Nguyen, Robert Nguyen, Vivian Nguyen, Jessica Gonzalez, Matthew Fukumoto, Julie Nguyen, Lesley Martinez, Sandy Nguyen, Tina Vu, Thai Nguyen, Danh Nguyen, David Phan Key Quotes "The Ides of March are come/ Ay, Caesar, but not gone." (3.1.1-2) The prophecy to "beware the Ides of March" told by the seer has not come true, according to Caesar. However, the prophecy can still be made, the Soothsayer tells him. "Et tu, Brute?" (3.1.77) These last words Caesar says before his death show his disappointment in Brutus in the sense that his own friend had betrayed him. "Why com'st thou?/To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi" (4.3.279-80) Caesar's ghost tells Brutus that he will see him at Philippi. This serves as a warning similar to how Caesar recieved a warning when he went to the Senate. Key Quotes (continued) "O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit/ That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar." (3.1.6-7) At this moment, Caesar assumes he is a good emperor by trying to put his people before him and therefore ignoring the warning. "And we must take the current when it serves,/ Or lose our ventures." (4.3.220-221) Brutus uses these words to convince Cassius to begin the battle against Octavius and Antony, telling him to "go with the flow" before the opportunity is lost. Symbolism The number 3 - In ancient times, the number three was sometimes associated with Pluto (Greek Hades), the god of death. Shakespeare uses the number three as a foreshadowing tool and uses it to symbolize a bad happening in the story. Omens/Prophecies - There were numerous omens and prophecies revealed that represented the impending misfortune of Caesar's demise. Weather - Like in Macbeth, the weather symbolizes and foreshadows an upcoming event. If the weather is filled with thunder and lightning, something bad is going to happen. Birds - Birds play a large role in symbolizing an event. Different types of birds represented different things, dark birds usually symbolized dark things while "magestic" birds symbolized honor or goodness. Animal Imagery Shakespeare uses animals to describe characters in scenes so that the reader can imagine the scene in a more detailed way. "A lioness hath whelped in the streets /.../ Horses did neigh and dying men did groan" (2.2.17-23) "Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, / They could not find a heart within the beast" (2.2.39-40). "Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave hart,/ Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand /.../ How like a deer, stroken by many princes, / Dost thou here lie!" (3.1.204-210). Clothing Imagery The clothing in the play is used to show position and power.
"You all do know this mantle; I remember/ The first time ever Caesar put it on/ Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,/ That day he overcame the Nervii..." (3.2.171- 179) "Even at the base of Pompey's statue...." (3.2.189-195)
Weather Imagery Weather plays a major role in Shakespeare's plays. Shakespeare uses weather to set the mood, as well as foreshadow the events of the scene. Act 1 Scene 3: Stormy weather, violent, not the weather people would expect to be out in. However it is a great cover for things needed to be kept secret. Act 3 Scene 1: Day time, clear skies. This scene shows the other role that weather plays. Rather than foreshadowing by the weather, it shows that in the clear day, the truth is revealed. - Marcus Brutus: motivated to kill Julius Caesar for the greater good of Rome - Julius Caesar: motivated by power and the idea of absolute power for himself
- Cassius and other conspirators: motivated to kill Caesar due to personal hatred and jealousy against him - Antony: motivated by both personal ambition and loyalty to Caesar - Octavius: motivated to get back revenge for Caesar's death - Character Motivation Themes Power: the conspirators killed Caesar because they know that he is heading for absolute power, and they think he is a threat to the Roman republic Friendship: men in the play must choose between loyalty to his friends or rather be loyal to the country Pride: his ambition is a blinding force in which he cannot see that he is being a tyrant, and it also prevents him from being cautious of the conspirators who were planning to get rid of him Idealism: Brutus wishes for perfection in life, and fearing that Caesar might be too powerful one day, he joins the conspirators. Social Aspects One of the later plays written by Shakespeare during Queen Elizabeth's reign. Reflects anxiety of England over succession of leadership. English Renaissance and Elizabethan theatre. Patriarchal society; women's rights determined by rank in social hierarchy Political Aspects During the England Renaissance, many political issues were involved which may have influenced Shakespeare's work because he was highly obsessed with Roman politics. After death of Queen Elizabeth, subjects were stressed out as of what would happen upon the monarch's throne. During the Roman world in Caesar's time, the generals had enormous individual power and placed cruel taxes on the conquered people. Political Aspects (continued) Shakespeare has written Julius Caesar in ways to raise political concerns that Romans encountered. Roman Generals often turned on one another, because they were strong men battling for higher power. Therefore, this lead the generals Caesar and Pompey to clash in the civil war. Although there were many earlier Elizabethan plays on the subject of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare's intense study on Roman political life helped him write and recount the issue of Brutus and the other conspirators in his play. Religious Aspects Julius Caesar believed that Rome was destined to rule the world. Also the purpose to bring civilization to the world. At that time, England was predominantly Christian. Romans in general believe in Roman Gods that concerned their everyday life. (Ex. Apollo, Venus, Ceres) Examples: "Why, man he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus" (Cassius, Act 1, Scene 2) This is an allusion to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. "I, as Aeneas our great ancestor, did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder the old Anchises bear.." (Cassius, Act 1, scene 2) Aeneas was the son of Anchises and Aphrodite. He is associated with the founding of Rome, and his story is told in Virgil's Aeneid. Prose Commoners Logic Examples: "Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I / meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's / matters..." - Cobbler (1.1.21-24) "I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown--yet 'twas not a crown..." -Casca (1.2.233- 235) "Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that..." -Brutus (3.2.12-15) Poetry Nobility Emotions Examples: "Either there is a civil strife in heaven, / Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, / Incenses them to send destruction" - Casca (1.3.11-13) "O Pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, / That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!" - Mark Antony (3.1.254-256) "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; / I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him..." - Mark Antony (3.2.75-76) Critical Analysis What one critic says about Julius Ceasar is, "The titular hero perishes before half of the play is done; and his place is taken first by Antony and then by Brutus." Shakespeare's use of characters dying early in the play, causes other characters to take his or her place. Ceasar is supported for his victory over Pompey. While Brutus was accepted by the Romans with good reasoning to the Romans. Antony was able to coax the countrymen into siding with him using their emotions. How Do We Relate?
Shakespeare Tragic amount of unchecked greed and ambition: Cassius's desire for power only led to his destruction. Pride: ...tell thee what is to be feared / Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar (1.2.212- 213) Power of Speech: Mark Anthony's funeral oration in Act 3 turns people against conspirators Today Gambling is a form how greed leads us to want to continue playing and even end up losing everything Pride leads us to make bad choices. False rumors cause severe damage through the conflicts it rises in someone's life. Shakespeare in Media 1937 : Julius Caesar (Orson Welles) 1950 : Julius Caesar (David Bradley) 1953 : Julius Caesar (Joseph L. Mankiewicz) 1964 : Carry On Cleo (Gerald Thomas) 1994 : The Animated Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (Yuri Kulakov) 2004 : Mean Girls 2005 : Denzel Washington played a role in the Broadway production of Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Videos http://www.cambio. com/2011/10/03/julius-caesar/? sem=1&ncid=searchnew00000020 &s_kwcid=TC http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fZdoeXSLkwc Works Cited "Carry On Cleo: Plot." Wikipedia. 6 Oct 2011. Online. 6 Dec 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carry_On_Cleo.> Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnams Sons, 190721; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000 <www.bartleby.com/cambridge/.> 6 Dec 2011.
Long, Bill. "Animals and Julius Caesar." Dr. Bill Long. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.drbilllong.com/ShakeJC/Animals.html>.