New Bookwolf’s Julius Caesar · 2011. 11. 23. · Bookwolf’s Julius Ceasar by William...

Bookwolf’s Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare _____________________________________________________________________

©Bookwolf.com – Redistribution Prohibited

Bookwolf’s Julius Caesar

By William Shakespeare

Context The play is set in Rome and begins in February 44 BC.

Julius Caesar has returned to Rome in triumph, having defeated the sons of his old enemy, Pompey the Great in Spain.

Caesar is a favorite of the people as opposed to Pompey who was a true leader of the Senate. Spontaneously the people celebrate Caesar’s return to Rome. Many in the Senate fear Caesar’s power over the people. Two in particular, Flavius and Marullus, scold the people for having so quickly forgotten Pompey’s triumphs. They notice that some of the statues of Caesar now wear crowns and they set about removing these. Caesar enjoys the festivities, but receives a warning from a soothsayer to “Beware the Ides of March”.

Marcus Brutus and Cassius discuss Caesar’s newfound position of power and they are envious of this. They do not wish the loss of the Republic and if Caesar was installed as King, the Senate would lose its power.

Brutus is a man of high principle, but he is eventually persuaded to join the growing band of conspirators against Caesar. They decide to assassinate Caesar on 15th March (the Ides of March), and despite various ill omens, and the pleadings of his wife, Calphurnia, Caesar decides to go to the Senate on this day.

Caesar’s main ally is Mark Antony and although some of the conspirators wish him killed as well, Brutus opposes this. He is, therefore, led away from Caesar, who is then assassinated by the conspirators. When Mark Antony hears of Caesar’s murder, he ingratiates himself with the conspirators who agree his request to speak at Caesar’s funeral. Cassius speaks first at the funeral and appears to win over the crowd, but when Antony speaks he persuades them to seek vengeance for Caesar’s murder.

The conspirators are forced to flee Rome and Antony, together with Caesar’s grandnephew, Octavius gather together an army to seek out Caesar’s killers.

Lepidus, who is a wealthy banker, joins these two and they are known as the 2nd Triumvirate, and they gain control over the Roman Empire.

Eventually, the warring factions meet at a town called Sardis, and Antony’s forces are victorious.

Caesar’s ghost visits Brutus and this shakes his courage, and when the battle goes against him, he takes his own life rather than being brought back to Rome.

The play ends with Antony delivering a eulogy over Brutus’ body, calling him ‘the noblest Roman of them all’.

The play is a political commentary on the battle between the Republican State as designed by Pompey and his followers, and Caesar who would have absolute power over the Senate, and who would be maintained in this position by the love of the people. Mark Antony, who is the one who has always sought power, uses that love of the people in order to bring down the conspirators.



The Author Having died almost four hundred years ago, the works of William Shakespeare are still widely performed, adapted and read throughout the world. This is testimony to his genius and his position must be as one of the greatest literary figures of any age.

He was a prolific writer, composing thirty-seven plays over his life.

Like all great men, he has received criticism over the years as to whether he had the ability to produce all the work attributed to him. In the absence of any concrete proof to the contrary, it is safe to attribute all his work to Shakespeare’s pen.

He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England on 23rd April 1564. His father was a dealer in grain and his mother was the daughter of a prosperous farmer. It is likely that he received a good education and this was probably obtained at King’s New School, being the local Grammar School. However, there is evidence to show that the family’s fortunes did decline and that Shakespeare was unable to complete his schooling.

In November 1582 he married Anne Hathaway and they had a daughter, Susanna, six months later. This supports the theory that the marriage was, perhaps, forced on William Shakespeare. They had twins later named Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at the age of eleven.

Little is known about Shakespeare’s life between 1585 and 1592. Some scholars think he may have been a soldier, this being based on the detail contained in Henry IV and Henry V, concerning the corruption involved in army life.

He also worked as an actor and this led him to the city lights of London.

By the year 1599 it is clear that Shakespeare was a wealthy man because he applied to the College of Heralds for a Coat of Arms for his family. He also purchased a substantial property in Stratford.

In July 1605, Shakespeare paid £440 for the lease of a large portion of tithes (taxes) on real estate in the Stratford area. This meant that he received a 10% income from the agricultural products obtained from the land. He was able to double his capital investment.

On 25th March 1616, Shakespeare revised his last Will and Testament and he died on 23rd April in the same year. His body was laid to rest in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.

Shakespeare did not start his work as an actor and playwright until the early 1590’s, but he enjoyed almost immediate success, soon becoming the most popular artist in England, and part owner of the Globe Theatre. This has been carefully restored to its former glory and is an important theatrical venue in London. Both Elizabeth I, and James I patronized him, and it was the latter monarch who gave Shakespeare the great honor of being a King’s Player. By 1594 he had become a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

His works were collected and printed in various editions in the centuries following his death, and by the beginning of the eighteenth century, his work had a worldwide reputation. It is evident that some of his work may have been lost, but he can claim to have composed thirty-seven plays and one hundred and fifty-four sonnets. The sonnets were first published in 1609 and stand among the finest works of English poetry. The plays are divided into four groups – historical plays, comedies, tragedies and late romances. Most of these were drawn from existing sources. The first collected edition of plays was published in 1623. Much of his work as a playwright stands the test of time, and can easily be successfully adapted to the modern age.

Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (R.S.C.) and still actively keeps Shakespeare’s work alive. It is the ambition of many an actor worldwide to appear in a Shakespeare play at Stratford with the R.S.C. Many of the great actors of the twentieth century started their careers with the R.S.C.



