Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Act 3 Study Guide (Julius Caesar)

Julius Caesar: Act III Reading and Study Guide

I. VOCABULARY: Be able to define the following words and understand them when they appear in the play.


vouchsafe (vouch-s f ): to grant or give, by favor, graciousness, or condescension.

conspiracy (k n-spîr -s): an evil, unlawful, treacherous or surreptituous plan formated in secret by two or more persons.


foe: a person who feels enimity, hatred, or macile toward another; enemy.

II. LITERARY TERMS: Be able to define each term and apply each term to the play.

climax: the highest or most intense point in the developments or resolution of something.

allusion: a passing or casual reference; and incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication.

imagery: mental images, figures, or likeliness of things.

verbal irony: in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant.

III. Questions: answer the following questions.

Scene 1:
1. What reason does Caesar give for not reading Artemidorus’s letter?
-He will serve his own needs last.
2. What Roles do the following characters play in the conspiracy?
Trebonius: He is the one who lures Antony away before they murder Caesar.
Metellus Cimber: Made a fake appeal to Caesar to let his banished brother into the city again.
Casca: He was supposed to stab Caesar in the heart by sneaking up behind him.
3. What is Caesar’s opinion of himself?
-He was unbreakable and powerful. He had the people falling for him and thought he could do anything.
4. What does “Et tu, Brute?” mean? How do these words relate to the theme of friendship in the play?
-You to Brutus.
5. Where does Caesar’s dead body lie? How is this ironic?
-He was laying infront of the statue of a man he defeated in battle. He died infront of a man he killed.
6. What does Brutus tell the conspirators to do after killing Caesar?
-To bathe their hands in Caesar's blood.
7. What promise does Brutus tell the servant to relay to Antony?
-Not to say anything bad about the conspirators at the funeral.
8. What does Antony say about the possibility of being killed by the conspirators?
-
9. After being assured he is in no danger, what favor does Antony ask of the conspirators?
-To be able to make a speech at Caesar's funeral.
10. What does Cassius think about granting Antony this favor?
-Cassius is against it. He doesn't trust Antony.
11. What restrictions does Brutus set?
-Antony has to speak after Brutus, and not say anything bad about the conspirators.
12. Summarize Antony’s main points in his speech to Caesar’s body?
-
13. Who is coming to Rome to meet with Antony?
-Octavius and Lepidus

Scene 2:
14. According to Brutus’s speech to the commoners, what reasons does he give for Caesar’s death?
-Caesar was ambitious.
15. What is the mood of the crowd as Brutus finishes his speech?
-They all believe that Caesar was a bad person, who wanted to become a dictator.
16. What does Brutus offer at the end of his speech?
-That he will kill himself if what he did was wrong.
17. List three points of Antony’s speech that work to persuade the crowd to turn on the conspirators.
-Caesar's will
-He refused the crown 3 times.
18. What reason does Antony give for why he cannot read Caesar’s will?
-
19. What has Caesar bequeathed the Romans in his will?
-He left them land and money.
20. How does the crowd react to Antony’s speech?
-They are outraged and start an angry mob.

Scene 3:
21. What happens to Cinna the Poet? Why?
-She was killed. Because they were upset and just because his name was Cinna, they wanted him dead.

Act 2 Study Guide (Julius Caesar)

Julius Caesar: Act II Reading and Study Guide

I. VOCABULARY: Be able to define the following words and understand them when they appear in
the play.

taper: to become smaller or thinner toward the end.

tyranny (t r -n )Arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.
lest:expressing fear, danger, ect.

II. LITERARY TERMS: Be able to define each term and apply each term to the play.

anachronism( -n k r -n z m): a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time.

complication: something that introduces unexpectedly, some difficult, problem, cahnge, etc.

personification: the attribution of a person nature or character to inamitate objects or abstract notions.

irony: the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.

I. dramatic irony: is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play.

II. situational irony: outcome to be very different then what expected.

III. verbal irony: a figure of speech is in what said is the opposite of what is meant.

aside: away from ones thoughts or consideration.

III. Questions: answer the following questions.

Scene 1:
1. According to Brutus, why is it is necessary that Caesar be killed?
-Caesar will become to powerful and general welfare.
2. What actions does Lucius perform that help the plot unfold?
-Send al letter about right and wrong and suggest certain things without spelling them out.
3. What is Brutus’s internal conflict?
-A terrible act and the actual performance of it is a nightmare. The soul and body debates the subject.
4. Why does Brutus disagree about taking an oath?
-Its for priests, cowards, old and dying men, and people enjoy dying. There blood would not be truly Roman if they broke there word.
5. Why does Metellus think it would be a good idea to ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
-His age would win popular support. People would say our youth and wildness were ruled by his sound judgement.
6. Why does Brutus say they should not ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
-
7. What does Brutus say about killing Marc Antony?
-He isnt going to kill himself; he loves sports, wildness, and soicializing to much.
8. What reason does Cassius give for why Caesar might not come out of his house today?
-He is superstitous, in contrast to the strong views he once had of such beliefs. Strange events and arguments of his fortuneteller.
9. By what method does Decius say he will use to get Caesar out of the house?
-He loves to hear such stories, he can also be trapped by-flattery.
10. Why is Portia, Brutus’s wife, worried about Brutus?
-The way he looks and his attitude.
11. How does she prove her strength to Brutus?
-Wounding herself in the thigh.

