Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
Literature Guide Developed by Kristen Bowers
for Secondary Solutions
®ISBN 13: 978-0-9772295-6-7 ISBN 10: 0-9772295-72
© 2006 Secondary Solutions. All rights reserved.
A classroom teacher who has purchased this guide may photocopy the materials in this publication for his/her classroom use only. Use or reproduction by a part of or an entire school or school system, by for-profit tutoring centers and like institutions, or for commercial sale, is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, translated or stored without the express written permission of the publisher. Created and printed in the United States of America.
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Julius Caesar
Complete Literature Guide
About This Literature Guide ... 4
How to Use Our Literature Guides ... 5
Exploring Expository Writing ... 6
Author Biography: William Shakespeare... 6
Standards Focus: Exploring Expository Writing ... 7
Standards Focus: Historical Context...8
The Real Julius Caesar... 8
Anticipation/Reaction Guide ... 9
Anticipation/Reaction Guide Response ... 10
Pre-Reading Individual Reflection... 10
Standards Focus: Elements of Drama ...11
Literary Terms to Know... 11
Standards Focus: Approaching Shakespeare’s Language ... 12
Shakespeare’s Style... 13
The Sonnet Form and Iambic Pentameter...13
Vocabulary List ...15
Words and Phrases to Know ... 16
Allusions throughout the Play...17
Act One ... 18
Scene Guide ... 18
Comprehension Check...19
Standards Focus: Setting, Tone, and Mood ... 20
Assessment Preparation: Word Parts ... 22
Act Two ... 24
Scene Guide ... 24
Comprehension Check... 25
Standards Focus: Character Map ... 26
Standards Focus: Characterization and Character Motivation ... 27
Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary in Context... 29
Act Three ... 31
Scene Guide ...31
Comprehension Check... 32
Standards Focus: Rhetoric ... 33
Standards Focus: Analysis of Rhetoric... 35
Assessment Preparation: Word Roots ... 37
Act Four ... 39
Scene Guide ... 39
Comprehension Check... 40
Standards Focus: Figurative Language ...41
Standards Focus: Dialogue, Monologue, and Soliloquy ... 43
Assessment Preparation: Connotation/Denotation ... 45
Act Five ...48
Scene Guide ... 48
Comprehension Check... 49
Standards Focus: Tragedy and the Tragic Hero... 50
Standards Focus: Theme ... 52
Assessment Preparation: Analogies ... 54
Anticipation/Reaction Guide ... 56
Post-Reading Individual Reflection ... 56
Act One Quiz ... 57
Act Two Quiz ... 58
Act Three Quiz ... 59
Final Test ... 62
Final Test: Multiple Choice ... 65
Teacher Guide...68
Summary of the Play... 68
Vocabulary List with Definitions... 70
Pre-Reading Ideas and Activities ...71
Post-Reading Extension Activities and Alternative Assessment ...71
Essay/Writing Ideas ... 73
Project Rubric ... 74
Response to Literature Rubric... 75
About This Literature Guide
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Our Literature Guides are based upon the National Council of the Teachers of English and the International Readers Association’s national English/Language Arts Curriculum and Content Area Standards. The materials we offer allow you to teach the love and full enjoyment of literature, while still addressing the concepts upon which your students are assessed.
These Guides are designed to be used in their sequential entirety, or may be divided into separate parts. Not all activities must be used, but to achieve full comprehension and mastery of the skills involved, it is recommended that you utilize everything each Guide has to offer. Most importantly, you now have a variety of valuable materials to choose from, and you are not forced into extra work! There are several distinct categories within each Literature Guide:
• Comprehension Check: Exploring Expository Writing—Worksheets designed to address the exploration and analysis of functional and/or informational materials.
9 Author Biography
9 Biographies of non-fiction characters 9 Relevant news and magazine articles, etc.
• Comprehension Check—Similar to Exploring Expository Writing, but designed for comprehension of narrative text—study questions designed to guide students as they read the text.
• Standards Focus—Worksheets and activities that directly address the content standards and allow students extensive practice in literary skills and analysis. Standards Focus activities are found with every chapter or section. Some examples:
9 Figurative Language 9 Irony
9 Flashback
• Assessment Preparation—Vocabulary activities which emulate the types of vocabulary/ grammar proficiency on which students are tested in state and national assessments.
Assessment Preparation activities are found within every chapter or section. Some examples: 9 Context Clues
9 Connotation/Denotation 9 Word Roots
• Quizzes and Tests—Quizzes are included for each chapter or designated section; final tests as well as alternative assessment are available at the end of each Guide. These include:
9 Multiple Choice 9 Matching 9 Short Response
• Pre-Reading, Post-Reading Activities, Essay/Writing Ideas plus Sample
Rubrics—Each Guide also has its own unique pre-reading, post reading and essay/writing ideas
and alternative assessment activities.
Each Guide contains handouts and activities for varied levels of difficulty. We know that not all students are alike—nor are all teachers! We hope you can effectively utilize every aspect our Literature Guides have to offer—we want to make things easier on you! If you need additional assistance, please email us at [email protected]. For specific information on how our Guides are directly correlated to your state’s content standards, please write us an email including the name of your state to: [email protected]. Thank you for choosing Secondary Solutions®!
Exploring Expository Writing
Author Biography: William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is widely believed to have been the greatest playwright in history. His plays are continually produced and students around the world read his works in school. Shakespeare is known for his ability to depict the depth of human character and his skill in illustrating issues to which for hundreds of years, people around the world can relate. Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare, was a wealthy business owner and active citizen of Stratford-upon-Avon in England. He married Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, in 1557, and they had William on April 23, 1564.
During the sixteenth century, waves of the Black Plague ravaged England and William was lucky to have survived. Two of his sisters, Joan and Margaret, died from the affliction. William’s younger brother, Gilbert, fortunately escaped the deadly epidemic and had a long and successful career as a tradesman. Later, John and Mary Shakespeare had four more children: Joan (named after their firstborn), Anne (who died at age eight), Richard, and Edmund, who eventually followed in William’s footsteps as an actor.
