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Julius Caesar
Study Guide
THE LINNY FOWLER WILLPOWER TOUR
2009
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
THE LINNY FOWLER
WILLPOWER TOUR 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OF
Julius Caesar
We are proud to bring WILLPOWER to
your students. For those schools that have
contracted for the full-day program,
performance skills that illuminate the
vitality of Shakespeare’s words and
characters will be offered through the
morning
workshops.
Our
afternoon
performance of Julius Caesar is designed to
show these skills in a performance that will
energize and inspire your students. The
post-show discussion will be a great
opportunity for the actor/teachers to bring
the day’s events into clearer focus, instilling
greater understanding and appreciation of
theatre, Shakespeare, and language, both
spoken and written.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Who Was This Guy?
Elizabethan England
QUOTES: On Shakespeare
Shakespeare's Theatre
Timeline
Shakespeare and Language
3
4
6
7
8
9
ABOUT THE PLAY AND THIS
PRODUCTION
The Characters
A Brief Synopsis
Time Line
An Interview with our Director
10
11
12
13
FOR THE CLASSROOM
The Role of the Audience
Shakespeare's Inspiration
Classroom Activities
Questions to Consider
Character Quiz
Meeting the Standards
14
15
16
19
20
21
ABOUT THE PENNSYLVANIA
SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
History and Mission of PSF
22
Opportunities for Students
22
SOURCES FOR THIS STUDY GUIDE 23
The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour
is made possible through a major gift from:
Beall and Marlene “Linny” Fowler
And these generous supporters:
Capital BlueCross
Crayola
DeSales University
Embassy Bank
Harry C. Trexler Trust
Lehigh Valley Health Network
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Pennsylvania Department of Community and
Economic Development
The Rider-Pool Foundation
The Ruth P. Seruga Trust
UGI Utilities, Inc.
Included in this study-guide you will find
information and resources on Shakespeare’s
life, language, and theatre. There is also
specific information on this production of
Julius Caesar which is designed to give
young people a fresh view on a classic
work. We will bring all our skill, passion
and artistry to the task. We hope you enjoy,
and will be filled with, WillPower!
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
WHO WAS THIS GUY?
Our knowledge of William Shakespeare’s life is pieced together,
as there are limited primary sources for information: his own
works, various legal and church documents, and references to
him, his plays, and his genius in third-party letters and other
documents. What follows is a brief summary of what we do
know:
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon,
on or about April 23, 1564. Records from the Holy Trinity
Church tell us he was baptized there on April 26, 1564. His
father was John Shakespeare, a glove-maker and leather
merchant. His mother was Mary Arden, a landed heiress.
William was the third of eight children—three of whom died in
childhood. His father was fairly successful and was an alderman
and high bailiff (mayor) of Stratford.
However, John Shakespeare’s fortunes declined in the 1570’s, which may have placed a university
education out of reach for William. How educated was this man? It is assumed that he went to the free
grammar school in Stratford, which was considered to be an excellent school, a competitor to Eton. What
seems to be certain is that Shakespeare never went on to university—and this adds to the on-going debate
of authorship of his plays.
The next documented event is Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582. They
had three children: a daughter, Susanna and then twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at the age of
11.
Then we lose track of Shakespeare for the next seven years. There are rumors that he was fond of
poaching and had to flee Stratford after an incident with one of the gentry there. He began to make a
name for himself in London by 1592, possibly earlier, as both an actor and a playwright. By 1594,
Shakespeare was acting, writing and performing duties as a managing partner for the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men. This was a popular company, enjoyed by the commoners as well as royalty. The
plague forced the closing of the theatres in 1593, and it was then that Shakespeare and company made
plans for The Globe Theatre. The Globe was to be across the river from London, and was built around
1598. In total, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays that have survived (or 38, depending on the point of view of
the particular scholar) and numerous sonnets and poems.
April 23, 1616 is the day that marks Shakespeare’s death, though we are uncertain of that date’s precision.
We do know he was buried in Stratford, with services at the Holy Trinity Church on April 25, 1616. In his
infamous will he left his properties to his daughter Susanna, and to his wife: his “second best bed.” His
final piece of verse was believed to be his epitaph:
Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbeare
to dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones.
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
art,
England
preeminence.
ELIZABETHAN
ENGLAND
established
an
envious
At this time, London was the heart of England,
reflecting all the vibrant qualities of the
Elizabethan Age. It was in this atmosphere that
London became a leading center of culture as
well as commerce. Its dramatists and poets were
among the leading literary artists of the day. It
was in this environment that Shakespeare lived
and wrote.
It is safe to say Elizabeth I was one of the most
popular and longest-reigning monarchs in
English history (1558 - 1603) — images of her
curly red hair and her reputation for possessing
a shrewd political mind are well-known to us
through books, movies, and works of art.
Elizabethan England was a time of great literary
and artistic flowering, as well as royal turmoil
and global conquest.
London underwent a profound transformation
in the 16th century. Its population grew 400%,
swelling to nearly two hundred thousand
people in the city proper and outlying region by
the time a young man named Shakespeare came
to town. A rising merchant middle class was
carving out a productive livelihood, and the
economy was booming.