It is thought that Julius Caesar was the first play to be performed at The Globe Theatre in around 1599. As always, Shakespeare was anxious to please his main patron, Queen Elizabeth I, who was now in the twilight of her reign.

The Globe stage was situated in the southwest of an open circular building. London, the capital of England, had the walled city with the Tower of London lying northeast. So when Cassius dies, Titinius says, ‘the sun of Rome is set.” The play would have been performed so as to coincide with sunset and it would not have been lost on the Elizabethans of that time that Shakespeare considers London the modern Rome of Europe, and the cradle of Renaissance Europe.

List of Main Characters Julius Caesar

Caesar is a hero of Rome and winner of many military campaigns, but who now seeks political power and to be the undisputed ruler of the Roman Empire. Although he is a brilliant military tactician, he is politically inept being indecisive and easily flattered and swayed. He is assassinated at the mid-point of the play, but appears as a ghost to Brutus towards the end.

Mark Antony

He occupies the position of Caesar’s First Lieutenant and it is he who offers Caesar the crown during the feast of Lupercal. He has a reputation of being a reveler and womanizer, but he is also a manipulator, skilled orator and has learnt sound military tactics from Caesar. During his speech at Caesar’s funeral, he sways the public to his way of thinking and eventually incites them to rebellion. He leads the second Triumvirate with Octavius and Lepidus, and successfully brings about the downfall of Brutus, Cassius and the other conspirators.

Brutus

He is a well-respected judicial magistrate of Rome who is persuaded by Cassius to join the conspiracy against Caesar. He fears that if Caesar takes the crown of Rome, he will turn into a tyrant and enslave the people. He heroically leads his troops and defeats the armies of Octavius at Philippi, but loses his fight against Mark Antony and commits suicide.

Cassius

Cassius is the close friend and brother-in-law of Brutus who organizes a conspiracy against Caesar. He is very persuasive and encourages Brutus to join the plot. His ruthlessness is tempered by Brutus’ influence, and part of Brutus’ nobility rubs off on him as the play develops. After his defeat by Antony at Philippi, he commits suicide mistakenly believing that Brutus has been defeated.

Calphurnia

She is the wife of Julius Caesar who fails to dissuade her husband from going to the Capitol on the Ides of March. She foresees the death of Caesar in a dream, which shows streams of blood flowing from his body.

Portia

She is the daughter of Marcus Cato and wife of Brutus, and is a well-educated and intuitive woman, who senses that her husband is involved in some sort of conspiracy. When she realizes that her husband’s fortunes are doomed she commits suicide by swallowing hot coals.

Octavius Caesar

He is the adopted son and heir of Julius Caesar and he forms part of the second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus. He does not have the military prowess of Julius Caesar or Mark Antony and Brutus defeats his army at Philippi. He does not die with his troops and joins Mark Antony in their victorious battle over Cassius and Brutus.



Lepidus

This is the third member of the Triumvirate who is a wealthy banker, but politically weak, and Antony uses him to run errands.

ACT I – Scene.i

Summary The people of Rome await with anticipation the arrival of their hero, Julius Caesar, who is fresh from his victories over the sons of Pompey in Spain.

Two Roman Tribunes, Flavius and Marullus are concerned at the ecstasy of the people who clearly think Caesar is a god. They notice that some of the statues of Caesar are now adorned with crowns, and they remove these ornaments, chastising the people and accusing them of having short memories, for it was just a short time ago that they cheered Pompey.

Interpretation Like most of Shakespeare’s plays, if the reader can understand the opening scenes, then he will establish Shakespeare’s main theme.

Flavius and Marullus, Tribunes of Rome, are concerned that there has been a breakdown of civil order. They fear that their world is running out of control and becoming dangerous. They fear Caesar, for he grows in power, thus reducing the influence of the Senate. This is the age-old conflict between the Republican movement and the absolute power of monarchs. This will not have been lost of Elizabeth I, and despite the fact that Shakespeare indicates that Caesar may have been a tyrant it is the old monarchy regime that survives at the end of the play.

The Senate is comprised of the ruling class, but the people view Caesar as a benefactor because he thinks more of them than he does of the Senators.

In Roman society, statues were associated with the gods. The fact that the citizens of Rome adorn the statues of Caesar with crowns, symbolizes their belief that he should become overall ruler of the Empire.

The Tribunes are concerned at this and wish to remove these political signs, which can be akin to modern day advertised. Indirectly, the common people are trying to persuade the Senate to elect Caesar as their King. The theme of persuasion is an important part of this play and runs heavily throughout it.

There are many similarities between Elizabethan England, and the Roman Empire as interpreted by Shakespeare, one of these being the use of celebrations as a means of maintaining social order and general well being.

The adulation that Caesar receives from the people undermines his relationship with the Senate.



ACT I - Scene.ii

Summary Caesar has now entered Rome in triumph and Caesar and his wife, Calphurnia, are about to watch the traditional foot race in which Mark Antony will run. There is a superstition that if a runner touches a childless woman, she will regain her fertility, and so Mark Antony touches Calphurnia.

In a shrill voice a soothsayer calls out to Caesar, “Beware the Ides of March”. However, Caesar does not heed this warning.