Shakespeare began his education at the age of six or seven at the Stratford grammar school, known as the King’s New School of Stratford-upon-Avon. His lessons were primarily in Latin, but William also likely learned in English. Shakespeare was taken out of school at about the age of thirteen, due to his father’s financial problems at this time. It is believed that William continued his studies on his own, however, educating himself as much as possible. The events of William’s life between the age of thirteen and when he emerged in London as an actor, is generally unknown. However, it is recorded that in 1582, at the age of eighteen he married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years older than him and pregnant at the time.
Shakespeare’s first child, Susanna, was born in 1583. Two years later, twins Hamnet and Judith were born. In 1596, Hamnet died of unknown causes. The loss was said to have affected William deeply; his grief and loss is expressed in his writing.
Little is known about Shakespeare’s life during the years of 1585 to 1592, before he appeared as an actor in London. It is believed he spent this time perfecting his craft as an actor and playwright. By 1592, Shakespeare was already an established and respected actor in London. Productions of Henry IV and The Comedy of Errors were performed by Pembroke’s Men, a popular acting troupe who often performed for Queen Elizabeth. In 1594, Shakespeare joined another acting troupe, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and it was while he was with this group that Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, Richard II, King John, and others.
Although Shakespeare was never wealthy, he lived a comfortable life, buying a home in Stratford in 1597. He became part-owner of the most popular theater in London, the Globe Theater, in 1599, and the Blackfriars Theater in 1603. Shakespeare continued to act until 1613, when he returned to Stratford to retire. Shakespeare is believed to have died on April 23, 1616, exactly 52 years to the day of his birth.
Standards Focus: Exploring Expository Writing
Directions: Answer the following questions using complete sentences.
1. When and where was William Shakespeare born?
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 2. Write an original thesis statement which best summarizes the article.
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 3. Rewrite the following paragraph to improve cohesion and logic:
Shakespeare’s first child, Susanna, was born in 1583. Two years later, twins Hamnet and Judith were born. In 1596, Hamnet died of unknown causes. The loss was said to have affected William deeply; his grief and loss is expressed in his writing.
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 4. If you were given an assignment to find out more information about the life of William
Shakespeare, what 3 questions would you like to find answers for in your research?
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 5. What is significant about the date of Shakespeare’s death?
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 6. Does this article primarily contain facts or opinions? How do you know?
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the information in this article arranged: problem/solution, cause/effect,
compare/contrast, or chronological? How can you tell?
__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
Standards Focus: Historical Context
The Real Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar born July 12, 100BC, is one of the most well-known political leaders in history. Caesar was considered to be a military genius and brilliant politician, and his life and conquests continue to be widely revered and studied throughout the world.
It was believed that Caesar was a direct descendant of the Trojan prince Aeneas, who was the son of the goddess Venus. His father, whom he was named after, was a war hero and respected politician. Although a member of the aristocracy, Caesar and his family lived in one of the lower-class neighborhoods in Rome. Little is known about Caesar’s early years, other than having two sisters, both of whom were apparently named Julia. Caesar’s father died in 84BC, and Caesar found himself the patriarch of the family at age sixteen. A year later, Caesar married Cornelia, daughter of the famous orator Cinna.
As a young man, Caesar saw plenty of political and social unrest under the harsh dictatorship of Lucius
Cornelius Sulla. Shortly after Caesar married Cornelia, Civil War erupted and Cinna was killed, leaving Caesar without an inheritance. In fear for his own life, he fled to Asia and joined the army, serving under Marcus Thermus. He received numerous honors, including the Civic Crown which was the second highest Roman military award at the time.
In 78BC, Sulla died unexpectedly in his sleep, and Caesar returned to Rome. He began his political career, becoming a renowned orator and powerful politician. In 63BC, Caesar was elected to the position of Pontifex Maximus, which gave Caesar great political and religious influence. Three years later, Caesar was elected senior Counsul of the Roman Republic. Needing support both politically and financially, Caesar formed the First Triumvirate with Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) and Marcus Licinius Crassus, an extremely wealthy businessman.
Caesar then took the post of Proconsular Governor of Gaul and Illyria. Desperate for power, Caesar began the Gallic War, which lasted from 58BC to 49BC. His conquest was successful, and Caesar seized enormous parts of Europe for the Roman Empire. This war would become only one small element of Caesar’s takeover as he continued to annex parts of Europe for Rome.
Despite Caesar’s military and leadership success, he was disliked by many, who believed Caesar wanted to have solitary rule. It was at this time that Caesar’s daughter Julia died during childbirth, leaving both Caesar and Pompey (who had married Julia) devastated. Later, Pompey married one of Caesar’s enemies’ daughters, which would prove to drive a wedge into the already crumbling relationship of the triumvirate.
In 50BC, Pompey ordered Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome. After Caesar refused, Pompey accused Caesar of treason. In 49BC Caesar returned to Rome with a small faction of his army, igniting civil war. Caesar defeated Pompey in 48BC, although heavily outnumbered by Pompey. Caesar was then appointed sole ruler of Rome. In 47BC, Caesar battled in the Middle East, conquering King Pharneaces II of Pontus. He declared his famous words Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered) after his swift annihilation. His
victories in battle made Caesar’s popularity soar; he became an icon and a god to the Romans who immediately built statues and minted coins with his countenance.
Caesar’s growing power and popularity only inflated his ego and personal agenda. He did what he wanted, with no opposition. He erected buildings, enacted laws, pardoned criminals, appointed his friends and followers to important positions in government, and declared holidays in his honor. This disregard for the electoral system that had been in place in Rome incensed many Romans. Caesar became an enemy of the state with a growing number of powerful underground factions.
After Caesar was named dictator for life (Dictator Perpetuus), concern intensified for the future of Rome. Marcus Brutus, once Caesar’s close friend and confidant, began to conspire with his brother-in-law and friend Cassius and others. They called themselves the Liberators, and built a plan to assassinate Caesar.
