Julius Caesar: the “foremost man of all the world.” pp.115

1.Getting acquainted with Shakespeare2. A look at Shakespeare’s London3. The Elizabethan Theater - The Global Theater 4. Biography of Julius Caesar and brief historical overview5. Analysis of Acts6. Questions and quote sheets corresponding with respective acts.7. Essay Questions8. Review Sheet

Overview

Part 1: Introductory Material

The Text, p.4

Read page 4 and discuss why you think many editors chose to rearrange Shakespeare’s words:

the modernization of spelling and grammar

the creation of consistent iambic pentameter

Note: your text has not chosen this convention

Who is William Shakespeare?

Check out with phones

Queen Elizabeth I

Julius Caesar Similar to Elizabethan England

Her reign was drawing to a close and she did not have any successors to throne.

People were concerned about peaceful transition of power because there were threats of rebellion.

This political concern becomes a major concern of the play- the struggle for power and what it does to those who engage in it. This theme is shared in the respective histories of Rome and England and therefore would appeal to Elizabethan audiences.

The Global Theater

Interactive Global Theater

Let’ s take a tour

Looking inside…

The Elizabethan Theater

Inn yards: common folks

Balconies: gentry

Social classes

Divided stage :planks-improvised

Flag

Looking around…

Introducing:Julius Caesar: the “foremost man of all the world.” pp.115

“Beware the Ides of March”

The death of Caesar was considered one the vilest crime in all of history.

The stab wound #23 was the fatal wound!

According to Noah Charney on Art Crime and Art Historical Mysteries in his book The Secret History of Art

Caesar could have survived all other wounds!

And Caesar was stabbed coming out of the senate and not as guidebooks state coming from the Theater of Marcellus

Shakespearean Trivia

Refer to p.147 of your text

Caesar and Lincoln

Introduction to Julius Caesar

Best known of Shakespeare’s tragedies

Taken directly from Roman history

Only play that deals with a historical personage of “the highest magnitude.” p.5

Caesar has been a historical figure that has intrigued both Elizabethan and modern audience

Why is this so?

A Problem Play :

Who is the central character?

Julius Caesar?

Brutus?

The city of Rome?

Refer to page 5

Is Caesar a Hero or tyrant?

Elizabethans perspective

American perspective

Modern perspective

Refer to pages 5 &6

I say Caesar you say?

Tyrant Hero

Julian Calendar & Gregorian Calendar

Julian Calendar

Julius – month of July

Who still uses Julian calendar?

The Berber people of North Africa on Mt. Athos

The Orthodox Church uses it to calculate movable religious feasts

Julius Caesar revealed…

Accomplishments:

Aqueducts-this one is in Rome

Greatest Roman General and statesman of his time

Student of Greek and Latin

Military genius

Impoverished aristocrat - Triumvirate

Attacked bribery in existing political system and made taxation fair for the common people

Conquered peoples always treated justly

Law - legal system developed based on the idea must be for the good of the people who are governed

People loved him and were ready to make him king - problem Rome had a republican form of government!

Quite a resume!

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-roman-achievements.html

Cornelia, the first wife of Caesar

The daughter of Sulla a Roman general and conservative statesmen

The mother of Julia

http://www.google.ca/search?hl52Fen.wikipedia.org

The wives of Caesar

Calpurnia , The wife of Caesar in this play

Pompeia, Caesar’s second wife

The other woman

Caesar’s daughter Julia: the 4th

wife of Pompey- known for her beauty and virtue-once engaged to Brutus!