Elizabeth I presided over a country rocked by
nearly a century of religious upheaval. The
country had endured radical ideological shifts,
accompanied by public persecutions, as each
new monarch took the throne. “As each sect
seized power, it set about burning and
disemboweling those who had been ascendant
moments before.”1
In the 1580's, the writings of the University Wits
(Marlowe, Greene, Lyly, Kyd, and Peele)
defined the London theatre.
These men
produced new dramas and comedies using
Marlowe's styling of blank verse. Shakespeare
outdid them all; he combined the best traits of
Elizabethan drama with classical sources,
enriching the mixture with his imagination and
wit.
Elizabeth was the daughter of Anne Boleyn and
the infamous Henry VIII of England. She
became Queen of England at the age of 25 after
her half brother and half sister had each briefly
reigned and died. Her sister Mary's reign had
been particularly brutal and violent. Mary’s
persecution of Protestant propagators earned
her the nickname "Bloody Mary."
Nonetheless, the age of Shakespeare was a great
time in English history. The reign of Elizabeth
saw England emerge as the leading naval and
commercial power of the Western world.
Elizabeth I's England consolidated its position
with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588,
and firmly established the Church of England
(begun by her father, Henry VIII, after a dispute
with the Pope). Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir
Walter Raleigh sent colonists eastward in search
of profit and Sir Francis Drake made a mark in
history
as
the
first
Englishman
to
circumnavigate the globe. In trade, might, and
1
Gopnik, Adam, “Will Power,” The New Yorker,
September 13, 2004, p. 90
“Beware the ides of March.”
4
- Soothsayer, 1.2
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
Entertainment & Recreation
In addition to the arts and attending the public
theatres, the Elizabethan people engaged in
sports. Some of the most popular sports are still
enjoyed today: football, swimming, fishing,
bowling, wrestling, and tennis. Also, the people
of a town would gather together on holidays for
huge parties and festivals, particularly on dates
such as All Hallow's Eve (Halloween) and the
Twelfth Night of Christmas.
Fashions of the Day
One rather morbid pastime of Elizabethan
England was watching the public punishments
of criminals in the town. In many towns the
stocks were permanent fixtures where felons
would be locked into place for the mockery and
torment of the townspeople. Public executions
were also well attended. Bear baiting and cock
fighting were other popular and gruesome
sports.
The fashions of both men and women were
extravagant and complicated. Men and women
alike were very hair-conscious; they spent a lot
of time and money getting their hair dyed red or
blond (the most fashionable colors). Men would
trim and style their beards, and women wore
their hair in combs, nets, or jeweled pins. At the
time, a high forehead was considered very
attractive, so women would pluck the hair from
their front hairlines. Both sexes wore wigs,
especially when they lost their own hair or if it
turned gray.
Food and Medicine
During the Elizabethan period, table manners
were very different than they are now. Even
noble people would throw bones on the floor
when they were finished, and forks were
considered a rarity at any table. Bread and meat
were the two most important staples of the
English diet. They also enjoyed a lot of wine
and cheese but ate very few fruits and
vegetables.
In terms of clothing, women wore very long
dresses that dragged on the ground, and their
bodices were very tightly-laced and came to a
point at the waist. The sleeves were puffy
around the shoulders and tight around the
lower arms. Very large ruffles around the neck
were popular with both men and women, and
were considered a status symbol for the upper
classes. Men wore shorter breeches or pants
with brightly colored stockings underneath to
show off their calves. Large, ornate jewels were
worn by both sexes, and were often so heavy
that it made dancing difficult.
This poorly-balanced diet was one cause of the
many illnesses that swept through Elizabethan
England. Sicknesses resulted from malnutrition
and improper cooking habits. Also, smallpox
and syphilis were common afflictions passed
from person to person. But the major cause of
death during Elizabethan England was the
plague known as the Black Death, which
flooded all of Europe. It was carried by the rats
living in the streets. People used herbal
remedies for many ailments, but unfortunately,
only the very rich were able to afford doctors or
apothecaries.
“But when I tell him he hates
flatterers, He says he does,
being then most flattered.”
- Decius, 2.1
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JULIUS CAESAR study guide
QUOTES: enjoying Shakespeare and his genius
“A young man from a small provincial town
– a man without wealth, without powerful
“Just plunge right in
family connections and without a university education
– moved to London in the late 1580’s and in
remarkably short time, became the greatest playwright
not of his age but of all time. His works appeal to the
learned and the unlettered, to urban sophisticates and
provincial first-time theatergoers. He makes his
audience laugh and cry; he turns politics into poetry;
he recklessly mingles vulgar clowning and
philosophical subtlety.”
(to Shakespeare). See a play, read it aloud, rent
a video, listen to a tape. It’s up to you. When
you look at Shakespeare close up, he’s not as
intimidating as when he’s seen from afar.”
Harrie Epstein, The Friendly Shakespeare
“Soul of the age! The applause, delight and
wonder of our stage!
He was not of an age,
but for all time!
Stephen Greenblatt, Contemporary Scholar
“What point of morals, of manners, of economy, of philosophy, of religion, of
taste, of the conduct of life, has he not settled? What mystery has he not
signified his knowledge of? What office, or function, or district of man's
work, has he not remembered? What king has he not taught state, as Talma
taught Napoleon? What maiden has not found him finer than her delicacy?
What lover has he not outloved? What sage has he not outseen?
What gentleman has he not instructed in the rudeness of his behavior?”
