julius caesar

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND/ROMAN HISTORY

Fall of 450 year old empire

Started as a monarchy (similar to Britain)

Rebellion led to a republic

publicly elected rulers

2 consuls, limited terms, elected

Senate appointed by consuls

patricians (nobles) - dominated

plebeians (commoners)

Conflict between Senate factions

Caesar sided with plebeians against nobles & spent his own money on entertainment & tax relief

Formed triumvirate - governing body with Caesar, Pompey (military leader), Crassus (wealthy noble)

Caesar led army into Gaul and became governor there

popularity grew

sent riches home to people

Crassus died

Pompey feared Caesar's popularity and power - ordered Caesar to disband and return to Rome

Caesar refused

Pompey fled to Greece - killed eventually in Egypt by Caesar

Pompey's sons continued fight - defeated by Caesar

Caesar appointed dictator for life

Returns to Rome in triumph

Conspiracy against Caesar

Caesar killed 44 B.C.

End of republic - start of civil war

Augustus Caesar crowned emperor

VIDEO QUESTIONS
page #	ACT I
	1. How was Rome governed in the first century B.C.?
473	2. Why are people rejoicing at the beginning of the scene? 3. How do the plebeians fell about Caesar? 4. How do some of the city officials feel about him?
475	5. What warning does the soothsayer give to Caesar? 6. What is Caesar's reaction to the warning?
477	7. How does Cassius get Brutus' attention?
	8. What is Brutus worried, concerned, about?
481	9. Who does Caesar consider dangerous?
483	10. What did the crowd offer Caesar? How many times? Who made the offer? What did Caesar do?
484	11. What is Caesar's malady?
486	12. As the next scene open what is the setting? How does Shakespeare establish the setting? 13. What do the Senators plan to do? 14. What does Cassius plan to do if the Senators go through with their plan?
489	15. What does Casca mean by, "So every bondman in his own hand bears the power to cancel his captivity?" 16. How far is Casca willing to go? 17. How does Cassius describe the enterprise?
490	18. Where is Cinna to place the three papers? What is the purpose of the letters? (493 intro.)
	ACT II
493	19. In the textbook, read Act II, scene i, lines 10-34. How does Brutus feel about Caesar and his rise to power? Why should Caesar be killed?
494	20. How does Shakespeare establish the date? What is it?
495	21. Who visits Brutus at night?
493	22. Why has Brutus been awake all night?
496	23. What is the allusion to the east?
498	24. Who does Cassius want to kill? 25. Why does Brutus object?
499	26. What is the plan?
498	27. How does Brutus describe Mark Antony?
501	28. Why is Portia upset?
502	29. What reasons does Portia give to Brutus to persuade him to tell her what is going on? (3) 30. Portia continues to converse with Brutus, yet he still does not tell her hi plans. She ten give him more reasons for trusting her even if she is a woman. What are they? (3) 31. What is Brutus' response?
505	32. In the next scene, who has disturbing dreams? 33. Why does Caesar send the servant to the priests? 34. When Caesar comments on the threats, he gives us an example of his self-confidence. What does he say? 35. What does Calpurnia want Caesar to do? 36. What arguments does Calpurnia use to dissuade Caesar from leaving? (3) 37. How does Caesar brush off the visions?
506	38. What is Caesar's opinion of death? 39. What did the augerers find? 40. What is Caesar's reaction? 41. Why has Decius Brutus come to Caesar's house?
507	42. Calpurnia wants Caesar to say he is sick, but he refuses. Why? What does he want Decius to say? 43. Caesar describes Calpurnia's dream. What is it? 44. How does Decius turn the dream around? 45. What arguments finally convince Caesar to go? (2)
508	46. Who comes to escort Caesar?
	ACT III
513	47. Why doesn't Caesar read the petition?
515	48. Who is to be the first to stab Caesar?
514	49. Where is Mark Antony?
515	50. What is Metellus Cimber's request?
516	51. What are Caesar's famous last words to Brutus? 52. What is the conspirators rallying cry?
518	53. What prophetic statement does Cassius make? (a statement that has been true through history)
520	54. How do the conspirators try to appease Antony?
521	55. What does Cassius ask Antony?
522	56. Cassius objects to Antony's speaking. How does Brutus plan to nullify the effect of Antony's speech? What restriction does he place on Antony? (3) 57. What is Antony's curse? (2)
524	58. Who is coming to Rome?
525	59. What reason does Brutus give the people for the murder? What was Caesar's major offense? (2)
526	60. What is the reaction of the crowd? 61. What are Brutus' parting words?
527	62. How does Antony get the crowd's attention? 63.Describe Antony's famous speech. How does he use the word honorable? (3)
530	64. Does Antony really mean what he says about reading the will?
533	65. What is the crowd's reaction to Mark Antony's speech?
534	66. Where is Octavius? 67. Who left Rome?
	ACT IV
537	68. What are Octavius and Mark Antony planning for the region?
542	69. Why is Brutus upset with Cassius?
543	70. Why is Cassius really upset?
545	71. What happened to Portia? How?
548	72. Why is it important for Brutus' army to strike now? Where are they to meet the enemy?
550	73. What does Brutus see? What is the message? What does it mean?
	ACT V
553	74. Why do you think Octavius "crosses" Antony?
554	75. What does Octavius declare? What does he mean?
556	76. What special day is it for Cassius?
560	77. What does Cassius ask Pindarus?
561	78. Who does Brutus blame?
566	79. How did Brutus kill himself? Why that way?
567	80. What words of praise does Antony have for Brutus?