On March 15 (the Ides of March), Caesar was lured to the forum to discuss a fake petition. Once there and distracted by the petition, Caesar was stabbed to death by his conspirators; by most accounts, he was stabbed twenty-three times, although Shakespeare increased that number to thirty-three wounds. It is reported that over 60 men either witnessed or participated in the assassination of one of the most powerful rulers of all time.
Anticipation/Reaction Guide
Directions: Before reading the play, write “yes” if you agree with the statement, “no” if you disagree with the statement, and “?” if you don’t have a strong opinion about the statement. After reading, you will complete the last column, revisiting your original responses.
Yes = I agree No = I disagree ? = I don’t know
After completing the “Before Reading” column, get into small groups, and record your group members’ names. As a group, tally (using tic marks: |||| ) the number of “yes”,“no” and “?” responses for each question using the chart below.
Group Members:
Once you have collected your data, discuss those issues about which your group was divided. Make your case for your opinions, and pay attention to your classmates’ arguments. Once you have discussed all of the issues, answer the questions on the next page.
Before
Reading Statement Reading After
1. Be careful whom you trust.
2. Excessive pride can lead to your own ruin. 3. Too much ambition can be dangerous.
4. Good leaders acknowledge their own weaknesses. 5. We cannot control our fate.
6. Politicians are only concerned with what the majority of people want.
7. Superstition can be a powerful driving force. 8. People want to see the good in others. 9. Weak people can be easily manipulated. 10. One man’s hero is another man’s enemy. 11. Words can be powerful weapons.
Statement # Yes No I Don’t Know
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Anticipation/Reaction Guide Response
Pre-Reading Individual Reflection
Directions: Use the information and discussion from the “Before Reading” responses to answer the following questions. Be sure to use complete sentences.
1. Which statement triggered the most thought-provoking or interesting discussion?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 2. Summarize your group’s most interesting discussion/debate.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 3. For any of the statements that you discussed, what were some of the strongest or most
memorable points made by your group members?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 4. How did you feel when a group member disagreed with the way you feel about an issue? Did they
accept your personal opinion or disrespect it? What was your response?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 5. Was any argument strong enough to make you change your mind or want to change any of your
initial responses? Why or why not? What made the argument effective? How could your own arguments have been more effective?
_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
*Your teacher will collect your chart and responses to be used again when you have finished reading the play.*
Standards Focus: Elements of Drama
Literary Terms to Know
Drama is a form of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience. There are two main types of drama: comedy and tragedy. Like fiction, dramatic works have a plot, characters, setting, conflict, and one or more themes. It is essential to know the elements of drama when reading a dramatic work.
1. act: a division within a play, much like chapters of a novel
2. aside: lines that are spoken by a character directly to the audience 3. cast of characters: a list of characters presented before the action begins 4. comedy: a humorous work of drama
5. dialogue: conversation between two or more characters
6. drama: a work of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience
7. dramatic irony: when the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know
8. foil: a character who is nearly opposite of another character; the purpose of a foil (or character foil) is to reveal a stark contrast between the two characters, often the protagonist and
antagonist
9. iambic pentameter: a line of poetry that contains 5 iambs of two syllables each
10. monologue: a long speech spoken by a character to himself, another character, or to the audience
11. scene: a division of an act into smaller parts
12. soliloquy: thoughts spoken aloud by a character when he/she is alone, or thinks he/she is alone
13. stage directions: italicized comments that identify parts of the setting or the use of props or costumes, give further information about a character, or provide background information 14. tragedy: a serious work of drama in which the hero suffers catastrophe or serious misfortune,
usually because of his own actions
15. tragic hero: a protagonist with a fatal flaw which eventually leads to his demise
Activity: Using the words from the list above, create a 15-question Multiple-Choice quiz. You must use the information/definitions from this page, but you may also add your own knowledge to create your questions. Be sure to create an answer key and keep it on a separate piece of paper. For example:
1. The two main types of drama are:
a. plays and monologues c. histories and biographies b. comedies and tragedies d. monologues and soliloquies
When you have finished, give the “quiz” to a partner and take his or her quiz. Then, check each other’s answers, and turn in your quizzes, your answer key, and your scores to your teacher. Your teacher can even find the best questions and use them on a real quiz.
Standards Focus: Approaching Shakespeare’s Language
When approaching the works of Shakespeare, it is important to remember that Shakespeare intended his works to be performed in front of an audience. If you are having trouble
understanding what you are reading when you are reading silently to yourself, remember that this could be one of the reasons you may be having difficulty. The following are some guidelines to help you approach the language, and to comprehend the reading a little better.
1. blank verse: most of Shakespeare’s plays are written in this form, which is very close to normal speech rhythms and patterns. Often Shakespeare will deviate from this form in order to make a point about the character’s state of mind or for other emphasis, like a change in the mood. 2. double entendre: phrases or words which have double meanings, one of which is usually sexual
in nature
3. iambic pentameter: a 10-syllable line divided into 5 iambic feet (one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable). This is the basic rhythm of Shakespeare’s verse.
4. imagery: language which works to evoke images in your mind (i.e. “And with thy bloody and invisible hand / Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond / Which keeps me pale.”)
5. metaphor: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is replaced by another, often indicating a likeness or similarity between them (ie. “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player…”)
6. prose: normal speech rhythm; Shakespeare often wrote certain characters speaking either in all verse or all prose, indicating some personality trait of the character. If the character deviates from its normal form, be aware of a changing state of mind…often prose signals a character slipping into insanity!
7. pun: a play on words that either sound alike or that have multiple meanings
8. rhyming couplet: two rhyming lines at the end of a speech, signaling that a character is leaving the stage or that the scene is ending
9. simile: a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as (i.e. “My love is like a red, red rose”)
Shakespeare’s Style
The Sonnet Form and Iambic Pentameter
Shakespeare wrote over 80 sonnets in addition to his plays. In fact, he even added sonnets into his plays. Before we dive into reading an entire play, we will be approaching Shakespeare’s style in a smaller poem, called a sonnet.