And all the muses still were in their prime,
When like Apollo he came forth to warm
Our ears, or like a Mercury to charm!
Sweet swan of Avon.”
- Ben Jonson, Elizabethan Playwright
Ralph Waldo Emerson
“But Shakespeare's magic
could not copied be;
Within that circle none
durst walk but he.”
- John Dryden
“It was Olivier’s
Henry V that made
me realize that
Shakespeare is
about real people
“My advice to anyone seeing Shakespeare:
Don’t worry so much!
Just make sure your ears are clean and your eyes are sharp.
Listen and look and watch.
Look at the distance people stand from each other;
Look at the relationships being developed.
Stay with it.
Don’t negate the move that
Shakespeare will make toward your gut, toward your soul –
Because he will touch you there,
If you allow yourself to be touched.”
David Suchet, actor
and that his language
wasn’t simply beautiful
poetry.”
Robert Brustein
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
SHAKESPEARE’S THEATRE
I
n Renaissance England, theatre was an important part
of everyday life. The Queen and other nobles had
private theatres built in their homes—much like movie
stars today have their own screening rooms. The public
theatres were built in and around the city of London and
these were open to all. The most expensive seats were in
the balconies but the cheapest admission charge was for
the “groundlings,” the people who stood on the ground in
front of the stage. Today, of course, the opposite is true.
The “orchestra” seats are in front of the stage and are the
most expensive.
the stage. Above this area was a balcony, which was
curtained, called the “inner-above.” This would be the
place for kings to address the masses or perhaps for Juliet
to talk to Romeo. Below the stage was a trap door that was
used for special effects (Shakespeare was very fond of
ghosts!). Behind the stage was what was called the “tiring
house,” a place where actors changed costumes and could
rest between scenes, similar to what we call the “green
room,” and “dressing rooms.”
The “box office” was not where you would go if you
wanted to buy a ticket. There were many entrances to the
theater and you could purchase a ticket from a vendor at
the door. They would then put the money in their own
little cash box, or make change for the patron. When they
were ready to start the show, all of the ushers and ticket
sellers would bring their “boxes” to the “office” for safe
keeping.
The first public theatre was built in 1576 and was simply
called “The Theatre.” The story is that as the lease on The
Theatre came due, Richard Burbage (who built The
Theatre) bought the Blackfriars theatre. In 1598, after the
growing complaints from townspeople had necessitated
relocation, the company decided to take their own action.
They returned to The Theatre, stripped it to its foundation,
and moved the materials across the Thames to Bankside,
and started construction on The Globe.
As mentioned earlier, this was an open-air theatre,
dependent on natural lighting and good weather. The
company performed in the afternoon, every day except
Sunday. Costumes and props (like guillotines, ladders,
crowns etc.) may have been extravagant in some cases,
especially in light of the fact that there was no painted
scenery. They did use music and many sound effects such
as cannons, drums and human screams offstage. When the
play was to shift location, the audience would know this
because different people came onstage, and new action
would take place. The spoken lines set the scene (“How
dark is this night!”), or the behavior of the actors alters
given the place and time of day.
In 1599 The Globe was opened. It was an open-air
polygonal amphitheatre with many levels and could seat
up to 3,000 people. The stage was a large platform that
jutted out with the audience on three sides. At the back of
the stage was a curtained area that could be opened to
reveal another room, or some kind of surprise. We call this
today an “inner-below.” There was no curtain in front of
Other interesting facts about this time:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Theatre companies had to be under the protection of a nobleman, or they could be arrested as a public nuisance.
The principal actors of the company owned shares in the company giving them a dividend of the profits or a portion of
the expenses.
Males played all of the roles; females were not allowed on the stage. Young boys were recruited to play the female roles-until their voices changed.
Actors performed in repertory and plays were changed frequently. The estimate is that one Elizabethan company could
present 120 performances of 30 plays in a six-month season.
Indoor theatres were also used by the various acting companies of the time, though The King’s Men, one of the companies
associated with Shakespeare, did not have access to an indoor theatre until around 1610.
Elizabethan theaters would raise a flag outside to indicate what the day’s feature would be: a black flag indicated tragedy;
a red, history; a white, comedy. In this manner, managers evaded the rule prohibiting theaters from advertising.
The Globe burned down in 1613. It is widely believed that the cause of the fire came from the cannons that were used to signal the
king’s entrance in Henry VIII. The cannon shot ignited a fire on the thatched roof of the gallery. The company rebuilt quickly and a
new Globe was completed before Shakespeare’s death. The new Globe continued in operation until 1642, when Oliver Cromwell
and the Puritans shut it down, along with the rest of the theatres and any other places of entertainment. The theatre was destroyed
in 1644.
Good news for theatre fans: through the perseverance of an American, the late theatre director Sam Wanamaker, a new Globe
was constructed near to the site of the original. It was completed in 1996, and had its official opening with Queen Elizabeth II
in attendance in May of 1997. The production was Henry V. The new Globe is as faithful a model to the first as possible, and
seats 1,500 people between the galleries and the “groundlings.”
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
TIMELINE
1558
Queen Elizabeth begins her 45-year reign as queen of England.
1564
William Shakespeare and Galileo are born.
1565
Pencils are first manufactured in England.
1567
Two comedies are performed at a Spanish mission in Tequesta, Florida
1572
Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe is the first to observe a supernova.
