Download Julius Caesar - Miller

William Shakespeare
Born in Stratford upon Avon,
England…April 23rd 1564
William Shakespeare’s
World
• Shakespeare came to prominence at a glorious time for
the arts, the Elizabethan Era.
• Texts from the ancient Greeks and Romans were being
translated, leading to an intellectual boom.
• New worlds, from North to South America were being
discovered.
• London itself was becoming a metropolis and
Shakespeare was able to join a theatre company, Lord
Chamberlain’s Men (later, The King’s Men).
The Globe Theatre
•Globe built in 1599 by the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men, with Shakespeare as a
primary investor.
•It is believed that Julius Caesar was the first
Shakespeare production performed here.
•Burned down in 1613 during a production
of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII when a cannon
misfired and a spark landed on the thatched
roof.
The Rebuilt Globe Theater, London
Julius Caesar
William Shakespeare
Historical
Background
First Triumvirate
Crassus
Fantastic wealth and
political influence
Caesar
Pompey
Enormous
popularity and
strong legal
background
Great wealth and
decorated military
career
• First Triumvirate ruled Rome and its surrounding
areas for years until Crassus died.
• Pompey’s jealousy of Caesar led to civil war, with a
successful outcome for Caesar.
• Caesar became sole master of the Roman world in 45
B.C.
• Caesar remained ultra-popular, but there are those that
feared his supposed intentions of becoming the King
of Rome.
This is our Story…
• At the beginning of the play, we arrive on the streets of
Rome right as Caesar returns from the civil war.
• There are those who are celebrating Caesar’s victory,
but also those who are highly skeptical of the now allpowerful ruler.
• Crowds during Shakespeare’s time (play was written in
1599) could relate to a shift in power; Elizabeth I was
an older monarch with no immediate heir. The people
of England worried about succession and the violence
that might break out as a result of uncertainty.
• Brutus- Roman general; friends with Caesar;
part of plot to assassinate Caesar
• Cassius- manipulator; fearful of Caesar; plots to
assassinate him
• Caesar- successful military leader; easily
flattered; overly ambitious
• Casca- joins conspiracy; first to stab Caesar
• Soothsayer- fortuneteller;
warns Caesar of danger
(Beware the ides of March)
• Cinna-
assists in conspiracy; tries to flatter Brutus to
join
• Decius-
flatters Caesar to convince him to go to the
Senate
• Antony- loyal to Caesar; speaks at his funeral
• Octavius- nephew to Caesar; works with Antony
to fight Cassius & Brutus
• Lepidus- part of the 2nd triumvirate; helps
Antony and Octavius
• Calpurnia- wife of Caesar; urges him to stay home the
day he is murdered
• Portia- wife of Brutus
Forms of
Government
• Monarchy- supreme power held by a single person
• Republic-state in which the supreme power rests in
the body of citizens entitled to vote (exercised usually
by representatives)
• Dictatorship-the form of government in which
absolute power is exercised by a dictator
Before you Read…
• Dante: Brutus and Cassius, the foremost of the
conspirators who killed Caesar, were traitors who
deserved an eternity in Hell (Remember The Inferno).
• Sir Philip Sidney: Caesar was a rebel threatening
Rome, and Brutus was the wisest of the senators.
Brutus truly did what he thought was best for Rome.
• YOU DECIDE!!!
How to Read the Play
• Do not pause at the end of a line unless the punctuation
calls for it
• Read it like prose
• Many of these plays have numerous references to
people, places, events, myths, etc., that you might not be
familiar with. That’s what the notes are for—use them.
• Keep a dictionary handy. Consider downloading the
free dictionary.com app if you have a smartphone or
tablet!
• Take your time!