Scene 2:
12. Why does Calpurnia want Caesar to stay home?
-Because of the memory threatening omens.
13. Describe Calpurnia’s dream.
-She is frightened of the omens. Terrible things will happen.
14. How does Decius interpret the interpret Calpurnia’s dream?
-He had to make Caesar look at Calpurnia's drean in a different way.
15. What arguments does Decius use to change Caesar’s mind about going to the Capitol?
-Great men will come to you for honors and souvenirs to remember you by.

Scene 3:
16. What does Artemidorus plan to do?
-He wants Caesar.

Scene 4:
17. Why is Portia so nervous?
-she is nervous about the conspiracy.
18. What does Portia want Lucius to do?
-To go see what is happening at the capitol.
19.What does the soothsayer tell Portia?
-That Caesar is in more danger.

Act 1 Study Guide (Julius Caesar)

Julius Caesar: Act I Reading and Study Guide

I. VOCABULARY: Be able to define the following words and understand them when they appear in the play.

wherefore: The cause or reason.

exeunt ( k s - nt , - nt ): To or more performers go offstage.

vulgar: Characterized by ignorance or or lack of good breeding or taste.

construe: To give the meaning or intetion of; explain; interpret.

II. LITERARY TERMS: Be able to define each term and apply each term to the play.

blank verse: Is unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter.

prose: The ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure as distinguish from poetry or verse.

tragedy: Any literal composition, as a novel, dealing with a somber theme carried by a tragic conclusion.

pun: Use of words that are alike in sound but different in meaning; a play on words.

conflict: Is the struggle forces between opposing forces and is the basis of plot in dramatic and narrative literature.
External: 1. _______________ vs. ________________
2. _______________ vs. ________________
3. _______________ vs. ________________
Internal: 4. ________________ vs. ________________

soliloquy (s -l l -kw ): Is a speech in which a character speaks his or her private thoughts aloud.

iambic meter:

iambic pentameter:

metaphor:

simile:

III. Questions: answer the following questions.

Background

1. Where and when was Shakespeare born?
-1564 and England
2. What theatre did Shakespeare help build?
-Globe Theatre.
3. When did he die?
-April 23rd, 1616
4. In what historical period was Shakespeare living? Who was the ruler of England at that time?
-Renaissance and Elizabeth.
5. What three types of plays did Shakespeare write? Give an example of each.
-Histories, Comedies, Tragedies.
6. What was it like to go to a play during Shakespeare’s time?
-Women characters were played by male actors.
7. What historian did Shakespeare use as a source for writing Julius Caesar?
-Plutaarch.
8. When and where did Julius Caesar live?
-July 13, 100 BC-March 15, 44 BC and Roman Ancient Empire.
9. Who is Pompey? Although he is not a character in the play, why is he important to the plot?
-Was an alley of Julius Caesar and a rival of Marcus Crassus. The First Triumvirate.
Scene 1:

10. What is the setting? What holiday is being celebrated?
-February is Lupercal and in the streets.
12. Who are Marullus and Flavius?
-Two tribunes, government officials who supported pompey.
13. Why do they want to drive the commoners from the street?
-Because the commoners are not answering marullus directly.
14. What else do Marullus and Flavius do to further hinder the celebration of Caesar’s victory?

Scene 2:

15. What does Caesar tell Antony to do to Calpurnia?
-to touch her. It would shakeoff their sterile curse.
16. Why might Caesar ask Antony in front of everyone else?
-So everyone can know what he told Antony to do.
17. What is a soothsayer? Of what does he warn Caesar?
-A fortuneteller and to beware of the middle day of march.
18. What does ides mean?
-The middle day of the month.
19. Does Marcus Brutus like Caesar? What does Brutus think of Caesar’s rise to power? Use lines from play to support your answer.
-No, and Brutus thinks that he would be a better ruler.
20. Brutus says, “For let the gods so speed me as I love / The name of honor more than I fear death.” What do these lines imply about Brutus’s most important value in life?
-That honor is more important than life itself.
21. What story does Cassius tell Brutus?
-which Cassius and Caesar were swimming and Cassius claims that he rescued Caesar.
22. What is Cassius’s point in telling this story?
-To make Brutus know that Caesar is just like everyone else.
23. What is Caesar’s opinion of Cassius? Why does he feel this way?
-Dangerous and one who can see through people and understand their secrets.
24. What handicap does Caesar reveal about himself when speaking to Antony?
-His ear is deaf.
25. How many times was Caesar offered a coronet, or a small crown?
-3 times.
26. What was Caesar’s reaction to the offering, according to Casca?
-He refused to accept it and he fainted infront of everyone.
27. What sickness does Caesar have?
-Falling sickness or eplilepsy.
28. What happens to Marullus and Flavius?
-Put to death or have been barred from public life.
29. What does Cassius plan to do to convince Brutus to conspire against Caesar?
-To leave messages at his home that appear to be from other people.
Scene 3:

30. What unusual events occur during the storm?
-Seeing fire from the sky and feeling an earthquake.
31. What meaning does Cassius interpret from the storm?
-Is the gods way of telling the people that Caesar was becoming too powerful.
32. According to Casca, what are the senators planning to do to Caesar tomorrow?
-Make him king of all Roman territories except Rome (Italy).
33. Who is definitely part of the conspiracy?
1.Casca 4.Metellus
2.Cassius 5.Brutus
3.Cinna 6.Decius