1576
The first playhouse in England is run by James Burbage.
1587-8
Christopher Marlowe writes Tamburlaine and The Tragedy of Dr. Faustus.
1588
Spanish Armada is battered by the English navy before escaping around the Scottish coast.
1589-91 Henry VI, Part 1 becomes William Shakespeare's first play to open onstage.
1595
Shakespeare writes Romeo and Juliet and Love's Labour’s Lost.
1596
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is completed.
1599
The Globe Theatre is built. Shakespeare writes JULIUS CAESAR.
1600
Shakespeare writes Hamlet.
1603
James VI of Scotland rises to the English throne after the death of Elizabeth I, uniting England and Scotland
under one crown and takes the new name, James I.
1605
Miguel de Cervantes publishes Don Quixote.
1605-6
Shakespeare writes Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.
1607
Jamestown, Virginia is founded.
1609
Johannes Kepler writes the first of Kepler's Laws, which establishes that the planets move in an elliptical
path around the sun; Galileo builds his first telescope.
1610
King Henry IV of France is assassinated by a fanatic and is succeeded by his son Louis XIII.
1611
The King James Bible is published.
1614
English settler John Rolfe marries Pocahontas, the daughter of a Native American chief.
1616
William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes both die.
1623
Publication of the First Folio.
“Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.”
- Caesar, 2.2
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
SHAKESPEARE’S USE OF LANGUAGE
The English language and vocabulary were expanding rapidly in Renaissance and Elizabethan
England. Several factors contributed to this, including scientific progress, which leads to
increased terminology, the rediscovery and publication of ancient classical texts, and social
expectations related to the use of language. The ability to compose verse, to offer stirring
praise or stinging insults, or to master foreign languages were all prized social skills.
Two of the most significant publications in the history of the English language were printed
within just twelve years of each other: The King James Bible (1611) and The First Folio of
Shakespeare’s Plays (1623). This bible used approximately 8,000 words. An average person
might make use of 17,000 words in a lifetime. Shakespeare used more than 34,000.
It has been said that Shakespeare invented, or was the first to commit to print, 1,700 words in
writing his plays, sonnets, and long poems. He developed new words by bringing in foreign
words, making conjunctions of two or three words, using nouns as verbs, or just making new
ones.
Here are some words and phrases that first appeared in print in Shakespeare’s works:
Alligator Castigate
Manager full circle Critical Gnarled
Puke Equivocal Jaded dead as a door-nail Gloomy Mimic Impede
Auspicious too much of a good thing
Leapfrog Dauntless Obscene
Rumination Torture Frugal Eyeball
Rancorous Unmitigated
all that glisters is not gold
good riddance Reinforcement Luggage
sorry sight
Hoodwinked Lonely
Divest
Petition elbow-room
Eyesore
Pedant Majestic Worthless
Zany Outbreak
Mountaineer Laughing stock
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heart of gold
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
The Characters: Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar – military hero, named dictator of the Roman
Republic after a civil war
Calpurnia – Caesar’s wife
Marc Antony – senator, loyal friend to Caesar.
Octavius – Caesar’s nephew and heir; aligned with Marc Antony
Lepidus – Antony and Octavius’ ally
Popilius – a senator
Artemidorus - Roman, warns Caesar
Soothsayer – warns Caesar, “beware the ides of March.”
Cinna the Poet – killed by the riotous mob
Marcus Brutus – senator, recruited to lead the conspiracy
Portia – Brutus’ wife
Lucius – Brutus’ young servant
Caius Cassius – senator, friend to Brutus; organizes the conspiracy
Casca – senator, first to stab Caesar,
Decius Brutus - senator, persuades Caesar to visit the Senate
_____________________________________________________________________
Characters cut or combined for the WillPower production:
Senators: Cinna, Ligarius, Trebonius, Cicero, Publius,
Romans: Flavius, Marullus
Soldiers: Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, Strato, Volumnius, Varro, Young
Cato, Pindarus
“Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend me
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your Ears.”
– Antony, 3.2
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY
ACT 1
The play begins when the Roman emperor Julius Caesar has returned from fighting a
civil war with Pompey. The whole city celebrates Caesar’s victory, but a soothsayer
confronts Caesar and warns him to “beware the Ides of March” (March 15th), and Caesar
ignores him. Brutus is Caesar’s close friend and a senator. Cassius, another senator, tries
to tell Brutus that Caesar intends to rule Rome single-handedly and become a tyrant.
Cassius, when alone, reveals to the audience that he believes Brutus is easily
manipulated and he plans to convince him to rise up against Caesar. Cassius then
instructs his friends, Casca and Cinna to write forged letters to Brutus, further urging
him to turn against the emperor.
ACT 2
After much convincing, Brutus agrees that Caesar must be killed in order to save Rome
from tyranny. The conspirators come to Brutus’ house at night to confirm alliances and
establish a plan for assassination. Portia, Brutus’ wife is wary of why her husband is
keeping secrets from her. Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, has horrible nightmares about her
husband’s death and begs him to stay home from the Senate, but he does not listen.
ACT 3
The next day at the Senate, Caesar’s devoted friend Mark Antony is lured away as the
conspirators surround Caesar and stab him to death. Mark Anthony simply asks to
speak at Caesar’s funeral, and to himself he promises revenge. At the funeral, Brutus
speaks first and convinces the Roman people that Caesar deserved to die. Mark Antony
speaks next and cunningly reverses the citizens against the conspirators. An angry mob
of Romans chase the conspirators out of the city.