The Shakespearean sonnet always follows the same format. It has 14 lines with approximately 10 syllables each line. Each line of the sonnet is written in iambic pentameter. A line of iambic pentameter consists of 10 syllables, or five iambs of two syllables each. An iamb is an “unstressed” syllable followed by a “stressed” syllable. When written, the “U” symbols mean unstressed, and the “/” indicates a stressed syllable.
To understand the idea of a stressed or an unstressed syllable, think about the syllables of some common names. The name Christopher can be divided into three syllables: Chris/to/pher. If we place the stress, or the emphasis, on the “Chris” it would look like this:
/ U U Chris / to / pher
If we place the emphasis on the “to” the name would sound odd to our ears, and look like this: U / U
Chris / to / pher
When analyzing a line of Shakespeare’s work, it would look like this: U / U / U / U / U /
Let me not to the mar riage of true minds (from Sonnet 116)
Finally, Shakespearean sonnets always follow the same rhyme scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG, ending with the rhyming couplet, or two rhyming lines.
Now that the technical terms have been introduced, it is time to put that knowledge to work in a practical activity.
Directions: Read the sonnet on the next page. This sonnet is one of the most famous of
Shakespeare’s sonnets: Sonnet 18. Read and analyze this sonnet, paying careful attention to the rhyme scheme and the pattern of syllables. Then, using the chart, divide the sonnet into syllables and label its rhyme scheme. The first line has been done for you.
Shakespeare’s Style
The Sonnet Form and Iambic Pentameter
As an imperfect actor on the stage Who with his fear is put beside his part,
Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage, Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart. So I, for fear of trust, forget to say
The perfect ceremony of love's rite,
And in mine own love's strength seem to decay, O’ercharged with burden of mine own love's might. O, let my books be then the eloquence
And dumb presages of my speaking breast, Who plead for love and look for recompense
More than that tongue that more hath more express'd. O, learn to read what silent love hath writ:
To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Scheme Rhyme
As an im per fect ac tor on the stage A
Now You Try It!
Using the rhyme scheme and form of a Shakespearean sonnet, write your own sonnet about new love, lost love, a beautiful day, a terrible day, or anything you wish! Draw the same grid as above on a separate piece of paper to plan and organize the sonnet. Then rewrite your sonnet and share it with the class for an exercise in public speaking and performance!
Julius Caesar
Vocabulary List
Directions: Before you read each act, look up the definitions for each of the vocabulary words below. Be sure to keep all of your definitions for worksheets and quizzes!
Act One 1. barren 2. chidden 3. cogitations 4. exalted 5. fain 6. idle 7. infused 8. lamented 9. mettle 10. portentous 11. prodigies 12. tyrant Act Two 1. affable 2. appertain 3. augmented 4. beseech 5. emulation 6. imminent 7. prevail 8. shrewd 9. spurn 10. valiant 11. valor 12. visage Act Three 1. abide 2. appeased 3. apprehensive 4. banished 5. base 6. coffers 7. compel 8. consent 9. conspirator 10. ingratitude 11. legacy 12. malice Act Four 1. apparition 2. chastisement 3. engendered 4. ensign 5. envenomed 6. exigent 7. fret 8. gallant 9. levying 10. presume 11. provender 12. vex Act Five 1. assure 2. avenged 3. bidding 4. bondage 5. demeanor 6. fawned 7. gorging 8. misconstrued 9. peevish 10. perils 11. spoils 12. virtue
Julius Caesar
Words and Phrases to Know
Below are common words and phrases found throughout Shakespeare’s works. Many of these words and phrases were common in the 17th Century, but may have new meanings today. Use the
list below to help you understand these words and phrases as you read Julius Caesar. 1. adieu: goodbye 2. an: if 3. anon: at once 4. attend: listen to 5. betimes: at once 6. bootless: useless
7. break with: discuss; break the news to 8. cobbler: a shoemaker
9. coronets: small crowns or wreaths of vines or flowers
10. counsel: advice 11. crossed: opposed 12. decree: order 13. discourses: speaks
14. dispatch: to send away or to kill 15. doth: does
16. falling sickness: epilepsy 17. falls purpose: is false 18. fashion: to make; to design 19. foe: enemy
20. gentle: noble, prominent; also calm and reserved
21. good-den or do-den: Good Evening 22. hart: a male deer
23. heavy: sad 24. hie: go
25. high-sighted: ambitious 26. hither: here
27. humour: a mood or feeling; “ill humour” may be a bad feeling about something or in a bad mood
28. mark: pay attention to
29. marry: of course; indeed 30. methinks: I think
31. moe: more 32. naught: nothing 33. nay: no
34. praetor: a judge of the court 35. pray: beg
36. quick mettle: mentally sharp; witty 37. rated: reprimanded
38. resolve: plan 39. rheumy: damp
40. sick offence: harmful illness or something that is said that comes across rudely
41. sirrah: fellow 42. soft: hush 43. sounded: proclaimed 44. stay: wait 45. swounded: fainted 46. taper: candle 47. thee: you 48. thither: there 49. thou art: you are 50. thy: your
51. tidings: news
52. vile contagion: something said or done that has the ability to make one physically ill
53. will: desire 54. withal: with 55. woe: grief 56. wot: know 57. would: wish
Julius Caesar
Allusions throughout the Play
1. Aenas (or Aeneas): a Greek legend and Trojan hero; son of Anchises and Aphrodite 2. Até: the personification of recklessness and
menace and eventual downfall or punishment for this behavior
3. Colossus: the word “colossus” means enormous; in this case, the “Colossus” is the large bronze statue of Apollo at the harbor of Rhodes; it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World until it fell in 255BC after an earthquake
4. drachma: ancient currency (money)
5. Epicurus: an ancient Greek philosopher who founded Epicureanism, the idea that one should indulge in the pleasures in life
(including materialistic and physical desires) in order to stave away any pain
6. Fates: in Greek mythology, the three goddesses who were believed to control the events and length of one’s life
7. Feast of Lupercal (Lupercalia): an
ancient Roman festival held on February 15; it is believed to have been a ceremony to
encourage fertility for animals and humans alike; Julius Caesar was crowned at this time 8. Hybla: a city in ancient Sicily
9. Ides of March: the 15th of March; the ides are
simply the middle of the month
10. Nervii: a group of warriors, considered by Julius Caesar to be one of the most brutal tribes in Gaul (now southern France)
11. Olympus: the mountain in Greece which was believed to have been the home of the twelve gods of Olympus in Greek Mythology
12. Phillipi: an ancient city in Macedonia (now an area in northern Greece)
13. Pluto’s mines: Pluto was the equivalent of the Greek god Hades, the god of the underworld; it was believed that Pluto gave the Romans gold, silver, and other precious metals which he mined from below the surface of the earth 14. Pompey: refers to Pompey the Great, who was
defeated by Julius Caesar in 48BC, then later murdered
15. Sardis: an ancient city in what is now Turkey 16. suicide, the Roman’s view of: contrary to the Christian view of suicide, the ancient Romans believed that committing suicide was acceptable and honorable, especially when facing the possibility of capture or enslavement in battle 17. triumvirate: a group of three rulers sharing
Act One
Scene Guide
Directions: For each act, you will be completing a Scene Guide to help you understand and follow the important elements of your reading. For each scene, in short phrases or words summarize: 1) the setting, 2) the action (plot), and 3) the main characters involved in the action.