BETRAYAL

THEMATIC STATEMENT

EXAMPLES

Historical Background to Julius Caesar

Before Act 1

By Isaac Asimov

Read pp.115-119

Pompey: Historical Overview

-Brilliant general and in 70 B.C. elected to Consul

- Cicero and Caesar supported Pompey and helped him obtain supreme command of Roman armies in the East

- when Pompey returned from the East in 62 B.C. Caesar suggested that Pompey, Crassus and himself form a political alliance known as the First Triumvirate

http://www.mikeanderson.biz/2013_05_01_archive.html

The Triumvirate

Rome- 250 years kings and monarchy -Tarquin the Proud overthrown as an oppressive king/ revolt led by Brutus

( ancestor of Brutus in play) and replace monarchy with Republican form of government

Rome - Republican State-Ruled by the People

Plebeian - elect Tribunal- Patricians

Plebeian:cobbler / carpenter Tribunes:Marullus / Flavius Patricians:Roman Nobility

First Triumvirate- the three-Pomphey, Crassus & Ceasar

Death of Pompey

Julia his wife and Caesar’s daughter caused the bond between Pompey and Caesar to die.

In 55 B.C., Crassus was killed in a campaign and Pompey and Caesar seriously vied for power. Caesar in charge of the army, joined by Mark Antony, marched on Rome and defeated Pompey. This was the first time Pompey was defeated on the battlefield and he fled to Egypt where he was killed by someone who wished to win Caesar’s favor ( supposedly). Caesar went on to defeat Pompey’s sons.

Caesar : Ambitious man

44 B.C. Made dictator for life / absolute rule

Mark Antony offered him the crown -complication

March 15/ Ides of March he was killed by conspirators threatened by the idea of kingship taking over their Republican form of government-feared dictatorship.

Military Genius

Shakespeare’s time-plays divided into 5 Acts

A modern play characteristically had three acts. The Elizabethan audience, due to lack of seats, moved about freely. They did not want breaks or intervals because they were there to be entertained.

Act 1: Exposition: informs the audience , supplies background information.

Act 2: Complication: characters begin to embroil themselves in various problems and conflicts.

Act 3: Climax : highest point of action

Act 4: Resolution: situation has to be sorted out -resolved

Act 5: Denouement: all complications of the plot are unraveled, the untying of knots. If the play is a tragedy, the word catastrophe (meaning disaster) is used.

Time Compression of play by Shakespeare

Time of Play’s Action:

Day 1: Act 1. sc.1&2 ---- Feb.15, 44 B.C.

Day 2: Act 1. sc.3 ---- Mar.14, 44 B.C. Events of play 3 years; Shakespeare

Day 3: Act 2. sc.3 ---- Mar.15, 44 B.C. Reduces time to 6 days!

Day 4: Act 4. sc.4 ---- Nov.43 B.C.

Day 5: Act.4 sc. 2&3

Day 6: Act.5 ---- Oct.42 B.C.

Julius CaesarAct III, scene I, lines 65-67

“But I am constant as the Northern Star,

Of whose true-fixed and resting quality,

There is no fellow in the firmament.”

What does this reveal about this man?

How Caesar saw himself

As Constant as the North Star

HOW DOES CAESAR SEE HIMSELF?

2. God-like?“WE”

1. DOES NOT

FEAR DEATH

3.

6.

Dramatic Technique

1. Spectacular - Supernatural

2. Dramatic Irony

3. Nemesis: - just punishment {Cassius and Brutus}

4. Suspense: conspiracy & battle

5. Fate: the intervention of some force, over which we have no control; a force which determines human destiny .

Battle -> Cassius eyesight led him to send Pindarius to report the success of Titinius and resulted in his death.

Caesar -> interpretation of Calpurnia’s dream

6. The Oracular : Prophetic utterances which determine human procedure. Ex: Soothsayer & Caesar’s spirit.

7. Tragic Hero

Terms: reminder terms sheet

Oxymoron

a figure of speech which juxtaposes elements that appear to be contradictory. Oxymora appear to be seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.” .

Metonymy

Metonymies are frequently used in literature and in everyday speech. A metonymy is a word or phrase that is used to stand in for another word. Sometimes a metonymy is chosen because it is a well-known characteristic of the word.