ACT 4
In the military camp outside the city, tensions erupt between Brutus and Cassius and
they quarrel. Cassius offers his life as proof of his honesty and allegiance. Tempers cool
down and the two men forgive each other. Brutus reveals his wife, Portia, killed herself
and then is confronted by Caesar’s ghost. The ghost tells Brutus they will meet again at
Philippi.
ACT 5
The two sides finally meet on the battlefield. Cassius orders his servant and friend to
kill him after receiving a false military report. Brutus attacks the enemy but is defeated,
and he asks one of his soldiers to assist him in suicide and runs himself into his own
sword. Mark Antony finds Brutus’ body and proclaims him the noblest Roman of all.
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
TIME LINE: THE REVOLUTION
60 b.c.e.
Caesar is elected consul. Caesar, Pompey and Crassus form the “First
Triumvirate.”
59 b.c.e.
Caesar marries Calpurnia. Pompey marries Caesar’s daughter Julia
Caesar names Pompey his heir.
58 b.c.e.
Caesar leaves Rome for conquest in Gaul.
57 b.c.e.
Street fighting in Rome as politics turn violent.
55 b.c.e.
Pompey and Crassus are consuls. Caesar invades Germany and Britain.
Caesar published his account of the war in Gaul
54 b.c.e.
Julia dies in child birth. Violence and unrest in Rome
53 b.c.e.
Crassus is killed. Consular elections are postponed due to civil unrest
52 b.c.e.
Marital laws declared. Pompey appointed dictator
50 b.c.e.
Senate orders Caesar & Pompey to resign command over their armies. Pompey
raises troops to combat Caesar.
49 b.c.e.
Caesar invades Italy: Pompey abandons Rome. Caesar defeats Pompey. The
Senate names Caesar dictator and he returns to Rome once elected consul he
resigns his dictatorship
48 b.c.e
Pompey flees to Egypt and is murdered. Cleopatra is Queen of Egypt.
47 b.c.e.
Caesar pardons Brutus and Cassius for siding with Pompey. Caesar fights
Pompeians in the East, Africa and Spain.
46 b.c.e.
Caesar’s dictatorship is extended for ten years. Pompey’s sons renew the war
and are defeated.
45 b.c.e.
Caesar completes The Civil War. Caesar is granted the permanent, hereditary
title of Imperator (Emperor). Caesar names Octavian his heir. General amnesty
declared for Pompey’s partisans.
44 b.c.e.
Caesar is appointed dictator for life. Caesar is assassinated. Senate grants
amnesty for the conspirators. Antony’s speech at Caesars funeral causes riots.
Brutus and Cassius flee Rome.
43 b.c.e.
Octavian and Antony compete for power in Rome. Octavian, Antony and
Lepidus form an uneasy alliance. They march on Rome and take power.
42 b.c.e.
Caesar declared a Roman god by the Senate. Antony and Octavian pursue Brutus
and Cassius. The armies meet at Philippi. Cassius commits suicide. Second battle
at Philippi: Brutus commits suicide.
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
JULIUS CAESAR study guide
An Interview with Our Director: Erin Hurley
What is the main idea of Julius Caesar?
It is a play about power: how power is gained and lost.
Shakespeare also examines power, itself. All the main
characters in the play believe they can do the right thing, save
the republic of Rome, and control who holds power. The
trouble is that all of the characters fall prey to ambition, and
the result is their ruin.
What is one thing you kept in mind when working with the designers on the look of
the play?
I have two: Classical elements and accessibility. With that in mind, we ended up with a very
Roman set. Rome is perhaps the largest “character” in the play and what everyone is fighting to
uphold. I thought Rome needed to have a strong presence. The contemporary costumes
illuminate the story as universal and not just historical. I am also mindful when working with
the actors of audience’s need to clearly hear the play. Public speaking and the power of words
are very important in this play. Shakespeare’s language has to be the center of the production.
Is the WillPower production set in Roman times, Shakespeare’s day, or today?
We took some creative theatrical liberties with the setting of the play. Julius Caesar is most
definitely in set in Rome, but an imagined Rome of today. It is a Rome that rests on classical
political structure, ritual, and Platonic thought. Rhetoric is still the ruling persuasive art but the
senators look like they may have come out of Washington.
Whose tragedy is this? Caesar? Cassius? Brutus? Whose story was Shakespeare most
interested in telling?
I think Shakespeare wasn't interested in only one character but in examining the inner workings
of power. This is a very atypical play. Unlike Hamlet, King Lear, or Macbeth the title character
Julius Caesar is not the lead character. Marcus Brutus may be close to a lead character since we
follow his fall, but Shakespeare didn’t name the play after him. He called it Julius Caesar who is
the reigning monarch in the play.
In writing Julius Caesar, I think Shakespeare wanted to talk about what it means to be Caesar (or
king). What responsibilities does a ruler have? What rights? This is a political play that
chronicles history emerging from a conflict of men who want freedom, but think freedom
should be attained through different means.
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THE ROLE OF THE AUDIENCE IN THE PLAY
Et-i-quette, n.
1. conventional requirements as to social behavior.