All leave except Brutus and Cassius. Cassius is concerned that Caesar is becoming the Dictator of Rome. Cassius is organizing a conspiracy against Caesar and needs the influential Brutus on his side. His task is to persuade Brutus to join the conspirators and he uses the ploy that as he is from a noble family, he is a guardian of its welfare. Their conversation is interrupted by shouting and the sound of trumpets, and the two fear that Caesar has been elected King.

Brutus: “For some new honors that are heaped on Caesar”

Cassius: “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world

Like a Colossus, and we petty men

Walk under his huge legs and peep about

To find ourselves dishonorable graves.”

Caesar re-enters and he looks suspiciously at Cassius and he says,

“Let me have men about me that are fat,

Sleek-headed men and such as sleep a-nights.

Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look,

He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.”

Antony: “Fear him not, Caesar, he’s not dangerous,

He is a noble Roman and well given.”

Caesar leaves and Casca tells Brutus and Cassius that Mark Antony offered the crown to Caesar three times, but that Caesar rejected this. Caesar then had an epileptic seizure.

Although Brutus has leanings towards the conspirators, he has not yet fully committed to them, but Cassius reveals in his soliloquy how he plans to win Brutus over.

Interpretation



We obtain the first insight that Caesar is not leadership material. He has already received one warning from the soothsayer, which he disregarded out of hand, and although he suspects Cassius, he is easily dissuaded from this by Antony, who has his own motives.

From history, we know that Caesar was a great hero and military tactician, but Shakespeare portrays him here as being politically inept and weak. He feels that if he has the support of the people, then the Senate would not dare move against him.

It is curious that Caesar calls on Antony to touch his wife Calphurnia, with the hope that she will produce an heir to carry on his dynasty. Mark Antony is known for his athletic prowess and his womanizing, and the suggestion here is that Caesar is impotent. This is a revolutionary idea that Shakespeare is putting forward, for in Elizabethan times, it was widely accepted that the woman was at fault when a couple failed to produce children. Clearly this view would obtain approval from Elizabeth I.

The scene between Caesar and the soothsayer is also interesting. It indicates that Caesar is deaf in one ear for he asks the soothsayer to repeat his prophecy and after looking him in the eye to see if he is honest, he dismisses the warning, calling the soothsayer a dreamer.

Unlike the man in the streets of Rome, the reader obtains a close view of this flawed man who would be King.

As with most of Shakespeare’s work, there is a supernatural thread running through the entire play. This again emphasizes the superstition of the Elizabethan people, and Shakespeare feeds this interest.

Cassius is the main conspirator, although it will be Brutus that will lead them later in the play. It is Cassius who has brought together the group of murderers, which will include Brutus because he believes it is a just cause. Cassius has an ability to persuade people, as he is quick-witted. When he hears the trumpets and cheering, he suggests that the people have made Caesar their King, and then he tells Brutus about when he saved Caesar from drowning, leaving these facts for Brutus to ponder.

When Caesar returns to the stage, he becomes suspicious of Cassius (see quotation above), but is soon dissuaded from this view by Mark Antony. Again this shows his indecisiveness. There is also reference to the fact that Caesar suffered from epilepsy.

All these indicators emphasized by Cassius are part of his plan to sway Brutus onto his side. The next scene will see the conclusion of this process.

ACT I – Scene.iii

Summary It is now evening in Rome and there is a terrible storm; there are also rumors of strange unearthly apparitions.

Casca: “A common slave – you know him well by sight –

Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn

Like twenty torches joined, and yet his hand,

Not sensible of fire, remained unscorched.



Against the Capitol I met a lion

Who gazed upon me and went surly by

Without annoying me.

And yesterday the bird of night did sit

Even at noonday upon the market place,

Hooting and shrieking.”

Casca discusses this with Cicero, but Cicero is unable to interpret these visions. Cicero leaves and Cassius enters, and he tells Casca that these are divine warnings that Caesar will destroy the Republic. He urges Casca to join with him in opposing Caesar. Another conspirator, Cinna, is persuaded to throw a message through Brutus’ window.

At Pompey’s porch, a further three conspirators join Cassius, Casca and Cinna - Decius Brutus, Trebonius and Metellus Cimber. They are confident that they will win Brutus to their cause.

Interpretation This scene is full of the supernatural, which brings an atmosphere of foreboding and excitement to the audience. It should be noted that there is no attempt to ask Cicero into the plot. Clearly Cassius has identified those that are potential allies, and those that will stay loyal to Caesar.

There are several references to fire, and also to dangerous animals, both elements of destruction and Cassius associates Caesar with these in a way of cementing the conspirators’ purpose. Cassius interprets the scene of the lion in the Capitol as Caesar and although the lion is quiet, it is a ferocious and dangerous animal, and they should not allow it into their midst. It should not be lost on the reader that Shakespeare is also trying to persuade the audience that the conspirators’ cause is just, even though it is driven by the supernatural.

Shakespeare’s aim at this stage is to undermine Caesar’s position by emphasizing his physical defects and his indecisive manner.

ACT II – Scene.i

Summary Set in the orchard of Brutus’ home, it is nighttime, and we witness Brutus giving one of the most important soliloquies of the play. You should read this in carefully in full.

“It must be by his death. And for my part

I know no personal cause to spurn at him

But for the general. He would be crowned:

Now that might change his nature, there’s the question.

It is the bright day that brings forth the adder

And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,



And then I grant we put a sting in him..

And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg

(which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous)

And kill him in the shell.”

Brutus is fearful that if Caesar is crowned, he will change from being a virtuous man to being a tyrant.

