Transcript Julius Caesar

Quick Write
Julius Caesar tells a story about the hunger
for power, a story based on real people and
events from the days when Rome ruled
much of the world.
Think of stories- fictional or true- that
you’ve read or seen about people who
hunger for power.
Write about it in your notebooks now.
Themes in Julius Caesar
1. An idealistic person can be manipulated by a clever and
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
perhaps unscrupulous person.
If the rightful ruler is deposed or killed, chaos will
result.
Ordinary people are swayed by effective oratory; thus,
they can be changed into a dangerous mob.
Ambitions can change a man’s character so that he no
longer seeks the good for all men but, rather, seeks
more power for himself.
Power tends to corrupt those who hold it.
People can easily delude themselves into thinking the
end justifies the means.
Julius Caesar:
The Journey of a Leader
If we wind the clock back about 400
years - to the year 1600 in fact we arrive at the time when
William Shakespeare completed
Julius Caesar. Can you think of
any reasons why this play (and for
that matter Shakespeare himself)
stood the test of time so well?
After all, Shakespeare is a huge
commercial success all over the
world, even today. Books, films,
TV, stage presentations, and
souvenirs generate an enormous
profit.
Julius Caesar
Born July 13, 100 B.C.
Helped transform Rome
into an empire
Elected military tribune in
72 B.C.
Elected Proconsul
Responsible for first
invasion of Britain in 55
B.C.
The GallicWars
Commentarii de Bello
Gallico– book Caesar
wrote about the war
This book represents a
masterwork of political
propaganda as Caesar
was keenly interested
in manipulating his
Caesar
The Civil War
Pompey
No
picture
of
Crassus
The First
Triumvirate
In 50 B.C., the Senate, led by Pompey,
ordered Caesar to return to Rome and
disband his army because his term as
Proconsul finished. Moreover, the
Senate forbade Caesar to stand for a
second consulship in absentia.
Caesar thought he would be prosecuted
and politically marginalized if he
entered Rome without the immunity
enjoyed by a Consul or without the
power of his army.
Pompey accused Caesar of
insubordination and treason.
Crossed the Rubicon and marched on
Rome
Pompey led Legions of the Republic
into battle
Battle of Pharsalus
Although outnumbered by
25%, Caesar figured out
Pompey’s battle plan.
On August 9, 48 B.C.,
Caesar defeated Pompey’s
army, and Pompey fled to
Egypt.
On Sept. 28, 48 B.C.,
Pompey was assassinated
by ministers of Ptolemy
XIII.
Caesar:
Destiny of Rome?
Reorganized distribution
of grain
Founded military colonies
for the poor
Granted citizenship to
doctors & teachers
Stepped up criminal
penalties and laws against
extortion
Created 1st news sheet
Never lost a war
Caesar:
Destroyer of the Republic?
Statue erected
with inscription:
“To the
unconquerable
god.”
Named dictator for 10
years
Given most lavish honors
ever showered on a
Roman
Victories = national
holidays
Coins minted with his
image
Why Kill Caesar?
Enemies within Caesar’s small circle of
advisors actively plotted against him
Fear of 1 ruler and wanted to keep old form
of government
Caesar’s Assassination Chart
Victim
Assassins
Problem
Julius
Brutus,
Caesar was
Caesar
Cassius,
becoming
(44 B.C.)
and others
too popular.
Rome
Some
Romans
feared he
would
become a
tyrant.
Goal
Result
To remove the
political
threat of
Caesar
becoming
King.
Civil war –
at the
end,
Octavius
Augustus
became
not king
but
emperor.
Shakespeare’s Choice
Shakespeare certainly had good reason to write
about Julius Caesar.
This Roman emperor was well known in the Elizabethan
public's mind - he was, after all, the one who led the first
Roman ships to Britain's shores in 55 B.C. and paved the
way for the Roman occupation of Britain.
When he became dictator, he was arguably the most
powerful ruler the world had ever known.
He also died in spectacular fashion.
Shakespeare’s Intentions
Of course, Shakespeare had to gather historical
details. He read one major work: Sir Thomas
North's translation of the ancient historian
Plutarch's Lives.
But Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is not a history
book, nor was it his intention to write a piece of
Roman history.
It is a play, based on the
Events of Caesar's murder
Pressures on the characters around him
Consequences for the conspirators and Rome in
general.
Shakespeare’s Purpose
He is not so much interested
in the facts but uses them to:
Present something from his own imagination
that would entertain his audiences (the first
thing to think about, obviously)
Make audiences think: challenge them to look
beyond the story and look at the way human
beings act towards each other.
Shakespearean Conventions
Blank Verse: unrhymed lines of iambic
pentameter
Soliloquy : long speech given by a character
while alone on stage to reveal private
thoughts
Aside: character’s quiet remark to another
Conventions continued
Monologue: Long speech given by a
character in the presence of one or more
other characters
Tragic Flaw: Defect in character or
judgment that directly causes the character’s
downfall.
Tragedy: Play, novel, other narrative that
depicts serious and important events and
ends unhappily for the main character
Tragic characteristics
Main character is often high ranking and
dignified, not an ordinary man or woman
The main character has a tragic flaw
The work ends unhappily, with the death of
the main character
5 part structure of Tragedies
Act I: Exposition
Act II: Rising Action
Act III: Crisis/Turning Point
Act IV: Falling Action
Act V: Climax
THE END
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