One famous example of metonymy is the saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword," which originally came from Edward Bulwer Lytton's play Richelieu. This sentence has two examples of metonymy:

•The "pen" stands in for "the written word."

•The "sword" stands in for "military aggression and force."

Themes-thematic statements needed

Struggle for power and what this struggle does to men who engage in it

Et tu, Brutus? Then fall Caesar ( Caesar, p.59).

“Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more” ( Brutus , p.66) Had you rather Caesar were living and you die all slaves” ( Brutus, p.67)

Caesar,now be still: I killed thee with half so good a will.” ( Brutus,p. 108)

The noble ideals of man-Brutus, the tragedy of honesty and idealism in a world of human vanity and self- interest

“ This was the noblest Roman of them all” (Antony at Brutus death, p, 109)

Ambition, greed, pride, corruption etc. “ The lowliness of young ambition’s ladder…once attains…unto the ladder [he]turns his back” (Brutus, p.36).

The death of liberty; “Stoop Romans, stoop And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood…waving red weapons over our heads…cry, Peace , freedom, liberty” ( Brutus p. 60)

Themes-thematic statements needed

Honor, friendship, loyalty to the state, patriotism

“Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead !” ( Cinna, p.59)

Manipulation and persuasion to acquire power - the end justifies the means

Appearance versus reality: “Let not our faces put on our purposes” ( Brutus p. 41).

“And half their faces buried in their cloaks” ( Lucius p.37)

“Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers” (Brutus,p.40

Themes-thematic statements needed

Can we use…

Absolute power corrupt absolutely?

The end justifies the means?

Wisdom is gained through suffering?

Evil lies within?

How can we fine tune these?

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; but the valiant never taste death but once” (Caesar, p.46)

Corruption of Power

In the attainment of power we often corrupt ourselves

One thing corruption of power reveals is the truth

Ambition

Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.

Napoleon Bonaparte Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonbo150168.html#eCFy8lQM6hsjr6eJ.99 Macbeth:I have no spurTo prick the sides of my intent, but onlyVaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself,And falls on th'other. . . .

Macbeth Act 1, scene 7. 25–28

Appearance versus Reality

There is no vice so simple but assumesSome mark of virtue on his outward parts.” ― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

There is evil so simple as one that pretends to be good outwardly

There is flattery in friendship- William Shakespeare

“Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous” Caesar, p.21)

Supernatural

foreshadows/creates atmosphere/affects characters’ behaviors

soothsayer, storm (owl, omens, blood, fire, eagle, lions), strange behaviors of men and beasts, omens of evil, dreams of Calpurnia, Caesar’s ghost/spirit

Shakespeare’s use of night and storms

Reveals Conflict

Setting, Mood and Atmosphere

Setting, Mood and Atmosphere

Best scene?

Make the connections; Symbolism - Supernatural – Foreshadowing and External Conflict

Example#1: pp.26-27 Example of

of pathetic fallacy: a false belief that nature reflects what is going on in the lives of people. Casa supported this view point (p.33) Do we do this today? Springtime?

Act 1 sc.3 Thunder and lightning Casca meets with Cicero and notes: “tempest dropping fire”

“ocean swell, and rage”, “civil stife in heave”

a slave’s “ left hand did flame and burn like twenty torches’

“against the Capitol I met a lion”

“hundred ghastly women”

The “bird of night” at “noon-day” was “hooting and shrieking”

Calpurnia’s Dream: “When beggar’s die , there are no comets seen” ( Calpurnia, p.46)

Calpurnia pp. 45-46Lioness whelped in the street

Graves yawned, and

yielded up their dead

Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds

Caesar’s statue:Like a fountain with an hundred spouts Did run pure blood , and many lusty Romansdid bathe their hands in it

Interpretation Flash back to Casca And

Cicero

Warning

Decius: Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck Reviving blood, p.48

The Senate have concluded To give the crown to mighty Caesar p. 48 if you do not come their mind may change!

