Transcript Julius Caesar Act 1 Review

Julius Caesar Act 1 Review
Why are the commoners are
celebrating in the first scene?
(Two reasons)
Why are the commoners are celebrating in
the first scene?
• The Feast of Lupercal
--What is the Feast of Lupercal?
• Caesar’s triumph over Pompey’s
sons: war victory
–Who was Pompey? Why did
Caesar fight his sons?
Why is Marullus upset with the
commoners?
Why is Marullus upset with the
commoners?
•
They will use any excuse for a holiday
•
They are fickle- they used to love
Pompey:
“You blocks, you stones, you worse than
senseless things! O you hard hearts,
you cruel men Rome, Knew you not
Pompey?
Summary Act 1, Scene i
• On February 15, the Feast of Lupercal, the
people take a holiday to celebrate
Caesar's victory over Pompey in a civil
war.
• Marullus and Flavius, two government
officials who supported Pompey, attempt
to discourage celebrating workers.
What is the setting of Act 1, Scene 2?
What is the setting of scene II?
• A public place in Rome
What warning does the
soothsayer give Caesar, and
what is Caesar’s response?
What warning does the soothsayer give Caesar,
and what is Caesar’s response?
• “Beware the ides of March” (March 15)
• Dismisses him as a “dreamer”
Implications of Scene 1
• What does this suggest about the Roman
mob?
• What are the two social classes
represented in Act 1, Scene 1?
• What is the consequence of removing
garlands from Caesar’s statues for Flavius
and Marullus?
Explain
what
Cassius
wants to
convince
Brutus of
in Scene
II.
Explain what Cassius wants to
convince Brutus of in Scene II
• That Caesar is dangerous and needs to be
stopped before it is too late
• That Brutus should decide to join the
conspiracy
• That they are just as capable leaders as
Caesar
Why does
Caesar think
Cassius is
dangerous?
What qualities
about Cassius
disturb Caesar?
Why does Caesar think Cassius is dangerous?
What qualities about Cassius disturb Caesar?
• Cassius has a “lean and hungry look” and he
“thinks too much” (1.2.94)
• Cassius envies Caesar:
“O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts;
And that which would appear offense in us
His countenance, like richest alchemy,
Will change to virtue and to worthiness.”
• Men like Cassius are never at ease when they
see someone with more power.
“Men at some time are masters of their fates.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
(1.2.208-210)
What
happens
when
Caesar is
offered
the crown
in Scene
II?
What happens when Caesar is
offered the crown in Scene II?
• He denies the crown three times
• The crowd cheers his refusal of the crown
• He falls into a brief epileptic seizure
Caesar is
probably the
most powerful
man in the world
at the time of the
play, yet he
suffers from
personal
weakness?
Name 4
weaknesses.
Caesar is probably the most powerful man in
the world at the time of the play, yet he suffers
from personal weakness? Can you name what
these are?
•
•
•
•
Deaf in the left ear
Superstitious (but doesn’t admit it)
Suffers from epilepsy
Had to have help while swimming the
Tiber, according to Cassius
At the end of Scene II, how does
Cassius say he will pursue his plan
to involve Brutus in the conspiracy
against Caesar?
At the end of Scene II, how does
Cassius say he will pursue his plan
to involve Brutus in the conspiracy
against Caesar?
• He has already tried to flatter him– it
worked a little
• He will write letters and deliver them to
Brutus.
• He will visit Brutus again
People in Shakespeare’s day
beleived that nature mirrored the
disorders in human lives. How
does he demonstrate this in the
play as the conspirators gather to
discuss their plans?
Shakespeare beloved that nature
mirrored the disorders in human
lives. How does he demonstrate
this in the play as the conspirators
gather to discuss their plans?
• There is a terrible storm- this is when the
conspirators meet to discuss their plans
• Fire drops from the skies, bodies
spontaneously combust, lions roam the
capitol, ghosts walk and the night owl
shrieks in the daylight.
At the beginning of
Scene II, Brutus
pronounces his
love for Caesar, but
by the end of Scene
II, it appears that
Brutus may join the
conspiracy to kill
Caesar.
What steps has
Cassius taken (as
the “moving force”)
by the end of Act I
to achieve his goals?
Gaius Cassius Longinus
Cassius has…
• Begun recruiting Brutus
• Has already recruited Casca
• Forged the letters to Brutus
• Called a meeting of the conspirators
Cassius
Cassius, who fears
Caesar's ever
growing power,
begins to recruit
Brutus, a close
friend of Caesar's,
towards his
conspiracy by
implying that
Caesar is becoming
too powerful. What
are his personality
traits?
Brutus
• Brutus is
suspicious of
Cassius' motives
but tells Cassius
that he will think it
over.
• Describe Brutus:
Casca
• Cassius' conspiracy gains momentum
when he recruits a suspicious Casca to
their cause against Caesar by pointing out
that several recent strange occurrences
are omens warning them against Caesar.
• Casca reveals information to Brutus that
suggests Caesar may be getting more
ambitious.
Cinna
• To ensure Brutus joins his conspiracy,
Cassius has Cinna place some forged
letters where Brutus will find them
convincing Brutus to join their cause.
• Cinna reveals that Brutus' good name will
be an asset to their conspiracy.
The Plebeians
• The commoners are easily swayed and
shift loyalties according to the moment.
• They love festivals and celebrations and
therefore are susceptible to colorful,
theatrical and “showy” leaders.
What is the conflict in this act?
• Citizens and Senators vs. the conspirators
(external conflict)
• Brutus’ indecision about joining the
conspirators (internal conflict)