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
Now that you have read all of Act One, make a prediction as to what you believe will happen next in the play. Write your prediction on the lines below.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Act One
Comprehension Check
To give you a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the play, answer the following questions for Act One. Write your answers on a separate piece of paper using complete sentences.
Scene One
1. What is the setting of the first scene? 2. Why have the shopkeepers left work?
3. What is Marullus and Flavius’s reaction to the citizens’ behavior? Why?
4. What important information about the political and social atmosphere does Shakespeare provide us in the first scene?
Scene Two
1. What does Caesar want Antony to do when he runs by Calpurnia? Why? 2. What does the soothsayer tell Caesar? What is Caesar’s reaction?
3. How has Brutus been feeling lately? How does this open a door for Cassius?
4. What is your reaction to Brutus’s lines: “Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, / that you would have me seek into myself / for that which is not in me?” What might this hesitation or caution foreshadow?
5. What does Brutus love (even more than his own life)?
6. Why does Cassius tell Brutus the story about Caesar swimming the Tiber River? What does this reveal about Caesar? What does this reveal about Cassius?
7. Describe Brutus’ reaction to Cassius’s ideas.
8. Why does Caesar distrust Cassius? Why does Caesar not fear Cassius, however? 9. Why does Caesar tell Antony to “Come on [his] right side”?
10. Explain why the crown was offered to Caesar three times. What is your reaction to this spectacle?
11. Why does Caesar faint? Why does Cassius say: “No, Caesar hath it now; but you, and I / And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness”? To what is Cassius referring?
12. The phrase “It’s all Greek to me” has become a common saying referring to something incomprehensible or meaningless. This saying comes from Casca’s line: “...but for my own part, it was Greek to me,” which originates from the Medieval Latin proverb Graecum est; non potest legi, meaning “It is Greek; it cannot be read.” Explain how Casca’s line is ironic. 13. What doubts does Cassius reveal about Brutus in his soliloquy?
14. How does Cassius plan to convince Brutus that he is more noble and loved than Caesar?
Scene Three
1. What is the weather like at the opening of this scene? How does this contribute to the mood? Why is this mood significant?
2. Why does Cassius say “I have exposed my naked chest to the thunder-bolt”? To what could Cassius be referring?
3. Why is Casca eager to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy?
4. What directions does Cassius give Cinna? What does Cassius hope to accomplish with this task?
Act One
Standards Focus: Setting, Tone, and Mood
Setting is the time, place, and atmosphere in which the action of a story takes place. Setting can
include time of day, weather, season, era, location, and social or political atmosphere; for example: It is night; an old barn outside of Greenbow, Alabama; Spring, 1932; Depression Era. Tone is the author’s feeling toward his subject; a clever writer can use a sympathetic tone to make the reader feel sorry for a character, for example. Conversely, writers can use a distant, detached tone to keep the reader from relating to or feeling sentiment for a character. Mood is the general emotional response that a reader feels when reading. Writers use figurative language, details, dialogue, and
foreshadowing to help set the mood in a piece of literature. Mood is often expressed in adjectives which describe how the writer intends to make you feel, like: tense, serene, somber, optimistic, dark, and depressed.
In Act One, Shakespeare creates a mood of tension and unrest from the very first moment the characters appear onstage. Although the men are engaged in humorous wordplay, it is clear that Caesar’s rise to power has created tension in Rome.
Directions: For each of the quotes from the text, underline the words that reveal the setting, including clues about time, place, and atmosphere. Then explain how these particular words indicate specifics about the setting. Next, explain the tone Shakespeare uses to create mood. Include comments on the use of figurative language, imagery, etc., if apparent. Finally, describe the mood of the excerpt using as many details and appropriate adjectives as possible. An example has been done for you.
Ex. “Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? / What tributaries follow him to Rome /
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? / You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! / O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, / Knew you not Pompey?” (scene i, lines 31-36)
a. Setting: Rome is the city in which the story takes place; captive bonds refers to slaves and slavery,
which was legal at the time; chariot wheels indicate they used chariots, which were used for transportation and in sport; Pompey was the ruler of Rome until Caesar took power.