Lucius, Brutus’ servant, brings in a letter that was thrown through a window.

The other conspirators then join him and he agrees to join them in their plot to overthrow Caesar.

Cassius suggests that they make an oath, but Brutus objects to this, saying that they need no bond to tie them together, for they are all honorable men. They suggest that Mark Antony should also be killed, but Brutus opposes this saying that they are not butchers. The conspirators depart and Portia, Brutus’ wife, enters. She is concerned by her husband’s strange behavior. She drops to her knees and pleads with Brutus to confide in her, because she is Cato’s daughter, and she has a quality of mind that raises her above ordinary women.

Brutus promises that he will confide in her.

Interpretation We now witness the dilemma being faced by Brutus, and how he thinks through the problem in his soliloquy. Again, Caesar is likened to a dangerous animal, this time a snake, that at present is harmless, but if given the power to rule, this will give the snake a sting.

Brutus concludes that it is best to destroy the snake while it is still inside the egg.

The final act of persuasion is the letter that he falsely thinks has come from the people, but this is in fact from Cassius. This is his final act of persuasion.

His inclusion into the conspiracy brings an element of honor to the company who have clearly taken an oath, which Brutus says is not necessary if their cause is just. Shakespeare’s whole motive for this scene is to make it clear that Brutus is honorable, whereas perhaps the other conspirators are mere assassins.

Brutus suggests this too, by saying that it is regrettable that they meet under cover of darkness “when evils are most free?”

It is also clear that Brutus exerts his authority right at the start, and he will now dictate how the plot will advance. This includes the sparing of Mark Antony’s life, and the reference to them being butchers if they were to let more than just Caesar’s blood. Shakespeare has cleverly used omens right from the start of the play, being firstly lightning, then visions of fire, and now blood enters the imagery. He is preparing the audience for the bloody death of Caesar.

When the conspirators leave, we have an interesting scene between Brutus and his wife, Portia. No doubt to please Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare makes a direct comparison between the monarch and Portia. Shakespeare is referring to Elizabeth I’s famous speech to inspire her forces, before confrontation with the Spanish Armada.

“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and of a King of England too.”

• when Portia says, “I grant I am a woman, but withal



A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife.

I grant I am a woman, but withal

A woman well reputed, Cato’s daughter.

Think you I am no stronger than my sex,

Being so fathered and husbanded?

Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose them.”

Portia makes her plea on bended knee, and he is impressed with her eloquence and agrees to confide in her. Portia is the representation of Roman womanhood. During her speech, she mentions that she would rather wound herself in her thigh than suffer dishonor.

This has a direct reference to Greek mythology where the goddess Athena associated with war and wisdom was born out of the thigh of Zeus. This indicates that Portia suspects that there will be some bloodletting and if she is to suffer dishonor, she should at least be made aware of what was going on.

ACT II – Scene.iii

Summary Artemidorus: “Caesar, beware of Brutus, take heed of Cassius, come not near Casca, have an eye to Cinna, trust not Trebonius, mark well Metellus Cimber, Decius Brutus loves thee not, thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men and it is bent against Caesar.”

This is the letter that Artemidorus intends to give Caesar warning him about the conspiracy.

Interpretation Artemidorus was a teacher of rhetoric and spoke with grand flourishes.

The problem he has is getting Caesar to read the note and acknowledge the facts. Caesar is, however, full of his own self-importance and as was seen with the soothsayer, he does not take heed of this warning. Caesar is confident that the people of Rome love him.



They only know of his heroic deeds, the great battles he has won, sometimes against overwhelming odds. He is famed for leading his troops into battle on his horse.

He wishes to take on a godlike appearance for his people, but this is at odds with a good number of the Senators and Tribunes.

ACT II – Scene.iv

Summary Brutus has not had the opportunity to tell Portia regarding the plan to assassinate Caesar, but she suggests to Lucius that she is aware of the plan.

A soothsayer enters on his way to see Caesar and Portia enquires if he knows of any plans to harm Caesar. He responds that he fears that something may happen to Caesar.

Portia sends Lucius to give her greetings to Brutus and to tell him that she is in good spirits.

Interpretation Portia suspects that there is something amiss, but she does not know the details of Brutus’ plan. She fears for Caesar’s safety and also that her husband may be discovered.

ACT III – Scene.i

Summary We are outside the Capitol and Caesar enters with Antony, Lepidus and all the conspirators. Caesar sees the soothsayer and tells him “The Ides of March are come”, to which the soothsayer responds, “Aye Caesar, but not gone”.

Artemidorus urges Caesar to read his letter, but Caesar refuses.

Caesar enters the Capitol and Trebonius discreetly diverts Antony away. Metellus Cimber makes a petition to Caesar requesting his brother’s return from exile, which Caesar refuses. The other conspirators join in the plea and crowd around Caesar.

Casca is first to stab him followed by the others with Brutus giving the final, fatal blow, to which Caesar says, “Et tu Brute? Then fall Caesar!”

Cinna calls out, “Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!”

Mark Antony’s servant enters requesting permission to come amongst them and resolve their differences, on his behalf. Antony enters and makes his farewell to the dead body of Caesar and requests that he is allowed to speak at Caesar’s funeral. Despite Cassius’ objections, Brutus agrees.



The conspirators exit and Antony says,

“O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!

Thou art the ruins of the noblest man

That ever lived in the tide of times.”

In this soliloquy Antony goes on to predict that there will be a raging revenge, which will bring civil war and chaos to all Italy.