ASSIGNMENTS

Daily

Vocabulary sheets for each Act need to be completed and returned the following day.

As we watch the video, fill out the questions. Page references from your textbook are included for material you are not sure of, or if you need further explanation. The video questions will be collected and graded at the completion of each act in the unit.

Tests

After the presentation of the background material, there will be a test over that material, the background information in the textbook, and the glossary of Shakespeare terms. (handout)
There will be one final test over the entire video after Act V.

Project

(fooled ya!) no project

Speeches

All students will memorize and present in class a portion of Mark Antony's famous speech. You may choose how much you wish to memorize and present to the class based on the desired grade. (see handout) Dates will be assigned.

Essay

This will be the final essay of the quarter and no rewrites will be possible.Upon completion of the test, students will write an essay. Those students who have a "B" or better for the quarter have optional assignments.

Students with less than an 83 will complete a semester final essay. This is optional for those with better than an 83. This will count double and give you an opportunity to improve your grade demonstrating good writing, organization, grammar, and thinking skills.

Select a theme that appears in three of the works studied this semester (may include The Pearl). Write a complete, well thought out essay showing how that theme is developed. You may use compare/contrast or illustration as a means of developing your essay. (Remember: a theme is expressed as a complete idea.)

Students with an 83 or better may select to write the semester essay or develop an essay based on one of the following topics.

one of the key ideas from the text

Caesar as a tragic figure

DIRECTORY
	Characters	Historical Background
	Caesar the Man	Caesar by Shakespeare
	Video Questions	Assignments
	Shakespeare	Home Page

CHARACTERS
Julius Caesar	protagonist, most powerful leader and politician in Rome
Calpurnia	wife of Caesar
Marcus Brutus	antagonist, friend of Caesar, believed in Republic, conspirator
Portia	wife of Brutus, daughter of Cato (loyal to Pompey)
Caius Cassius	brother-in-law of Brutus, conspirator
Mark Antony	friend to Caesar, senator, triumvirate member after Caesar's death
Octavius Caesar	great-nephew to Julius Caesar, member of triumvirate, heir to kingdom
Casca	conspirator, friend of Brutus
Plebeians	commoners
Conspirators	Casca, Cassius, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, Decius Brutus, Trebonius, Marcus Brutus
Soothsayer	predicts the future
March 15	Ides of March