b. Tone: defiant, ironic, condescending, bitter, “preachy” c. Mood: anxious, hostile, tense, offensive
1. “And when you saw his chariot but appear, / Have you not made an universal shout, / That Tiber trembled underneath her banks / To hear the replication of your sounds / Made in her concave shores? / And do you now put on your best attire? / And do you now cull out a holiday? / And do you now strew flowers in his way / That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood? / Be gone!” (scene 1, lines 42-51)
a. Setting: b. Tone: c. Mood:
2. CASCA: “Bid every noise be still. Peace yet again.” / CAESAR: “Who is it in the press that calls on me? I hear a tongue shriller than all the music / Cry ‘Caesar!’ Speak; Caesar is turned to hear.” / SOOTHSAYER: “Beware the ides of March.” (scene ii, lines 14-17)
a. Setting: b. Tone: c. Mood:
3. BRUTUS: “Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, / That you would have me seek into myself / For that which is not in me? / CASSIUS: “Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear. / And since you know you cannot see yourself / So well as by reflection, I, your glass, / Will modestly discover to yourself / That of yourself which you yet know not of.” (scene ii, lines 63-70)
a. Setting: b. Tone: c. Mood:
4. “Are you not moved, when all the sway of earth / Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero / I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds / Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen / Th’
ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, / To be exalted with the threat’ning clouds; / But never till tonight, never till now, / Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. / Either there is a civil strife in heaven, / Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, / Incenses them to send destruction.” (scene iii, lines 3-13)
a. Setting: b. Tone: c. Mood:
5. “But if you would consider the true cause— / Why all these fires; why all these gliding ghosts; Why birds and beasts, from quality and kind; / Why old men, fools, and children calculate; / Why all these things change from their ordinance / Their natures, and performed faculties, / To monstrous quality—why you shall find / That heaven hath infused them with these spirits / To make them instruments of fear and warning / Unto some monstrous state.” (scene iii, lines 64-73)
a. Setting: b. Tone: c. Mood:
Act One Vocabulary
Assessment Preparation: Word Parts
Directions: Complete the following chart, finding the word parts and meanings for each of the vocabulary words from Act One. Use a dictionary for help. Two examples have been done for you.
Word barren chidden cogitations exalted fain idle
Base and Part of Speech of Base barren chide Meaning of Base producing no fruit or offspring to scold or reproach Root and meaning of Root baraigne "barren" cidan "quarrel, strife”
Affix(es) none -en
How the Affix Changes the
Word
n/a changes from present to past tense Inferred Meaning of Vocabulary Word unable to have children scolded; criticized; punished Vocabulary Word’s Part of Speech and Dictionary Definition adj.; unable to produce results, fruit, or offspring verb; censured severely or angrily
Act One Vocabulary
Assessment Preparation: Word Parts
Word infused lamented mettle portentous prodigies tyrant
Base and Part of Speech of Base Meaning of Base Root and Meaning of Root Affix(es) How the Affix Changes the Word Inferred Meaning of Vocabulary Word Vocabulary Word’s Part of Speech and Dictionary Definition
Act Two
Scene Guide
Directions: Just as for Act One, complete the Scene Guide for Act Two to help you understand and follow the important elements of your reading. For each scene, in short phrases or words
summarize: 1) the setting, 2) the action (plot), and 3) the main characters involved in the action.
Now that you have read all of Acts One and Two, make a prediction as to what you believe will happen next in the play. Write your prediction on the lines below.
_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
Act Two
Comprehension Check
To give you a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the play, answer the following
questions for Act Two. Write your answers on a separate piece of paper using complete sentences.
Scene One
1. Through the analogy of a ladder, how does Brutus explain what happens when someone gains power?
2. To what does Brutus compare Caesar? Why does Brutus feel that he must kill Caesar immediately?
3. What day is it? Why is this significant?
4. Brutus explains that he has not been able to sleep. How does he explain what happens to a man’s conscience between the “acting of a dreadful thing / And the first motion”?
5. How are Cassius and Brutus related?
6. Why does Brutus insist that the men do not need an oath?
7. Why do the men want Cicero on their side at first? Why do they change their minds? 8. Who does Cassius want to murder in addition to Caesar?
9. What is Brutus’s response to this idea?
10. How does Decius plan to get Caesar to come to the Capitol? 11. What has Portia noticed about Brutus’s recent behavior?
12. What reasons does Portia give to insist that Brutus reveal his feelings to her?
13. What does Portia do to prove her strength to Brutus? What is your reaction to this act? BONUS: An anachronism is when an author unknowingly or purposefully inserts something from a different period of time into his or her writing. Shakespeare uses an anachronism in this scene. See if you can find it. Why do you think Shakespeare might have used this anachronism?
Scene Two
1. Why has Calpurnia been unable to sleep? About what omens does Calpurnia tell Caesar? 2. Why does Caesar insist on leaving the house?
3. On what evidence do the priests (“augerers”) recommend that Caesar not leave the house? 4. How does Decius convince Caesar to leave?
5. Caesar instructs his men to keep close to him. What is the irony?
Scene Three
1. Artemidorus reads from a letter at the beginning of this scene. Who wrote the letter and what does Artemidorus plan to do with it?
Scene Four
1. What is ironic about Portia’s statement: “How hard it is for women to keep a secret”? (Hint: think about her speeches in Scene One.)
2. What instructions has Portia given Lucius?
Act Two
Standards Focus: Character Map
Directions: There are numerous characters in Julius Caesar, which can make reading and following the plot quite confusing. Complete the Character Map below as much as you can from the information you have been given in Acts One and Two. As you read the rest of the play, fill in each blank with the names of other characters. When you finish reading the play, your Character Map should be complete.
Die in battle
Julius Caesar
Tries to warn with a date
Tries to warn with a dream
Tries to warn with a letter
Loyal follower Backstabbing “friend”
2nd
Triumvirate Brother-in-Law/Main conspirator
Conspirators
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Servants, supporters, and soldiers Put to death
Act Two
Standards Focus: Characterization and Character Motivation
Characterization is the technique by which authors develop characters.
• Direct characterization is when the author or narrator tells the reader what the character is like. For example, “Rhonda works diligently to make sure her cookies are the best in town.”
• Indirect characterization is when the author gives information about a character and allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about that character. Two ways we can learn about a character through indirect characterization are:
o A character’s own thoughts, feelings and actions— the reader witnesses what the character does or says, and learns something about the character from these thoughts, feelings or actions. For example, “On her way to class after lunch, Susan saw some trash on the ground that wasn’t hers. She decided to pick it up anyway, and threw it in the trash can.”
