Transcript Julius Caesar

JULIUS CAESAR INTRODUCTION
Historical Overview and Characters
Agenda 5/5
Shakespeare Biography Practice
Quiz
 Julius Caesar Introduction Notes
 Independent Reading Time
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Quick Historical Background
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The Roman Empire is in full
effect stretching from
England to the Middle East.
Despite these military
conquests the city of Rome
is collapsing economically.
The Roman government
had been a Republic with
two counsels (similar to our
two houses of Congress),
but many citizens are
frustrated with this system.
Quick Historical Background
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A new idea for a “balanced”
government emerges: The
Triumvirate. It included three men
who would rule together: Julius
Caesar, Pompey the Great, and
Crassus.
Crassus loses a major battle and his
power.
Pompey begins to drift further away
from Caesar and aligns with the
Senate who names him commander
in chief of the army.
An army loyal to Caesar defeats
Pompey’s army leaving Caesar as
the most powerful man in Rome.
Julius Caesar
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The dictator of Rome and
title character.
Powerful and cunning, but
misses numerous signs about
his assianation.
Caesar loves the adoration
of Rome’s citizens, but it
cause him to feel invincible.
Suffers from epileptic
seizures which the Romans
called “the falling sickness.”
Calpurnia
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Caesar’s loving and
devoted wife is deeply
concerned with his safety.
Superstitious, she believes
in bad omens. She has a
foreboding dream an begs
her husband to stay away
from the capital.
Unable to have children
with Caesar leaving him
without a rightful heir.
Mark Antony
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One of Caesar’s close friends
who the conspirators strongly
consider murdering as well.
He is a masterful speaker and
has a strong command of
rhetoric. He is able to inspire
Roman crowds to follow him.
Two of his famous speeches
begin, “Friends, Romans,
countrymen, lend me your
ears… and “This was the
noblest Roman of them all…”
Octavious
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Caesar’s adopted son who
has been traveling to foreign
lands.
He returns to Rome to avenge
Caesar’s death.
There is a potential power
struggle between Octavious
and Mark Antony in the wake
of Caesar’s death.
Brutus
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A Roman senator who
strongly believes in a
government guided by
votes of senators.
Personally torn between
his loyalty to Caesar and
his hatred of dictators.
The central character in the
play and considered the
play’s tragic hero.
Portia
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Portia is the strong and
devoted wife of Brutus.
She is willing to go to
extremes.
She is deeply troubled
when her husband
suddenly seems
disturbed and secretive.
Cassius
Talented general frustrated
that Caesar is now adored by
the Roman people and treated
like a god.
He thinks Caesar is weak and
incompetent.
He is shrewd and a master
manipulator.
Minor Characters from Early in the Play
Flavius and Murellus
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Tribune (elected officials) who
begin the play by criticizing
the Roman citizens for cheering
Caesar when recently they had
cheered Caesar’s enemy,
Pompey.
They remove decorations from
Caesar’s statues in the opening
parade to show their anger
toward Caesar and his people.
Casca
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Another well-known Roman
who opposes Caesar’s rise
to power.
Casca tells Cassius and
Brutus that when Caesar
refuses a crown (that would
make him king of Rome.
Casca distrusts Caesar’s
ambition and thinks the
refusal of the crown is just
an act.
Soothsayer
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Classical Greek and Roman
plays often featured blind
men who could see the
future.
Soothsayer means “Truthspeaker.”
The famous warning
“Beware the Ides of
March” is too cryptic for
Caesar to take seriously.