JULIUS CAESAR INTRODUCTION

Historical Overview and Characters

Agenda 5/5

Shakespeare Biography Practice Quiz

Julius Caesar Introduction Notes

Independent Reading Time

Quick Historical Background

The Roman Empire is in full effect stretching from England to the Middle East. Despite these military conquests the city of Rome is collapsing economically.

The Roman government had been a Republic with two counsels (similar to our two houses of Congress), but many citizens are frustrated with this system.

Quick Historical Background

A new idea for a “balanced” government emerges: The Triumvirate. It included three men who would rule together: Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, and Crassus.

Crassus loses a major battle and his power.

Pompey begins to drift further away from Caesar and aligns with the Senate who names him commander in chief of the army.

An army loyal to Caesar defeats Pompey’s army leaving Caesar as the most powerful man in Rome.

Julius Caesar

The dictator of Rome and title character.

Powerful and cunning, but misses numerous signs about his assianation.

Caesar loves the adoration of Rome’s citizens, but it cause him to feel invincible.

Suffers from epileptic seizures which the Romans called “the falling sickness.”

Calpurnia

Caesar’s loving and devoted wife is deeply concerned with his safety.

Superstitious, she believes in bad omens. She has a foreboding dream an begs her husband to stay away from the capital.

Unable to have children with Caesar leaving him without a rightful heir.

Mark Antony

One of Caesar’s close friends who the conspirators strongly consider murdering as well.

He is a masterful speaker and has a strong command of rhetoric. He is able to inspire Roman crowds to follow him.

Two of his famous speeches begin, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears… and “This was the noblest Roman of them all…”

Octavious

Caesar’s adopted son who has been traveling to foreign lands.

He returns to Rome to avenge Caesar’s death.

There is a potential power struggle between Octavious and Mark Antony in the wake of Caesar’s death.

Brutus

A Roman senator who strongly believes in a government guided by votes of senators.

Personally torn between his loyalty to Caesar and his hatred of dictators.

The central character in the play and considered the play’s tragic hero.

Portia

Portia is the strong and devoted wife of Brutus. She is willing to go to extremes.

She is deeply troubled when her husband suddenly seems disturbed and secretive.

Cassius

Talented general frustrated that Caesar is now adored by the Roman people and treated like a god.

He thinks Caesar is weak and incompetent.

He is shrewd and a master manipulator.

Minor Characters from Early in the Play

Flavius and Murellus

Tribune (elected officials) who begin the play by criticizing the Roman citizens for cheering Caesar when recently they had cheered Caesar’s enemy, Pompey.

They remove decorations from Caesar’s statues in the opening parade to show their anger toward Caesar and his people.

Casca

 Another well-known Roman who opposes Caesar’s rise to power.  

Casca tells Cassius and Brutus that when Caesar refuses a crown (that would make him king of Rome.

Casca distrusts Caesar’s ambition and thinks the refusal of the crown is just an act.

Soothsayer

Classical Greek and Roman plays often featured blind men who could see the future.

Soothsayer means “Truth-speaker.”

The famous warning “Beware the Ides of March” is too cryptic for Caesar to take seriously.