Post on 29-Dec-2015
JULIUS CAESARThe Real Man
The PlayThe Characters
JULIUS CAESAR – THE REAL MAN
A historic figure who lived from 100 to 44 BC
Military Leader and Ruler of Rome Statues currently exist in museums
today Caesar’s biography was written in
Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans
Caesar was assassinated by his fellow senators in 44 BC
Multitude of cultural references exist for Caesar
JULIUS CAESAR – THE PLAY Shakespeare retained many facts from
Plutarch’s biography of Caesar, Antony and Brutus
But he added, deleted and altered to suit his dramatic purposes
Took 3 years and telescoped it into 6 days of action
Speeches in the Forum (famous lines in the play by Brutus and Antony) – no historical precedent
JULIUS CAESAR – THE PLAY
The emotional and fickle mob – Shakespeare’s creation to add drama
Characters of Casca, Octavius, Portia and Calpurnia – greatly expanded by Shakespeare
The raw material of the real historic figure of Julius Caesar is true in the play
BUT the finished product is entirely Shakespeare’s creation
THE PLAY
Characteristics of Shakespearean Tragedy Tragedy: a drama in which a series of actions
leads to the downfall of the main character Tragic Hero: usually the title character – but
in Julius Caesar not so The tragic hero is a person of high rank, whose
fate has an impact on society Hero has a Tragic Flaw – a fatal error in
judgment, a weakness in character that contributes to his/her downfall
THE PLAY
Soliloquies (asides) – speeches given by an actor alone on state that express thoughts that are hidden from the other characters
“Beware the Ides of March” – famous line, but a real reference to a date on the calendar – March 15th
JULIUS CAESAR – THE MOVIE
THE CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
Julius Caesar and his wife Calpurnia
BRUTUS AND CASSIUS
Marcus Brutus
Cassius
THE CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
Portia, wife of Brutus
CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony)
Antony giving his famous speech to the people of Rome in Act 3 Scene 2
Act 1 Runner in the Lupercal Gamestouch Calpurnia for good luck
THE CHARACTERS
In Act 3 Scene 1 – the conspirators assassinate CaesarThe conspirators: Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Trebonius, Caius Ligarius, Decius Brutus, Metellus Cimber, Cinna (not the poet)
THE CHARACTERS
In Act 1 Scene 2 – a Soothsayer (fortune teller) warns Caesar to beware of the 15th of March – known as “the Ides of March”
FAMOUS QUOTES - CAESAR “I could be well
moved if I were as you.If I could pray to move, prayers would move me.But I am constant as the Northern Star…”
“Et tu Brute”
FAMOUS QUOTE - ANTONY
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interred with their bones;So let it be with Caesar.”