2. a prescribed or accepted code of usage in matters of ceremony.
Western theater, particularly since the nineteenth century, has developed certain rules
of behavior for audience members—expectations about what audiences do and don’t
do. However, you should keep in mind that any given theater might have some unique
expectations about the audience’s behavior.
Of course audiences are not always quiet. Audiences at comedies can laugh; audiences
at musicals can applaud after a song. On the other hand, audiences at serious plays
might not applaud until the end of the performance—and even then, an audience may
be so stunned or deeply moved that there will be a moment of silence before the
applause begins.
Not all of these traditional expectations may apply at every theater event. In many
traditional Asian theaters, it is customary for the audience to eat during the
performance and even talk back to the actors on stage. In this country we have dinner
theater, where the audience is seated at tables, and dinner is served during the
performance. At some theatrical productions the audience may interact with the
performers: for instance, the actors may enter the audience space and speak to
individual audience members.
In Moliere’s time, wealthy spectators sat on stage. They strolled on when they wished
and talked loudly. There could be as many as thirty spectators on the stage, so it was
hard to tell the audience from the actors! The actors might find themselves with only a
small sliver of space for their performance.
Today the audience is expected to remain silent for the most part and not to interrupt
the performers. Audience members should not talk to each other as if they were at
home watching television; they should not hum or sing along with the music, unwrap
candy or other food, search through a purse or backpack, or take notes in a distracting
way; they should also shut off wristwatch alarms, beepers, and cellular telephones.
Remember that the actors can hear and see the audience. The audience is an acting
partner, and noises and distracting behavior will have an impact on concentration and
performance. Noise and distractions also affect the experience of the other spectators.
As a member of the audience, you should treat the performers with the same courtesy
that you would want if you were on stage.
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Shakespeare’s Inspiration
His own ideas? Or someone else’s?
The Question: Shakespeare rarely used his own plots, but creatively
borrowed stories here and there from histories, stories, and poems. So why, if
Shakespeare was such a good writer, did he use others’ stories so often?
The Answer: In the English Renaissance when Shakespeare was writing,
a story did not “belong” to a single writer. There were no copyright laws, and
because so few people were literate, much of history and the tales that people
knew passed from one generation to another by oral tradition. So stories
belonged, in a sense to the public. Shakespeare was nothing short of a ‘master
adaptor’, a story teller who took a strand from this source and a stand from that,
and wove them together into a creation entirely his own.
__________________________________________________
Shakespeare’s Sources for Julius Caesar:
Shakespeare’s primary source for Julius Caesar was
Plutarch’s Parallel Lives but during Shakespeare’s time it
was called Lives of the noble Grecians and Romanes. So who
was Plutarch? Plutarch was a Greek biographer and
essayist born in 45 A.D. in Greece. In Parallel Lives he
compares prominent figures from Greek and Roman
history. Plutarch was more interested in portraying the
characters and vagueness of these individuals, not just
highlighting their effects on the world. Shakespeare’s
Julius Caesar closely follows the outline of Plutarch’s work. Shakespeare’s plays
have been compared to symphonies that blend many instruments and multiple
themes into a single piece of art. Shakespeare does this by harmonizing many
characters and many different plots into a unified story.
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CLASSROOM EXERCISES: Spark the imagination!
Activities to do before reading:
1. A Creative Caesar Collage
Start a bulletin board for Julius Caesar. This will be a place where you can add
pictures, quotes, and poetry that remind you of the characters, plot, events, and
key objects of the play. Start off by putting pictures or words that represent
anything you may know or think you know about Julius Caesar before you read.
As you progress through the play add items to your bulletin board until it is
covered with Julius Caesar information! As you read, look for images of some of
the play’s major symbols – daggers, blood, statues, etc . As you go deeper into
the play, sit down in a circle and discuss your additions to the bulletin board.
2. Your Own Journey
Before you begin to meet the characters in Julius Caesar it is helpful to recall
experiences in your own life. This exercise will help you relate to the problems
that some of the characters are facing. Split off into small groups and think about
your own experiences. Then write down some of your ideas about the following
situations.
•
•
•
•
Think about a time when you had to choose between what a friend
wanted and doing what you thought was right. Were you
absolutely certain you were doing the right thing? How did it
affect your relationship? Looking back, do you feel you could have
done something differently?
We have all felt envy because someone had something we didn’t a possession, a quality, an achievement, or a person. Think of a
time when you envied a friend for something they had that you
didn’t. What was it? How did it make you feel? Did you do
anything about it? Did it affect your relationship? How?
What are your goals? Take the one most important to you and
think about what you would be willing to do to achieve it? Under
what circumstances could a person be said to be “too ambitious,”
if any?
Think of a situation in which you talked yourself into believing
something that you wanted to do was really the right thing to do.
Was it easy to rationalize or make excuses for the decision? What
ended up being the consequence?
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JULIUS CAESAR study guide
Think about disagreements you’ve had with people: your parents,
friends, or siblings. Do you believe that an argument can ever
strengthen a relationship? Do you think that true friends never
disagree? Write about a conflict you have had that made a
friendship either stronger or weaker.
Have you ever been told that you would be great at something
(like a school officer position) that you know, deep down, isn’t
really you? How did the person’s confidence in you make you
feel? Did you end up going against your gut feeling and do it
anyway? If so, how did it make you feel- and how did you do?
