Background on Shakespeare and the play

Where and when was Shakespeare born? What famous actress shares a name with

Shakespeare’s wife and how old were they when they married?

What three categories of plays did Shakespeare compose?

What was the name of his acting troupe? What was the name of his theater? How was it different from the other ones

common in London at the time?

Why do people think Shakespeare didn’t really write the works to which his name is attributed?

Whom do some scholars think may have written his work?

How many plays did he write before his death?

How many sonnets did he write before his death?

How many stories was his theater?Where did the wealthy sit?Where did the “groundlings” stand?Did they have elaborate costumes?Did they have a lot of props and scenery?Did they have special effects?Who played women’s roles?

How are Shakespeare’s plays structured?What is a Soliloquy? What is an apostrophe?What is an aside?What is a pun?What is imagery? How is it especially important in Shakespeare’s work?

Who was the famous queen after whom this period was named?

What other names does this period have?

What was England accomplishing globally at this time?

What power did people at the time attribute to the stars?

Did women have the right to vote?

April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare. There is a baptismal registration for Shakespeare, but few other written records exist. He was the 3rd of 8 children.

1582: According to church records, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway.

At the time of their marriage, William was eighteen and Anne was twenty-six.

Comedies - light and amusing, usually with a happy ending (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew)

Tragedies –serious dramas with flawed characters who cause disastrous endings (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello)

Histories – involve events or persons from history (Julius Caesar, Henry VIII)

1594: William became involved with a company of actors named “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” This group later (1603) changed their name to “The King’s Men”.

In 1598, Shakespeare, in collaboration with other actors, designed and built The Globe.

This circular theatre was the first of its kind, breaking away from the traditional rectangular theatres.

Edward deVere (Earl of Oxford)

Christopher Marlowe

Francis Bacon

At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have written around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also known to have contributed over two thousand words to the English language.

Shakespeare also came up with many phrases:• Eaten out of house and home• Pomp and circumstance• Foregone conclusion• Full circle• The makings of• Method in the madness• Neither rhyme nor reason• One fell swoop• Seen better days• It smells to heaven• A sorry sight• A spotless reputation• Strange bedfellows• The world's (my) oyster

Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard

No artificial light

Three stories high – upper levels or “galleries” were for the wealthy

The “groundlings” paid a penny a piece to stand on the floor in front of the stage—”the pit” (800 people)

Large platform stage

Back of platform was curtained off inner stage

Two door entrances/exits on either side of curtain

Small balcony/upper stage

Elaborate costumes but no props

Young boys played the parts of women; women were not allowed to be actors

Tiring house

gallery

The “pit” & groundlings

stage

“heaven”

Tragedy: A narrative that ends in destruction, in which main character makes a tragic mistake due to a flaw that causes an error in judgment.

Plays are broken up into acts, which are broken up into scenes.

Monologue: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character onstage to everyone.

Soliloquy: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character alone on stage, inaudible to other characters.

Apostrophe: A line directed toward someone not present, or inanimate object for dramatic purposes (not in expectation of a response.)

Aside: A short speech given by one character, traditionally the other characters cannot hear (a character’s thoughts aloud.)

Pun: A humorous play on words• Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery.• The executioner decided to drop out of Executioner

School. It was just too cut throat for him.

Imagery: use of sensory detail • The salty scent of the beach lingered on our sandy toes.• He savored the first bite of the apple pie, with its layers

of sweet fruit filling.

Act I: Exposition

Establishes setting, characters, conflict, and background

Act II: Rising Action

A series of complications

Act III: Crisis/Turning Point

A series of complications

Act IV: Falling Action

Results of the turning point; characters locked into deeper disaster

Act V: Climax/Resolution/Denouement

Death of the main characters and then the loose parts of the plot are tied up

Queen Elizabeth reigned 1558–1603. Known as the Golden Age or Renaissance Period of international expansion, and naval triumph

over the Spanish Armada. It was the end of the period when England was a

separate realm before its royal union with Scotland. English empire was growing as it claimed colonies

across the world. Elizabethan superstition: they relied heavily on

astrology and the stars. Women: Married women lost all control of their

property, even clothing, to their husbands. They could not vote.

Quotes that have lived through the Ages

"Beware the ides of March."Soothsayer, Act I, Scene II

"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.” Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II

"Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar."Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene I

"Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war” Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene I

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene II

"This was the noblest Roman of them all” Mark Anthony, Act V, Scene V

"Beware the ides of March."Soothsayer, Act I, Scene II

"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.” Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II

"Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar."Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene I

"Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war” Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene I

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene II

"This was the noblest Roman of them all” Mark Anthony, Act V, Scene V

Literary FocusMoodSetting

Overcast of impending doom, darkness and catastrophe—look for the motif of omens and foreboding signs.

Themes of betrayal, revenge and man’s thirst for power. Is Shakespeare saying there is no trust left, only manipulation and corruption?