A servant enters to advise Antony that Octavius Caesar is but seven leagues from Rome. He tells the servant to stay and observe the funeral and then to report back to Octavius.

Interpretation Shakespeare cunningly introduces tension and gathering suspense in the moments before Caesar’s assassination. This is done by shifting from lengthy speeches and soliloquies to short burst of dialogue between the characters. There is still an element indicating that the plot may be discovered, especially if Caesar was to read Artemidorus’ letter, but this does not happen. Like a lamb, he is led to the slaughter, being separated from his ally, Mark Antony. After Caesar’s death, Shakespeare maintains the tension by revealing for the first time the full nature of Mark Antony. He is clearly a survivor and needs to ingratiate himself with the conspirators in the short term, until Caesar’s funeral.

The audience may now appreciate that Caesar is just a pawn in the power struggle that is evident in the Senate. It may be that these events might in the end suit Mark Antony and accelerate his progress to the seat of power.

We have the first indication that Antony can change his feelings and behavior according to the circumstances prevalent. He is known for being a drunkard and a womanizer, but he is also a clever manipulator using the innocence of Brutus in order to secure a position at Caesar’s funeral where he can make a speech to the Roman people.

Cassius sees the danger in Antony, but he is overruled by Brutus. Brutus and Cassius have an uneasy alliance.

Mark Antony sees the chance to gain power, knowing that Octavius and his army are just outside Rome. You will note that he does not send word for Octavius to enter Rome, and it may be that he does not wish to share power with anyone else in the long term.

ACT III – Scene.ii

Summary This is set in the Forum, which is full of an uneasy, vocal crowd who are demanding satisfaction over the murder of Caesar.

Brutus pleads with the citizens to be patient and to contain their emotions, and allow him to finish his speech. He reminds them that he is an honorable Roman and he will give reasons why it was necessary to murder Caesar. The citizens are convinced at the end of Brutus’ speech and they cheer him.

Then Antony enters carrying Caesar’s body, and he delivers a reasoned oration. This is a clever speech, which slowly turns the tide away from the conspirators, back to him. Using logic, he is able to sway the crowd and in the end they are baying for the blood of the conspirators. They are spurred on by the fact that Antony hints that Caesar’s Will leaves his property to the people.



The conspirators flee Rome and the scene ends with Antony being informed that Octavius and Lepidus have arrived at Caesar’s house.

Interpretation This whole scene revolves round the two speeches, one by Brutus and the other by Mark Antony. Both are made to the citizens of Rome who are fickle and can be easily swayed. Whereas Brutus’ speech written in prose is crude, does appeal to the rabble, Mark Antony’s speech is eloquent and inspirational, and quickly wins them back. Brutus has to struggle with his audience to obtain their attention, whereas Mark Antony immediately gets their attention by entering carrying Caesar’s body.

The main thrust of the first speech, given by Brutus, is to justify Caesar’s death. Brutus says that Caesar was full of ambition, and that the plebeians would become slaves under Caesar’s rule. Eventually, Brutus convinces the crowd that they had good reason to murder Caesar, and the conspirators feel confident and secure.

When Antony delivers his dramatic and theatrical speech, he immediately has the attention of all those present. Shakespeare shows his genius in creating a great speech, the style of which has been copied down the ages, and more recently by Hitler, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King.

The first rule in delivering a speech is to get the audience’s attention. Antony did this by using Caesar’s body. Hitler would wait until there was complete silence before starting his speeches.

You will note in Antony’s speech that certain words are repeated e.g. ‘honorable’ and ‘ambition’. This style was used by Martin Luther King in his famous, ‘I have a dream’ speech. This is the second rule.

The third rule is to create an empathy with your audience. This Mark Antony does by speaking as if he is one of them, and is aware of the problems they have. John F. Kennedy had this common touch.

The fourth and final rule is to tell the people what they want to hear. Mark Antony uses the masterstroke of producing Caesar’s Will. He tells the crowd that they will benefit from Caesar’s property. Winston Churchill certainly told the people of Britain what they wanted to hear during their darkest hour, which inspired them at boosted their morale.

It is fitting, therefore, to quote part of this speech, which is famous in the literary world, but the reader should study the whole passage in detail.

“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. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious;

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answered it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest –

For Brutus is an honorable man,

So are they all, all honorable men -”



Not only does Antony obtain the support of the crowd, but he also incites them into a lawless mob, and the conspirators have to flee for their lives. As the speech develops, Antony uses props in order to emphasize certain passages, and in particular he uses Caesar’s stab wounds as a final image, which in the end do the speaking for him.

“If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle. I remember

The first time ever Caesar put it on,

Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through;

See what a rent the envious Casca made;

Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed.”.

ACT III – Scene.iii

Summary The mob is abroad in the streets of Rome seeking out the conspirators and burning their property. They happen upon Cinna, the poet, and they confuse him with Cinna, the conspirator. He pleads with them to be spared, and although they now realize he is Cinna the poet, they kill him anyway because of his bad verse.

Interpretation Shakespeare’s purpose here is to show how the ordered Rome has degenerated into a state where the mob rules. Why he chooses a poet to be the victim of an attack by the mob is not clear. Perhaps he is making some comment regarding the position of poets in Elizabethan society, and perhaps indirectly, he is asking the audience to judge him and poets generally.

Just as Mark Antony incited the mob to go on a bloodlust, so did Hitler do exactly the same, inciting hatred against the Jews. Again there is reference to blood and fire in this scene.

