GET your

• Journal• Notebook paper for notes• One Index card

Write to Inform: “It’s Greek to Me.”

• Have you ever heard of this?• What do you think it means?

Voc:

• Dramatic structure- ways in which plays are organized• Atmosphere- pervasive mood or tone of a literary

work• Time frame- period or amount of time peculiar to a

work • Emotional effect- the way in which a text provokes an

emotional reaction• Servile- slavelike; humble submissive to authority• Replication- duplicate; reproduction

• Ides of March- March 15th, phases of moon, festivals, 2 consuls would take office in Rome

• Spare- lean; thin• Portentous- ominous; giving signs of evil to come• Prodigious- of great size or power• Prologue- separate introductory section of a literary or

musical work• Infirmity- weakness; physical defect• Triumvirs- a group of 3 leaders who shared power

equally

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Written by William Shakespeare

Background

• For centuries, Romans debated and even fought civil wars while trying to decide whether a monarchy, a republic or a dictatorship was the best form of government

• 509 B.C., Rome was a monarchy, but, in that year, the Brutus family evicted Trarquinius Superbus from the throne and Rome was established as a republic

• 100 B.C., Rome was a moderate democracy in form; in actual practice, the Senate was ruling Rome

• In 60 B.C., a triumvirate (a 3-man rule) of Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey was formed to govern Rome

• In 58 B.C., Caesar was made governor of part of Gaul,

• At the age of 44 began his military career – next ten years, he proceeded to conquer all of Gaul.

• After Crassus was killed in battle, trouble began to develop between Pompey and Caesar

• Pompey, jealous of Caesar’s popularity, persuaded the Senate to order Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome

• Caesar invaded Rome and made himself absolute ruler of Rome

• Caesar defeated Pompey’s army and Pompey fled to Egypt where he was later murdered

• Three years after Caesar defeated Pompey’s army, Caesar defeated Pompey’s two sons.

• By now, Caesar had been made dictator for life.

• Thus, as Shakespeare begins his play with Caesar returning in victory from Spain, Caesar was the undisputed leader of master of the entire Roman world

Breaking It Down:• Life in Rome: 2 classes of people in Rome– Rich were called Patricians – Poor were called Plebeians

• Politics: Julius Caesar is a political play, and political issues are the root of the tragic conflict in the play.– It is a play about a general who would be king, but

because of his own pride and ambition, meets an untimely death.

– Shakespeare seems to be saying that good government must be based on morality.

– In this respect the play has relevance to the politics of the modern world.

• The focus of the play: This play focuses on those men who were responsible for the assassination of Caesar and their ill-fated attempt to control Rome.

• Timeline: Shakespeare compresses the actual historical time of 3 years into a period of 6 days.

Act I, Scene I

• Julius Caesar returns to Rome from battle. – As he approaches, Flavius and Marullus, strike up

conversation with some commoners who are out to welcome Caesar home.

– The two express their fear of Caesar's potential to become a tyrant.

– They encounter a number of Roman tradesmen who are off to the capitol to greet Caesar with great excitement

Create a chart on a piece a paper. As we read we will addIn Shakespeare In History

Day Six Days with Intervals

Date Three Years

Day 1 Act 1 Scene 1 and 2. – Caesar’s Triumph and the Lupercalia being placed on the same day.

Oct. 45 B. C. – 44 B.C.

Caesar’s triumph for his victory at Munda, Spain.

Interval Feb. 15 Festival of the Lupercalia

Act 1, Scene II• A soothsayer approaches Caesar as he enters Rome, saying,

"Beware the ides of March." Caesar brushes this comment off, saying that he is not a superstitious man.

• Cassius and Brutus hang back from Caesar's crowd– Cassius presses Brutus for the meaning of his recent

gloomy countenance. – Brutus evades Cassius' questions until at last he finally

admits that he does not feel Caesar will be a good leader of Rome.

– The conversation progresses, and Cassius and Casca begin a conversation about removing Caesar from power.

• Caesar and Antony return and Caesar share with us he does not trust Cassius

• Meanwhile, the crowd in Rome is ecstatic, and they attempt to crown Caesar as king three times.– All three times he refuses the crown, though each

time with less force. • He seems to swoon, and someone watching him

reports famously, "But those that understood him smil'd at one another, and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me.” Line 279

• A group of generals in his army become concerned about Caesar's power, and his penchant for extreme and tyrannical actions.

In Shakespeare In History

Day Six Days with Intervals

Date Three Years

Day 1 Act 1 Scene 1 and 2. – Caesar’s Triumph and the Lupercalia being placed on the same day.

Oct. 45 B. C. – 44 B.C.

Caesar’s triumph for his victory at Munda, Spain.

Interval Feb. 15 Festival of the Lupercalia

Day 2 Act 1 Scene 3 – nighttime

March 13-14 Interval of 1 month during which Caesar prepares for an expedition into Illyricum and Parthia

Act 1, Scene III

• That night, huge storms surround Rome, and strange, supernatural things happen all over the city: a slave holds up his burning hand, but remains untouched by the flame, and men are seen walking through the streets a fire.

• Casca and Cicero converse in fear during the storm about their plan to kill Caesar– worry about Brutus' willingness to be a part of the

plan, and lead the Romans after Caesar's death.

• Cassius joins them, and decries their inaction, encounters these three and joins in the planning of an attack on Caesar– He names Decius, Trebonius, Ligarus and Metellus

Cimber as four other men involved in the growing conspiracy

W2I- Life Entry 23

• Friendship is only as important as one wants it to be.

• Life gives each person what he or she deserves.

• Fear serves no purpose.• Confidence can only carry a person so far.

• Select one write the statement on one line. Write about what this means to you in 3-4 sentences.