→ The reader can make some assumptions about Susan from this excerpt: she cares about the environment, she takes pride in her school, she likes things neat and tidy, etc. Each of these are appropriate assumptions based on Susan’s actions.
o Interactions with other characters— the reader witnesses the interactions between characters, such as how other characters act, and what they say about another character. For example, “Emma said, ‘Julia seems to not care about her school work anymore. It’s as if she is distracted or concerned about something. What do you think?’ ‘I don’t know, but it is certainly unlike her to get bad grades,’ Ashley replied.”
→ The reader can make assumptions about Julia from the conversation between Emma and Ashley. The reader can conclude that Julia used to work hard and get good grades in school, that she is distracted about something, and that she is not behaving like her usual self. In a play, there is often very little direct characterization. We learn about the characters through their dialogue; therefore, much of the character development comes from what characters say about each other or what they say about themselves through indirect characterization.
Motivation is what drives a character to do what they do. In other words, ask yourself: what is this character’s strongest desire? Characters’ decisions are important to the plot, and in many cases, their decisions will affect the play’s outcome. Just as we can tell a great deal about a person by the way he or she lives his or her life, we can also learn a lot about characters by what they say and do. Similarly, just as some of the decisions we make in our lives are minor and trivial, and others change our lives forever, a skilled writer develops characters that also make both seemingly unimportant as well as life-altering choices.
Directions: For each of the characters below, complete the chart with textual examples of indirect
characterization from Act One or Two of the play. First, find a quote in which another character describes something about that character, and then find a quote in which the character describes himself. Be sure to give scene and line numbers from where you obtained the quote. Then in your own words, fill in what you think is the character’s main motivation this far in the play. An example has been done for you.
Character Brutus
Another Character’s Description
“Brutus, I do observe you now of late. / I have not from your eyes that gentleness / And show of love as I was wont to have. / You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand / Over your friend that loves you.”
(Act I, Scene ii, lines 32-36)
Description of Himself
“Cassius, / Be not deceived. If I have veiled my look, / I turn the trouble of my countenance / merely upon myself. Vexed I am / Of late with passions of some difference, / Conceptions only proper to
myself, / Which five some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors.” (Act I, Scene ii, lines 36-42)
Motivation heart is with his people, and he fears Caesar is a tyrant. His main motivation is to see that his people are While Brutus likes Caesar, and is his friend, he does not think that Caesar is the best ruler of Rome. His not harmed, which means that he must remove Caesar from power any way he can.
Act Two
Standards Focus: Characterization and Character Motivation
Character Caesar Another Character’s Description Description of Himself Motivation Character Cassius Another Character’s Description Description of Himself Motivation Character Antony Another Character’s Description Description of Himself Motivation Character Casca Another Character’s Description Description of Himself Motivation
Act Two Vocabulary
Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary in Context
Directions: For each vocabulary word, answer the question or respond to the statement that follows, using complete sentences and as much detail as possible. Be sure to include the vocabulary word in your response.
1. spurn—verb; to reject with disdain or contempt
Describe a time when you felt spurned by your peers.
2. appertain—verb; to belong or relate to
Detail some of the problems that appertain to a new student’s first day of school.
3. emulation—noun; drive or ambition to equal or excel others; imitation
When a younger brother emulates his older brother, what kinds of things might he do?
4. prevail—verb; to prove to be stronger and more in control; win
In a confrontation between Superman and Batman, whom do you think would prevail? Explain your answer.
5. beseech—verb; to implore; beg
About what kinds of things might you beseech your parents?
6. valiant—adj. possessing valor; courageous
Act Two Vocabulary
Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary in Context
7. augmented—adj.; made larger in number or strength; increased Describe how a bad day might be augmented to an even worse day.
8. imminent—adj.; ready to take place; impending
When a hurricane is imminent, how does it look outside?
9. shrewd—adj.; clever and cunning; often in a deceitful manner Describe the behaviors of a shrewd businessperson.
10. affable—adj.; pleasant and at ease; friendly to others Describe the behavior of an affable person.
11. valor—noun; strength of mind or spirit; heroism
In what occupations might you see people exhibiting a great deal of valor?
12. visage—noun; the appearance or look of something; a face or facial expression Where might you see the visage of Washington?
Act Three
Scene Guide
Directions: Complete the Scene Guide below for Act Three. For each scene, be sure to summarize: 1) the setting, 2) the action (plot), and 3) the main characters involved in the action.
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
Now that you have read Acts One through Three, make a prediction as to what you believe will happen next in the play. Write your prediction on the lines below.
_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Act Three
Comprehension Check
To give you a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the play, answer the following
questions for Act Three. Write your answers on a separate piece of paper using complete sentences.
Scene One
1. What does the Soothsayer mean by “Ay, Caesar, but not gone”? (line 2) 2. What does Metellus Cimber beg Caesar to do? What is Caesar’s response?
3. What does Caesar mean by “Et tu, Brute?” as he falls? How do you think Caesar is feeling at this moment?
4. What message does Antony send to Brutus? What does Antony do when he meets the men? 5. What does Antony request?
6. What warning does Brutus give Antony? 7. In his soliloquy, what does Antony vow?
8. What does Antony want Octavius Caesar’s servant to do? Why?
Scene Two
1. What reason does Brutus give for Caesar’s assassination?
2. After Brutus speaks, how do the citizens feel about him? about Caesar? 3. Why doesn’t Brutus stop Antony’s speech?
4. What does Antony say that he has in his possession? What does the crowd want Antony to do? 5. What does Antony show the citizens? What is their reaction?
6. What did Antony claim that Caesar left his citizens in his will?
Scene Three
1. What happens to Cinna as he travels to Caesar’s funeral? 2. Who do the citizens mistake him for?
3. This scene is often referred to as a scene providing comic relief. Why do you think Shakespeare included this here?
Act Three
Standards Focus: Rhetoric
Rhetoric in its simplest form is the art of persuasive speech or writing. For thousands of years,
politicians and orators have been known for their use of rhetoric to influence and persuade an
audience to their side or way of thinking. One of the most famous orators happens to be Antony from
Julius Caesar. Antony skillfully uses several types of rhetorical devices to earn the citizens’ trust
and turn them against Brutus, Cassius, and the other conspirators. Antony’s talent lies in his ability to persuade the audience before his enemies even realize his scheme.