Death of Cinna, the poet Act 3 scene 3,p.74

Dreamt he did feast with Caesar

Plebeians - mob – kill him for his name and bad poetry

“ Tear him for his bad verses”

Civil strife has begun – ‘the dogs of war have been let slip’ there is ‘mutiny and rage’

Portia: Brutus’ Wife

Portia: Brutus’ wife. Find lines which illustrate Portia’s strength: Wounds herself? p.43 read

counterpart of Brutus and a worthy mate for Brutus

shares Brutus’ innermost thoughts

embraces Stoic philosophy of her husband

anxious about Brutus

intelligence and insightful

understands rights as wife in partnership of marriage

can be trusted

honorable lineage shows strength

woman of dignity who demands respect

loves Brutus

HOW DOES SHE KILL HERESELF?

Calpurnia: Caesar’s Wife

Calpurnia: wife of Caesar

not one to believe in superstitions

fearful

willing to lie

astute

*identity as wife of Caesar

*barren

*loves Caesar

Brutus and Antony

Brutus Antony

Honorable Dishonorable

Beloved by friends, held in high regard Gamesome, without friends except Caesar

No interest in sports Strong athlete

Intelligent, kind, considerateAppeals to emotions versus intellect

Cruel

Straight forward & honest Cunning, deceitful, politically shrewd

Domineering with Cassius Submissive towards Octavius

Independent in action Dependent upon Caesar

Pure living Playboy mentality

 

 

 

 

Brutus and Cassius

Brutus Cassius

Stoic Philosophy Epicurean Philosophy

Man of action

Overbearing in his values & beliefs Submissive

Acts on honorable principle Acts on impulse

Weak organizer, Strong organizer

Politically naïve Politically shrewd

Weak leader Strong leader

Honor in crime Dishonorable in crime - letters & bribes

Kills Caesar for patriotism Kills Caesar personal

jealousy, envy & hatred

Slow in anger and forgiveness Hasty temper but quick recovery

 

 

Tragedy

Brainstorm characteristics of tragedy.

 

Brutus as Tragic Hero

A tragic hero is a man of noble stature and birth who through his own flaw in character precipitates an event which causes his ultimate downfall. If the fall of the hero is to arouse emotions of pity and fear on the part of the audience, the fall must be from a great height.

  What evidence is there that Brutus was of noble birth and stature?

What is Brutus’s tragic character flaw /his error in judgment? What event is precipitated? The tragic hero is pre-eminently great but not perfect; his fall

from greatness leads to self knowledge. Therefore, his tragic flaw {idealism of Brutus} is not a pure loss due to his discovery of his understanding from his defeat.

     

Brutus as Tragic Hero

How is Brutus not perfect?

List the mistakes he made:

His internal conflict is part of his self - knowledge. What is this conflict and what does he discover about himself?

The punishment exceeds the crime of the tragic hero leaving the audience feeling pity for the protagonist.

List how Brutus is punished :

Note: How does the audience respond to Brutus?

Discuss: What about Julius Caesar as a tragic hero?

Imagery

Blood

Fire

Darkness

Light

Birds

Irony : dramatic

Verbal,

Situational

Dramatic irony

Examples of Irony: Brainstorm

1. 2.

3. 4.

5.

Foreshadowing

Soothsayer

Cassius comments about Antony,

Caesar’s comments about Cassius

Dream of Calpurnia

Supernatural omens [turmoil reflected]

IMPORTANT

Funeral Speeches of Brutus and Antony

Argumentative /Persuasion Techniques in speeches

Brutus as a Shakespearean Tragic Hero (flaw, pathos, catharsis)

Conflict: External/Interpersonal and Internal

Themes: The struggle of Good and Evil/The Dual Nature of Humankind

Characters

Soliloquys

Setting Mood And Atmosphere

Go over Question and Quote Sheet