3. Get on your feet!
Shakespeare writes in iambic pentameter. Although those are big words they
make reading Shakespeare easy and fun to read. First you have to feel the
rhythm! Then take Flavius’ first five lines at the opening of Julius Caesar and read
them silently. Count the number of syllables in each line -there may be a few lines
that do not follow the strict 10 syllable rule so don’t worry. Form a circle and
walk as you read the lines out loud. Let the rhythm or the lines set the pace for
your circle. Don’t think too hard about this, just speak the lines and walk! Allow
the rhythm of the writing to affect the speed of your steps. Guess what? You’re
walking in iambic pentameter! When you get to the end of the line repeat, repeat,
repeat.
4. Unleash your inner Shakespeare
Shakespeare was a talented expressive writer. This exercise is done all on your
own. First find a location that has a lot of activity, like a school hallway, the
cafeteria, or outside somewhere. Once you have chosen your secret destination,
sit and write for 10-15 minutes. Write about whatever you see, hear, smell, or
feel. Try to make your writing as descriptive as possible. To test your writing
skills, see if you can use a metaphor in your writing. To see how well you
described your location, see if your class can tell where your location was.
5. Shakespearean Dictionary Game
In small groups, flip through the script and find two words that you are pretty
sure no one will know. Then, using the foot notes or a lexicon (if you have one)
look up the definitions. Next as a group make up two other believable definitions
that your classmates might think is the answer. First read the line in which the
word appears out loud. Then read the three definitions out loud, including the
correct one. Then as a class, vote on the definition that you think is correct!
You’ll soon see that often in Shakespeare the context of the word will lead you to
its definition.
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Activities to do as you read the play:
1. Casting Call
As a group, have students imagine they are casting a production of Julius Caesar. The
first thing a casting director has to do is come up with a break-down. This is a short
description of each character detailing qualities the casting director is looking for, like
age, physical appearance and abilities, personality type, etc. Have students create a
break-down for major characters. Next, have them try to find pictures in magazines of
people who match their descriptions or think of actors they’ve seen on TV or in films.
Have students find quotations from the play to support your casting decisions.
2. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.
We all use repetition in our everyday conversations to make our words more forceful.
“I’m very, very upset with you,” carries a stronger meaning than “I’m very upset with
you.” Shakespeare uses repetition in all of his plays to emphasize the point. Even actors
look for repetition to make their lines easier for the audience to understand. In Antony’s
funeral oration, you will find five or six key words and phrases repeated frequently. In
pairs find some of Antony’s repetitions and discuss what effect each word has.
3. Mock Trial Time
Imagine that the conspirators who murdered Caesar were arrested and are being taken
to trial. Prepare a mock trial for your class. First, assign roles; choose who will play the
accused, the prosecution and defense lawyers. Choose a witness from each side, and
name a judge. The rest of the class should be the jury. Before the trial begins, give each
participant a small description of his or her character and role. The description should
explain what will happen in the trail and explain the characters’ involvement in the
events. Once both sides have presented their arguments, the jury must deliberate and
then the judge is to deliver the appropriate sentence.
4. Snail Mail
Pretend you are a character from Julius Caesar, and compose a letter to one of the other
characters. It could be a letter you would write and never intend to send, a letter of
deception, or simply a note. Letters written at different points in the play may reveal
something about a character’s journey. Don’t forget to be creative!
5. Dueling Duologues
Shakespeare used duologues- the conversations between two people- to reveal
information about each character and the complexity of their relationship. The duologue
can have the feel of a duel between two combatants. Instead of using swords, they use
their words to fight. Work in pairs and take the duologue between Brutus and Cassius
in 4.3.1-123 (to “...and leave you so.”). Explore the movement of the scene by standing
up and each reading a part. As you read, try to get a feel for how the words position you
for the attack of for the retreat. The lines, like two swords, “cut and thrust”. At what
point is the conflict in highest tension? And at what line is the tension released?
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Name:_____________________________
Back in the Classroom - A time for reflection:
1. What surprised you the most in seeing our production of Julius Caesar? How did
it compare to your expectations?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
2. Julius Caesar includes a great deal of planning and plotting. Who do you think
sets the plans in motion? To what ends? Was the ending unavoidable? How
else could the play have ended?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
3. Which character would you want to play? Why? Which character would you
not want to play? Why?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
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Name:_____________________________
Character Quiz: Julius Caesar
Write the name of the characters below next to the corresponding quote.
Julius Caesar
Brutus
Antony
Cassius
Octavius
Casca
Calphurnia
Portia
Flavius
Cicero
Lepidus
Decius
1.
“I am constant as the northern star.”
2.
“You shall not stir out of your house today”
3.
“Over thy wounds now do I prophesy – fury and fierce civil strife!”
4.
“I draw a sword till Caesar’s three-and thirty wounds be well avenged!”
5.
“Beware the ides of March.”
6.
“Speak, hands, for me!
7.
“I love the name of honour more than I fear death.”
8.
“You have some sick offence within your mind”
9.
“If you have tears, prepare to shed them now”
10.
“I rather choose to wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you, than wrong
such honourable men.”
11.
“O Traitors! Villians!”
12.
“I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king”
13.
“Men, wives and children run as it were doomsday”
14.
“ You have some sick offence within your mind”
15.
“ O ye gods, render me worthy of this noble wife!”