Julius Caesar is largely set in Rome, 44 B.C. Ancient Rome

Tiber River the Capitol the house of the Senate The Forum

Dramatizes the events leading to the murder of Caesar and the struggle to control Rome after Caesar’s assassination

Based on Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans

PatriciansPatricians – old noble families, wealthy middle class; had much power

PlebeiansPlebeians – working class citizens, represented but with little power

ConsulsConsuls – highest ranking officials, presided over Senate and all elections

SenateSenate – Rome’s ruling body, selected by consuls

TribunesTribunes – only plebeians as elected officials; could veto Senate decrees; immune from arrest; many were assassinated when they stood in the way of a senator’s ambition

NOT a true democracyDuring crisis, powerful man could be

dictatorYET…more people had a VOICE Rome looked down on monarchsBy 44BC, Romans were convinced

that ambitions of one man threatened the Republic

Based on a true story, this play takes place in Ancient Rome, where Julius Caesar has just returned in triumph from war.

The crowd hails him as their new leader, but there are some Romans who fear he will become too powerful of a ruler, more like an emperor, and they will lose the liberties they have enjoyed as citizens of a free state.

A small group of men conspire to assassinate Caesar, believing they are acting to preserve the freedoms of the Roman Republic.

They surround him in the Forum, and stab him to death.

Death of Caesar

The play goes on to tell the story of what happens after the murder, as the conspirators quarrel among themselves, war erupts, and liberties, instead of being protected, appear to be lost.

Caesar Brutus (tragic hero) Antony Cassius Conspirators (Casca, Trebonious, Decius

Brutus, Cinna and Metallus Cimber) Calpurnia (Caesar’s wife) Portia (Brutus’ wide) Soothsayer (seer—warns “Beware the

Ides of March!”

He is the head of the Roman state. He is a great soldier, and has just returned from a series of wars during which he defeated the sons of the previous Roman ruler, Pompey.

He is popular with the crowds that stand in the streets to greet his triumphal return, cheering and clapping. Calpurnia is Caesar’s wife.

He is a loyal friend and supporter of Caesar, who he believes will make a good ruler of Rome. He is appalled at the killing of the head of state, and although he shakes hands with the conspirators immediately after the murder, he vows to avenge Caesar’s death.

He gives a funeral oration over Caesar’s dead body that stirs the crowd to anger and desire for revenge. He will be one of the three rulers of Rome, after Caesar’s death, and he gathers an army to fight the killers.

He is a respected Roman, a man of intelligence and honor, who is a personal friend of Caesar, yet wonders whether, as a ruler, he will overstep his powers and become a tyrant rather than a good head of state.

He is finally convinced to join the conspirators as their leader. As they raise their daggers to commit the murder, Caesar recognizes his dear friend and cries, in Latin, “Et tu, Brute?” or “You too, Brutus?” Portia is Brutus’ wife.

Casca, Trebonious,Decius, Cinna and Metallus Cimber are the other members of the conspiracy, each of whomparticipates by stabbing Caesar.

Cassius is one of the leaders of the conspiracy. He is suspicious of Caesar from the beginning, gathers others into the band, and convinces Brutus to join with them in their plans for assassination.

He and Brutus flee Rome after the killing, each gathers an army, and they try to conquer Mark Antony’s army.

1. Julius Caesar begins with a comic-relief scene, the streets of Rome lined with mobs of citizens who have left their place of work to greet Caesar on the occasion of his triumphant return from defeating Cneius, the son of Pompey in battle. What reasons does Shakespeare have for beginning the play in this fashion? It is a scene intended to engage our attention immediately as we, along with the Roman commoners, await the arrival of Julius Caesar with is returning to Rome in triumph, have conquered the sons of his rival, Pompey, who was defeated and subsequently killed in Egypt by one of his own soldiers.

1. Continued… Much of the humor of this scene is achieved through the

pun. Find THREE examples of this play on words.

"A trade sir, that, I hope, may use with a safe conscience, which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.” The pun is Bad soles, it has a double meaning of bad souls.

"Truly, sir, all that I live by is with awl” The pun is with the awl, meaning all.

What is the importance of Flavius and Marullus in this scene? What impression do we get of the Roman mob?

In Act I, scene ii, we meet the central characters of the play: Caesar, Cassius, Brutus and Mark Antony.

 Write a brief character sketch of Julius Caesar from the impression that we get of him in this scene. Give specific references to illustrate your point of view.

 3. What impression do we get of Brutus in this scene? Develop your answer with specific reference.

4. The most important aspect of this scene is Cassius’s manipulation of Brutus in order to convince him to join the conspiracy against Caesar. What tactics—both emotional appeals as well as logical argument—does Cassius use to convince Brutus? What are his most effective tactics? Why? Refer to specific lines to illustrate your ideas.

5. This scene ends with Cassius delivering the first soliloquy in the play. Define soliloquy, noting some of its important characteristics. Paraphrase Cassius’s speech, indicating, with reference to specific lines, what it reveals about Cassius’s character and the real motives for his hatred for Caesar.

6. Act I scene iii opens with a violent thunderstorm that frightens Casca because he believes that the storm is a supernatural phenomenon foreboding some evil to the State. List any FOUR of these strange occurrences that Casca reports to Cicero.

7. Cassius deliberately searches out Casca during this terrible storm just as he had done Brutus in the previous scene. What tactics does he use to appeal to Casca? What is Cassius’s purpose for including Casca in the conspiracy when, by his own admission, he regards Casca to be a dull-witted individual?

8. At the end of this scene, Casca and Cassius discuss the reasons why Brutus is needed to ensure the success of the conspiracy. What reasons do they give?