No
Is Cassius convinced by Brutus' monologue that Antony be left alone?
No, he believes Brutus is wrong and ANtony should die
Whom do Portia and Lucius run into? Where is he going? Why?
Portia and Lucius run into the soothsayer, who is going to see Caesar to warn him again.
What does Portia do to prove her strength to Brutus? What is his reaction to this act?
Portia stabs herself in the thigh. Brutus reacts by calling her his beloved wife.
Who is the Cobbler?
Shoemaker (supports Caesar)
What do we learn about Brutus' response to Cassius?
Shows that he trusts Cassius. He loves Caesar but he does not want him as king. However, if the information Cassius has to tell him is for the greater good, then he will stay and listen because "[Brutus] loves the name of honor more that [he] fears death," (I..ii.94-95)
What information does Shakespeare provide us with the political atmosphere in the 1st Act?
Some favor Caesar and some fear him, it is the Feast of Lupercal
What does text mean when it refers to the growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing?
Taking away Caear's declarations and sending Caesar's supporters home keeps Caesar from becoming to powerful because the tribunes are afraid that if Caesar becomes an absolute monarch, they will be slaves under his rule.
How does Decius convince Caesar to leave?
Telling him that Calpurnia interpreted the dream incorrectly, and the men will make fun of him if he stays home because of Calpurnia's bad dream.
What is the atmosphere of the opening of scene 1?
Tense, people are angry but others are happy (disagreement); disagreement leads to death
What event is transpriring in the beginning of Act 1: Scene 2
The Feast of Luprecal (festival of fertility)
What does Brutus love even more than his own life?
The citizens of Rome
What is the meaning of Cassius' third story?
The gods have given Caesar so much credit when he is not that strong.
Explain the ladder metaphor in Brutus' soliloquy.
The ladder represent Caesar's ambition. When Carsar reaches the top of the ladder he will be blinded by his ambition, forget the people, and look at them with disdain.
Caesar instructs his men to keep close to him. What is the irony?
The men he tells to keep close are the men who are going/want to kill him.
On what evidence do the priests (augerers) recommend that Caesar not leave the house.
The priests took out the insides (guts) of a sacrificed animal, but they were not able to find its heart.
What comment is made regarding Caesar?
The senate is against him, but the people are in support of him.
After the Cobbler and the Carpenter leave, the tribunes (Marullus and Flavius) decide to do what?
They decide to take down the pictures and declarations and send the people home (I.i.19-20)
What are the conspirators wearing when they come to see Brutus?
They have cloaks over their heads and look like monsters
What hapened to Marullus and Flavius and who was responsible for it?
They were "put to silence", meaning executed or imprisoned, for pulling the scarves off Caesar's images (I.ii.296-299). Caesar or his people are responsible.
What is the setting in the beginning of Act 1: Scene 3?
Thunderstorm in Rome
What instruction has Portia given Lucius?
To watch Caesar and stay close to him
What does Caesar want Antony to do when he runs by Calpurnia?
Touch her to bring her fertility
Who is Marullus and Flavius?
Tribunes- work for the senate (supports Pompey and are angry with Caesar)
Who is the carpenter?
Woodworker (supports Caesar)
