Julius Caesar

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Julius Caesar

By William Shakespeare

Name _____________________________

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Teacher_______________ Class period _

Julius Caesar Objectives:

After reading the play, you should be able to do the following:

1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of the characters, theme, and plot (RL1).

2. Clearly state the themes of the novel, and identify how the themes are developed over the course of the text through characters and events (RL2).

3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting

motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme (RL3).

4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text (RL.4) 5. Identify the impact of time period and setting on the plot and characters in the story

(RL 5).

6. Identify events in the play that create the plot, and explain how characters advance the plot (RL Standard 3).

***The exam will assess the above objectives***

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Chronology of William Shakespeare

1564- Born in Stratford-on-the-Avon on April 23; 3^rd child and 1^st son of John Shakespeare, an alderman and bailiff (mayor)

1574- Attended grammar school – a privilege

1576- The Theatre, 1^st permanent playhouse in England, built 1582- Married Anne Hathaway

1583- 1^st child, Susanna, born

1585- Son, Hamnet, and daughter, Judith, born (twins)

1587(?)- Shakespeare moves to London from Stratford. He began writing for the stage at this time

1590-92- Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, & 3, and Richard III, Shakespeare’s first plays, are performed 1594- Shakespeare forms Lord Chamberlain’s Men, his acting company

1594-95- Romeo and Juliet first performed

1599- Globe Theatre constructed; became home for Lord Chamberlain’s Men; Julius Caesar first performed

1603- Queen Elizabeth I dies, James I becomes King of England; Lord Chamberlain’s Men is renamed King’s Men in honor of King James I

1608- Shakespeare’s company leases Blackfriar’s Theatre (private) 1611- King James Bible published

1613- Globe Theatre burns down 1616- Shakespeare dies on April 23

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1623- First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays published posthumously by Heminges and Condell, two of his actors. This was very rare; it was only the second time this had ever been done

1750- First performance of a Shakespearean play in America

Notes on Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar, the play

Production of Julius Caesar

1. First produced ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Bridge between ________________________________________ and _____________________________________________.

3. The play marked a turning point in Shakespeare’s career as he turned from

_____________________________________________ toward his ___________________________________________________.

4. Shakespeare compresses the events of ____________________________ into _______________________________.

5. Shakespeare is more concerned with _____________________________ than _______________________________.

6. Portia is the first of a number of Shakespearean heroines who ______________________________________.

Major source of Julius Caesar

1. _______________________________________ 1579 translation of ________________________________________, which illustrated the moral character of _______________________________________________________________________.

2. North’s translation was the source on (a) ______________________________________________________ and (b) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Gaius Julius Caesar, The Man (c. 100-44 B.C.) Roles of Julius Caesar

1. _______________________________ - Formed First Roman triumvirate with _________________________________

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and ________________________________________________________________________, an alliance that ruled Rome.

2. ______________________________________. Many military conquests.

 Drove ________________ out of Gaul (_______________), invaded Britain ______________________, and crossed _______________________________into ______________________________________________.

 Made _______________________________________________________________________ ruler of Egypt.

 Author of quote________________________, ______________________________, ______________________

(______________________________________________________________________________________________).

3. __________________________________________________________

 Second only to__________________________________________________________among all Romans.

4. __________________________________________________________

 _____________________________________________________________, a record of his conquests in Gaul, is a _____________________________________________________________________________________.

Historical Data on Julius Caesar

1. _______________________________ became jealous of _____________________________, started a civil war, then ______________________________. Eventually Pompey _____________________________________ in _______________.

2. In __________ Julius Caesar fought __________________________________________________________. He defeated _______________________________________________ then ____________________(forgave) all followers of Pompey.

3. People made him _____________________________________________. Mark Antony offered him

_________________________ but Caesar________________ because _______________________________________________.

4. Conservatives suspected _________________________________________________________________________________.

Plot to kill Caesar was led by _________________________________ and _______________________________________, two followers of Pompey that Caesar _____________________________________________________________________.

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Reforms of Julius Caesar

1. Stopped ________________________________________ in Roman and provincial government and replaced ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. Granted _________________________________________________________________. Some Romans resented giving citizenship to ________________________________________________________________________________________________.

3. Distributed _____________________________________________________________________________ to those in need.

4. Improved __________________________________________________________________________________________________.

5. Established a plan for ____________________________________________________________________________________.

6. Appointed opponents to _________________________________________________________________________________.

7. Planned ________________________________________________ , _________________________________________________, and ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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Julius Caesar – Preview Textbook Pgs. 728 – 747 Examine What You Know

1. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare tells a story about ______________________________________.

2. This drama also deals with many other / universal themes. Please list a few of these:

Expand you Knowledge

3. Julius Caesar was a Roman _____________________________ and ___________________________.

4. Julius Caesar was born in the year ___________________, and he died in ________________.

5. What order did the Roman Senate give to Caesar in 50 B.C.? How did Caesar respond to this order?

6. Caesar fought a series of civil wars against his former friend named ___________________________________________________.

7. What opinion did the common citizens of Rome have about Caesar? What title did they give him?

8. What did the Roman leaders think about him?

Enrich Your Reading

9. Shakespeare wrote plays in ________________________________________, which is a form of poetry with lines that do not rhyme.

10. The lines in this form of poetry are written in a pattern called

_____________________________, in which each line contains ____________________ syllables.

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11. Keep in mind also that Shakespeare’s language belongs to the ____________________ Age. A play by Shakespeare will include words that are no longer used in English; it will also include words whose meanings have changed.

12. As you read, what should you refer to? What will these help you to understand?

Let’s Look at the Text

14. Read the top of page 733, Act I, Scene I. At the beginning of the play, Caesar is returning to Rome after many years. Where has he been? What has he been doing?

15. Page 733: On what date does the play begin?

16. Page 733: Marullus and Flavius are government workers (tribunes) who supported ____________________________________________________________________________.

17. Read the top of page 736, Act I, Scene II. Cassius is a roman senator who wants

Caesar dead, and he wants Brutus to help him. How will Cassius try and turn Brutus against Caesar?

18. On page 747, Casca talks about the many bizarre events in Rome on the night of March 14. He sees violent weather, weird sights, and strange animal behavior. List a total of four things he sees on this night.

1.

2.

3.

4.

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POLITICS, PATRIOTISM, AND PROTEST OPINION POLL

In the space provided mark whether you agree or disagree with each statement, then write a brief explanation of why.

Agree or Disagree (A or D)

________ 1. It is never right to kill another person.

________________________________________________________________________

_________ 2. Political leaders usually act in the best interest of their countries.

________________________________________________________________________

_________ 3. If a political leader has done something wrong, it is all right to get rid of him or her by whatever means necessary.

________________________________________________________________________

_________ 4. "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________

_________ 5. In certain situations it may be justified for a political leader to bend or break the law for the good of the country.

________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________

_________ 6. People should never compromise their ideals or beliefs.

________________________________________________________________________

_________ 7. "My country right or wrong" is not just a slogan; it is every citizen's patriotic duty.

________________________________________________________________________

_________ 8. No cause, political or otherwise, is worth dying for.

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________________________________________________________________________

_________ 9. "Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant taste of death but once."

________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________10. "The evil that men do lives after them; the good is [often buried] with their bones."

________________________________________________________________________

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VOCABULARY Act I

1. idle

Definition - ___________________________________________________________________________________________