Act IV – Scene.i

Summary Shakespeare takes us back to the blasted heath where the three witches surround the cauldron into



The second Triumvirate is formed, being Antony, Octavius and Lepidus. They are deciding the fate of many Romans – who will live, and who will die.

Antony also decides to alter Caesar’s Will and reduce the bequests made to the citizens of Rome. The aim of the Triumvirate is to divide the Empire three-ways, but Lepidus is only needed for his money, and Antony says of him, “And though we lay these honors on this man to ease ourselves of divers slanderers loads, he shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, to groan and sweat under the business, either lead or driven as we point the way; and having brought our treasure where we will, then take we down his load and turn him off like to an empty ass to shake his ears and graze in commons.” (Divers means various).

Octavius is alarmed at the way Antony speaks about Lepidus and he comes to his defense by saying that Lepidus is a brave soldier who has proved his valor on many occasions. Antony responds by saying that his horse has those qualities as well. Lepidus will be trained and used.

The two agree that they must draw up their battle plans and pursue Brutus and Cassius.

Interpretation We see in what disdain Antony regards Lepidus, indicating that he will be cut off when Antony’s purpose has been served. Lepidus has been quickly eased out of the Triumvirate and is reduced to being Antony’s messenger.

The power struggle will be between Octavius and Antony, and it is not made clear in the play, who wins, but Shakespeare is renowned for leaving loose ends in his work, and this is one of them.

We also see how ruthless Antony is. One of the main planks of his speech was the fact that Caesar was the people’s benefactor. One of Antony’s first decisions is to revoke Caesar’s Will and keep the property for himself.

Shakespeare paints a picture of chaos. The mob are running riot in the streets. Those in power struggle to outdo one another for the ultimate prize, and as will be shown later, the conspirators also argue amongst themselves. This chaos has arisen out of the death of one man, Caesar, and Shakespeare clearly wishes to show that Elizabethan England would be the same without their beloved Queen.

This situation suits Antony who is the only character in control. He uses this chaos to assert his authority. He is a many faceted man, a drunkard, a womanizer, a great speaker, a manipulator and a leader.

There is further symbolism using animals when Lepidus is likened to an ass, a beast of burden.

Act IV – Scenes.ii

Summary The conspirators’ army is camped near a town called Sardis. There is tension between Brutus and Cassius, as the latter feels he has been offended, and he has not received a suitable explanation. When Cassius and Brutus meet, Brutus says that he would not wrong a friend and that they should not argue in public, and so they go inside Brutus’ tent.



Interpretation Just as the previous scene dealt with the struggle between Octavius and Mark Antony, this scene deals with the conflict between Brutus and Cassius. Cassius must feel that Brutus has been responsible for the position they are in. He had recommended that Mark Antony should be murdered too.

There is a further similarity, just as Mark Antony likened Lepidus to an ass, Brutus speaks to his servant saying of Cassius, “but hollow men like horses hot at hand, make gallant show and promise of their mettle. But when they should endure the bloody spur, they fall their crests and like deceitful jades sink in the trial.” (Jades are horses without spirit or stamina).

It is evident that Brutus is not impressed with Cassius.

Act IV – Scenes.iii

Summary Inside the tent, Cassius accuses Brutus of having wronged him by condemning Lucius Pella for taking bribes, despite Cassius interceding on his behalf. Brutus further accuses Cassius of selling offices. Brutus reminds Cassius that it was for the sake of justice that they had killed Caesar. The argument heightens and Brutus further reminds Cassius that he has failed to send gold that he needs to pay his troops.

Eventually the two men are reconciled.

Octavius and Antony are marching towards Philippi and back in Rome hundreds of Senators have been put to death, including Cicero.

It also transpires that Portia has committed suicide by consuming hot coals. This in part explains the behavior of Brutus.

They discuss their battle plans and Brutus wishes to attack, while Cassius want to hold their position in a defensive posture. In the end, it is Brutus who wins. Feeling the loss of his wife, he asks the servant Lucius to call some of his men to sleep with him in the tent for company. They all fall asleep, but Brutus is visited by Caesar’s ghost, who tells him that they will meet again at Philippi.

Interpretation On the eve of a most important battle, Brutus is troubled firstly by the death of his wife, and then by Caesar’s ghost, both ill omens. His wife has suffered a most painful death by swallowing hot coals. By choosing this means of death, Portia attempts to take on the sins of her husband and to extinguish them in the fire.

Shakespeare deliberately delays the news of the death of Portia in order to give it greater impact. The audience must wonder what ails Brutus. What Brutus does, is to transfer his grief into his feelings towards Cassius, and although their friendship is sorely tested, it remains intact.

Seeking comfort, Brutus asks his loyal friends to stay with him in his tent, but they fall asleep, which allows Caesar’s ghost to confront Brutus. Up until now, the bulk of the supernatural happenings have been witnessed by women, but here it is Brutus that sees the ghost. Again there is reference to occult and also fire in the form of Portia’s death. Brutus realizes that the ghost foretells his death in battle.

Act V – Scene.i



Summary This is set on the plain of Philippi, where the forces of Antony and Octavius await the approach of Brutus and Cassius’ forces.

Brutus and Cassius and their followers enter, perhaps to negotiate, but the four protagonists hurl insults at one another.

Brutus: “Words before blows; is it so, countrymen?”

Octavius: “Not that we love words better, as you do.”

Brutus: “Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.”

Antony: “In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.

Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart,

Crying, long live, hail, Caesar!”

Cassius: “The posture of your blows are yet unknown;

But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees

And leave them honeyless.” (Hybla – a Sicilian mountain famous for honey)

Antony: “Not stingless too?”

Brutus: “O yes, and soundless too,

For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony,

And very wisely threat before you sting.”

Antony: “Villains! You did not so when your vile daggers

Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.

You showed your teeth like apes and fawned like hounds.”

Antony goes on to accuse Brutus of being a traitor, and Cassius calls Octavius a “peevish schoolboy” and Antony a “masker and reveler”. Octavius and Antony exit with their armies. Cassius now has serious misgivings about the forthcoming battle and he parts from Brutus fearing that he will not see him again.

Interpretation Normally in Shakespearean plays the battles take place offstage, so Shakespeare uses this verbal battle as a preemptive conflict in order to give the audience an insight as to the outcome of the fighting. The verbal contest is clearly won by Antony and Octavius. He leaves the violence of the actual battle to the audience’s imagination. In Elizabethan England, language is the real power, not force of arms, and Shakespeare wishes to emphasize that the pen, or written word, is mightier than the sword.

There is a sad parting between Cassius and Brutus at the end of the scene, for they suspect that they will not see each other again.



Note again the use of animals as a form of describing people and their behavior. This time the two main conspirators are likened to apes and hounds, whilst Antony’s silken tongue is associated with honey and bees.

Act V – Scene.ii

Summary Brutus is doing well in his fight against Octavius and he sends an urgent message to Cassius for assistance in order to press home the advantage. Octavius’ forces seem to be poorly led and are not inspired to fight.

Interpretation Again Shakespeare uses language here in order to heighten the tension of the battle for the audience. How the offstage battle is progressing is directly reflected in the main characters as they flit on and off the stage.

Act V – Scene.iii

Summary Cassius observes the forces of Brutus foraging about on the battlefield for the spoils of war, having driven back Octavius. This enables Antony’s army to encircle Cassius.

Cassius sends Titinius to ride towards some soldiers in the distance in order to determine who they are. Pindarus reports to Cassius that he saw Titinius get down from his horse in a throng of soldiers who were shouting for joy. Cassius mistakenly assumes that Titinius has been captured, and that the battle is lost. He asks Pindarus to stab him and Cassius dies saying, “Caesar thou art revenged.”

Titinius was, in fact, hailed by some of Brutus’ troops and he now returns to Cassius with news that Octavius’ men have been routed only to find Cassius’ dead body. Titinius kills himself with Cassius’ sword.

When Brutus finds the bodies of Titinius and Cassius, he pays tribute to them, saying, “Are yet two Romans living such as these? The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!”

Interpretation It is difficult to get the true flavor of this scene without carefully reading through it. It is all about the use of language, misinterpretation, confusion and communication, or the lack of it.



Shakespeare is in full flow here, and the full impact cannot be appreciated unless viewed on the stage. The reader should, therefore, take time with this scene.

Brutus and Cassius have contrived to defeat themselves, and although initially Shakespeare encourages the audience at the start of the play to look favorably on the conspirators’ motives, he now demonstrates that Brutus and Cassius are flawed, and so was their view of Caesar’s threat to Rome.

The friendship between Cassius and Brutus was greatly tested due to the pressures brought upon them by their assassination of Caesar and then their battle plans against Antony. Despite all this, they maintained their friendship and love for one another. Throughout the whole play, Brutus is described as noble and honorable, although in the end, he was perhaps misguided regarding his views on Caesar. Any doubts about this are swept aside in these closing scenes.

Act V – Scene.iv

Summary Brutus rallies his troops for the fight against Antony. At Brutus’ side are young Cato and Lucilius. He tries to give them courage and to stand upright against the foe. Young Cato is killed and Lucilius is captured by Antony’s soldiers, who mistake him for Brutus. When Antony arrives, he realizes the mistake and Lucilius tells him that Brutus will never be taken prisoner. Lucilius is guarded and Antony sends soldiers to seek out Brutus.

Interpretation Continuing the theme of the previous scene, there are further mistakes here, with Lucilius being mistaken for Brutus. Lucilius had hoped for a noble death in the stead of Brutus, but Antony robs him of this. Antony makes the suggestion that Lucilius could be a valuable friend.

The audience is left to wonder whether Lucilius will change his allegiance.

Act V – Scene.v

Summary We observe Brutus and his generals resting from the arduous battle. He wishes one of them to kill him, but they refuse.

Just then Caesar’s ghost appears to Brutus again, and he knows it is time for him to die. Volumnius believes that the battle can still be won, but Brutus argues that the enemy has them cornered. He asks Volumnius to hold his sword while he runs onto it, but he refuses, believing it is improper for a friend to do this.

Antony’s army approaches and Clitus warns Brutus to flee.

Brutus wishes his comrades farewell, and Strato who has just woken up agrees to hold Brutus’ sword. They shake hands, and Brutus kills himself.



Antony comes onto the scene and says,

“This was the noblest Roman of them all:

All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar.

He only, in a general honest thought

And common good to all, made one of them.

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mixed in him that nature might stand up

And say to all the world, this was a man!”

Octavius promises an appropriate funeral for Brutus and the battle ceases.

They celebrate their triumph.