Today, rhetoric is all around us, in the form of political speeches, commercials, art, television, movies, newspaper and magazine articles—even in our everyday conversations. Each time we want to get our way, or take out our money to buy a product we saw in a commercial, we are either using rhetoric or are persuaded by the use of rhetoric. While various media use different ways of appealing to an audience, they each have the same purpose: to persuade.
In order to understand how Antony persuaded the citizens of Rome to turn against Brutus and the other conspirators, it is important to know what rhetorical devices are and how they can be used. There are different ways a speaker or writer can appeal to his or her audience: 1) logic or reason (logos), 2) emotion (pathos), and/or 3) ethics and morals (ethos).
• logos: by appealing to an audience’s sense of reason and logic, the speaker or writer
intends to make the audience think clearly about the sensible and/or obvious answer to a problem
• pathos: by appealing to the audiences emotions, the speaker or writer can make the
audience feel sorrow, shame, sympathy, embarrassment, anger, excitement, and/or fear • ethos: the overall appeal of the speaker or writer himself or herself; it is important that
this person have impressive credentials, a notable knowledge of the subject, and/or appear to be a likeable and moral person
It is not only important what a speaker or writer has to say, but how he or she actually says or presents it. There are literally hundreds of rhetorical devices, dating back to the famous orators Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Besides using devices you may already be familiar with, such as figures of speech (metaphor, simile, personification) and sound devices (alliteration, assonance, consonance), writers and speakers use many other rhetorical devices to communicate their message. Below and on the next pages is a short list of rhetorical devices, their definitions, and a brief example of the device in use.
• alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
→ ex. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
• anaphora: repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses
or lines.
→ ex. "Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition!" (King John, II, i)
• antithesis: opposition or juxtaposition of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel
construction
→ ex. "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." (Julius Caesar, III, ii) • aporia: questioning oneself (or rhetorically asking the audience), often pretending to be
in doubt
• aposiopesis: a sudden pause or interruption in the middle of a sentence (often for
dramatic effect)
→ ex. “I will have revenges on you both / That all the world shall— I will do such things — What they are yet, I know not; but they shall be / The terrors of the earth! (King Lear II, iv)
• apostrophe: a sudden turn from the general audience to address a specific group or
person, either absent or present, real or imagined
→ ex. “Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor. 15:55) • asyndeton: the absence of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words
→ ex. "Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, / Shrunk to this little measure?" (Julius Caesar, III, i)
• conduplicatio: repetition of a key word over successive phrases or clauses
→ “We will have difficult times. We've had difficult times in the past. And we will have difficult times in the future.” Robert F. Kennedy’s Eulogy for Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968)
• euphemism: a substitution of a more pleasant expression for one whose meaning may
come across as rude or offensive
→ ex. “He passed away,” rather than “He died.”
• hyperbole: exaggeration for emphasis or for rhetorical effect
→ ex. “I died laughing.”
• irony: (verbal) expression in which words mean something contrary to what is actually
said
→ ex. Looking at your wallet full of nothing but a few pennies, and exclaiming, “Lunch is on me, guys— I am rich!”
• metonymy: a reference to an object or person by naming only a part of the object or
person
→ ex. She stood in the driveway watching as the beards moved her furniture into her new house.
• paralipsis: pretending to omit something by drawing attention to it
→ ex. A politician saying: “I will not even mention the fact that my opponent was a poor student.”
• personification: giving human characteristics to non-human objects
→ ex. The pen danced across the author’s page.
• polysyndenton: using conjunctions to emphasize rhythm, and therefore emphasize a
certain point
→ ex. “In years gone by, there were in every community men and women who spoke the language of duty and morality and loyalty and obligation.” William F. Buckley • synecdoche: a part or quality of something which is used in substitution of the larger
whole, or vice versa
→ ex. The hospital worked for hours to revive him. (referring to the doctors and nurses inside the hospital) OR She took us outside to look at her new set of wheels. (referring to her new car)
• rhetorical question: a question that is posed for emphasis, not requiring an answer
→ ex. "Art thou mad? Is not the truth the truth?" (Henry IV, Part 1, II, iv)
• understatement: deliberately de-emphasizing something in order to downplay its
importance
Act Three
Standards Focus: Analysis of Rhetoric
Directions: For each of the following underlined excerpts from Antony’s speech in Act Three, scene 2, identify which rhetorical device is being used and explain how it is used, according to the definitions and examples on the previous pages. Note: not all devices will be used. An example has been done for you.
Example: For Brutus is an honorable man; / So are they all, all honorable men— (lines 77-78); But Brutus says he was ambitious; / And Brutus is an honorable man. (lines 81-82); Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; / And Brutus is an honorable man. (lines 88-89); Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; / And, sure, he is an honorable man. (lines 93-94); I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, / Who, you all know, are honorable men (lines 118-119)
Rhetorical device: irony through the constant, deliberate repetition of “ambitious” and “honorable” 1. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears (line 68)
Rhetorical device:
2. Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? (line 85)
Rhetorical device:
3. I thrice presented him a kingly crown, / Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? (line 92)
Rhetorical device:
4. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, / But here I am to speak what I do know. (lines 95-96)
Rhetorical device:
5. What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? / O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, / And men have lost their reason. (lines 98-99)
Rhetorical device:
6. My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, / And I must pause till it come back to me. (lines 101-102)
Rhetorical device:
7. I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honorable men. / I will not do them wrong; I rather choose / To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, / Than I will wrong such honorable men. (lines 118-122)
Rhetorical device:
8. Let but the commons hear this testament, / Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read, (lines 125-126)
Rhetorical device:
9. And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds / And dip their napkins in his sacred blood, / Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, / And, dying, mention it within their wills, / Bequeathing it as a rich legacy / Unto their issue. (lines 127-132)
Rhetorical device:
10. Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile? / I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it. (lines 144-145)
Rhetorical device:
11. I fear I wrong the honorable men / Whose daggers have stabb’d Caesar; I do fear it. (lines 146-147)
