Wednesday, December 2, 2009

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

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