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Meeting the Standards: PA
By attending a performance of WillPower and participating in the post-performance discussion,
students can meet many Academic Standards. Included in this study guide are activities and
writing assignments which, when implemented in the classroom, will allow students to meet
additional Standards. The following Standards are met with the performance and workshop
package provided by WillPower.
PA Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities met by WillPower
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Theatre – Knowledge, Recognition, Integration,
Demonstration
9.2 Historical and Cultural Contexts – Knowledge, Skills
9.3 Critical Response – Knowledge, Application
9.4 Aesthetic Response – Knowledge, Recognition, Integration, Skills
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening met by WillPower
1.6 Speaking and Listening – Knowledge, Recognition, Integration, Application
PA Academic Standards for History met by WillPower
8.4 World History – Knowledge, Skills
Meeting the Standards: NJ
NJ Visual and Performing Arts Standards
1.1 Aesthetics – Knowledge, Skills
1.2 Creation and Performance - Theatre
1.3 Elements and Principles of the Arts - Theatre
1.4 Critique – Knowledge, Skills
1.5 World Cultures, History, and Society – Knowledge, Skills
NJ Language Arts Literacy Standards
3.1 Reading – Vocabulary/Concept Development, Comprehension Skills/Response to Text,
Inquiry/Research
3.2 Writing – Forms, Audiences, and Purposes
3.3 Speaking – Discussion, Questioning and Contributing, Word Choice, Oral Presentation
3.4 Listening – Active Listening, Listening Comprehension
NJ Social Studies Standards
6.2 Civics - International Education: Global Challenges, Cultures, and Connections
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About the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University is a professional theatre company and
the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now celebrating its 19th season.
Every summer, the finest actors, directors, designers, and artisans from Broadway, off-Broadway,
regional theatre, television and film converge at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. The area’s
leading professional theatre company, PSF brings five full-scale productions, the WillPower tour, and
Shakespeare for Kids to the stage each year.
Our Mission is to enrich, inspire, engage and entertain the widest possible audience through first-rate
professional productions of classical and contemporary plays, with a core commitment to the works of
Shakespeare and other master dramatists, and through an array of educational and mentorship
programs.
More opportunities for Students and Teachers:
•
This spring PSF will hold its third annual Shakespeare Competition on the campus of DeSales
University. High school age students will be able to present a prepared Shakespeare monologue
or scene and be evaluated by professional artists. Check our website for more information and
registration.
•
As a WillPower participating school, your students are eligible to attend PSF’s professional
summer productions at the dramatically reduced price of $5.00 on a rush basis (with their student
I.D.) Single ticket prices for the general public are normally $29 - $46. As a teacher, if you are
interested in bringing a group to the Festival, you can take advantage of our great group
discounts by calling Timothy Walling at 610-282-WILL, ext 2.
We are on Facebook! Please tell your students they can become a fan of PSF
by visiting our Facebook page, “The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at
DeSales University.” They can learn more about upcoming events and stay
connected even after your WillPower day has ended.
For more information on any of these programs, please visit our website: www.pashakespeare.org
Summer Learning:
The Summer Theatre Institute (STI) at DeSales University, in association with The Pennsylvania
Shakespeare Festival, offers professional theatre training to high school and college students, and
members of the community, as well as the best in drama education for grade school students.
The Summer Video Institute (SVI) at DeSales offers students an introduction to the theories and
techniques of digital moviemaking. Working with state of-the-art technology, students will design, shoot,
and edit films of their own creation.
The Summer Dance Intensive (SDI) at DeSales offers professional dance training to students ages 14 and
up. The two-week program focuses on technical training in ballet, modern, and jazz dance.
For more information please visit our website at: www.desales.edu/finearts
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SOURCES FOR THIS STUDY GUIDE
BOOKS
Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead, 1998.
Dunton-Downer, Riding. Essential Shakespeare Handbook. New York: Dorling Kindersley,
2004.
Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. New York: Viking, 1993.
Halperin, Marilyn J. Julius Caesar: Teacher Handbook. Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, 2002.
Meserve, Walter J. and Mollie Anne. A Chronological Outline of World Theatre.
Scott, Mark W., ed. Shakespeare for Students. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1992.
PERIODICALS
Gopnik, Adam. “Will Power: Why Shakespeare remains the necessary poet.” The
New Yorker 13 Sept. 2004: 90-95.
Greenblatt, Stephen. “Shakespeare’s Leap: How did the son of a provincial glovemaker
Become the greatest playwright of all time? By plunging into the streets.” The
New York Times Magazine 12 Sept. 2004: 52-55.
WEBSITES
Shakespeare Festivals and Theatres
www.americanshakespearecenter.com
www.asf.net
www.bard.net
www.gashakespeare.org
www.pashakespeare.org
www.orshakes.org
www.osfashland.org
www.rsc.org.uk
www.shakespeare.org
www.shakespeareandcompany.org
www.shakespearedc.org
www.stratfordfestival.ca
Shakespeare Literature
www.webenglishteacher.com
www.folger.edu - The Folger Shakespeare
Library
www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/
www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org
www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
www.rsc.org.uk
www.absoluteshakespeare.com
www.internetshakespeare.uvic.ca
Study Guide contributors:
Education Director, Erin Hurley
Chelsea Anne Carle
Erika Graff
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