Interpretation Shakespeare has made great use of suicide in this play. Such an act in Elizabethan times was unthinkable. This topic would certainly have fascinated the audiences when this play was first shown. Suicide would be covered up in the 15th and 16th centuries, but here in Rome, it is almost an everyday occurrence, and is a mark of honor and nobility.

Brutus is a tragic hero and is courageous in choosing suicide over capture.

There is never any indication that the conspirators regret their actions. They have made the ultimate sacrifice for their beloved Rome, freeing it from the likelihood of a tyrant.

The play finishes here with the audience wondering what the future holds for Rome. Has one tyrant in Caesar been replaced by another in Mark Antony?

.

Questions for Study with ideas for answers Q:Shakespeare likens characters and their behavior to animals, which enables the audience to quickly get an insight into the person. Give examples.

Ideas: Caesar – Lion In a vision Casca tells of a lion walking in the Capitol, which symbolizes Caesar. The lion acts in a surly manner, being ill tempered and rude. This suggests that if Caesar becomes the center of the Roman Empire, he will become a dangerous beast, and consume those that oppose him. Later, Calphurnia dreams of a whelping lioness. Again this symbolizes Caesar, but this time as a helpless, vulnerable animal.

Caesar – Serpent (Adder) Brutus describes Caesar as being an adder, and if he is crowned then this process will provide the adder with a sting. Before this happens, it would be wise to kill the serpent in its egg.



Lepidus – Ass Antony proposes to use Lepidus who is wealthy, and likens him to an ass, being a beast of burden, who will carry gold for Antony and Octavius, and when they require money, they will unload Lepidus, and once they have obtained power, he will be discarded.

Cassius – Horse Brutus says of Cassius that he is “but a hollow man like horses hot at hand”. He means a particular type of horse, one that is jaded, which means within spirit or stamina.

Antony – Honey bees Cassius likens Antony’s words as being sweet like honey. He remembers how Antony beguiled the populous with his oratory at Caesar’s funeral.

Cassius & Brutus – Apes and Hounds Antony describes Cassius and Brutus’ behavior during the assassination of Caesar thus, “You showed your teeth like apes and fawned like hounds”.

There are others to be discovered.

Q: Imagine you are a citizen of Rome in 44 B.C. What are the arguments for and against giving Caesar the crown?

Ideas: The status quo is the Rome left by Pompey who was a democrat and believed the Senate should run the Empire because a one-person rule system would be dangerous. There is always someone wishing to obtain power by assassination, and therefore the ruler requires the support of the legions. In order to secure his position, he needs to oppress all those who oppose him. Pompey’s view was that in most cases, the one ruler would become a tyrant.

Caesar’s point of view, and later that of Mark Antony, was that in order for the poor of Rome to be protected, they needed a just, central figure to oversee the Empire. Only rich people were able to become members of the Senate, and therefore they did not truly represent the poor people. Many citizens admired Caesar for his military conquests, and they regarded him as their hero.

Jot down other ideas for and against this argument.

Q: This play hinges on Mark Antony’s speech at Caesar’s funeral. Why is it so good?

Ideas: Firstly, the speech is compared with that just given by Brutus, and Shakespeare helps Mark Antony’s cause by having the first speech in prose, and the second in a poetic and dramatic style.

Next, Antony obtains everyone’s attention by using Caesar’s body as a focal point, and he also uses Caesar’s bloodstained mantle as a prop, towards the end of the speech.

Next, Brutus only had one main reason for the assassination and that was Caesar’s apparent ambition. Antony immediately undermines this in several ways, but the main thrust is that he offered Caesar the crown three times, and he refused it. How could this be ambition?

Next, He tells his audience that they will benefit under Caesar’s Will because he loved them and in this way he appealed to their hearts and purses. Thus, Antony tells them what they want to hear.

Lastly, He makes his point by using repetition, and in particular by referring to Brutus and the conspirators as honorable men.

There are other elements in this speech, can you discover more?

Q: Shakespeare uses symbolic and supernatural elements throughout this play. Give some examples. (A clue – these are in the form of thunder and lightning, fire, blood, and apparitions)

Ideas: Act I-Scene.iii and Act.II-Scene.ii open with thunder and lightning, which cues the audience to expect supernatural goings-on.

Act.I-Scene.iii Casca gives a commentary on a succession of strange sights – a slave with a flaming hand that does not burn; men all in fire walking up and down in the streets; an owl hooting and shrieking in the middle of the day.



Act.II-Scene.ii Calphurnia’s dream makes reference to fierce, fiery warriors fighting upon the clouds, which drizzled blood upon the Capitol; ghosts shrieking and squealing about the streets; and Caesar’s statue was like a fountain with spouts giving forth blood in which the Romans bathed their hands.

Act.III-Scene.i is all about the letting of Caesar’s blood, and Shakespeare describes vividly the assassination and how the conspirators reveled in the butcher’s scene afterwards.

Act.III-Scene.ii in many ways repeats the previous scene when Antony graphically describes Caesar’s assassination, which incites the people to burn the conspirators’ property, and butcher Cinna the poet in the following scene.

Towards the end of the play we hear that Portia committed suicide by swallowing hot coals, another reference to fire.

No Shakespeare play would be complete without a ghost, and Caesar’s visits Brutus on two occasions. These visitations were favorites with Elizabethan audiences.

New Bookwolf’s Julius Caesar · 2011. 11. 23. · Bookwolf’s Julius Ceasar by William...

Documents

Transcript of New Bookwolf’s Julius Caesar · 2011. 11. 23. · Bookwolf’s Julius Ceasar by William...