ACT 1 Guided reading questions for Julius Caesar. 3. From the speech he makes, who has Marullus s support: Pompey or Caesar? Explain your answer.

Transcription

1 Act I, sc i ACT 1 Name: 2. What about the carpenter upsets Marullus? 3. From the speech he makes, who has Marullus s support: Pompey or Caesar? Explain your answer. 4. What illegal thing will Marullus and Flavius do together? Act I, sc ii 2. Marc Antony will run in a sacred race this day. Why does Caesar want Antony to be sure to touch Calpurnia? 3. Who tells Caesar to beware the ides of March? 4. What does Brutus fear? 5. In his long speech, what weaknesses does Cassius reveal about Caesar? 6. Explain how Cassius s argument is designed to turn Brutus against Caesar. 7. What physical defect does Caesar reveal to Antony? 8. What happened to Caesar in the market place? 9. How have Flavius and Marullus been dealt with?

2 10. In his soliloquy, what reason does Cassius reveal for wanting Brutus on his side? Write the line. 11. What will Cassius do this evening to further entice Brutus into his plot? Act I, sc iii 2. How does Cassius use sexism to bait Casca to join his side? 3. Casca has heard that the senators plan to declare Caesar king tomorrow. Cassius says that would not happen if Caesar were not a and the Romans not. 4. Who will deliver the letters to Brutus? 5. By having Brutus on their side, Casca says their offence will be turned to and.

3 ACT 2 Act II, sc I Name: 2. What does Brutus worry about if Caesar becomes king? 3. It is Lucius who brings one of the letter to Brutus. Who is Lucius? 4. What has Brutus not been able to do since Cassius mentioned the conspiracy? 5. What does Cassius propose to signify their unity but to which Brutus objects? Why would he object? 6. Why do the men want Cicero on their side? 7. Cassius thinks they should kill too. 8. According to Brutus, why will Antony not be a threat? 9. Why may Caesar not come out of his house today? 10. At what time will they assemble again? 11. What prompts Portia to speak to Brutus? 12. If Brutus will not tell his innermost secrets to Portia, what does that make Portia? 13. What has Portia done recently to show how strong she is?

4 Act II, sc ii 2. Describe Calpurnia s dream. 3. What event caused Caesar s priests to warn him? 4. What is Caesar more dangerous than? 5. Why does Caesar decide to stay home? 6. Decius knows he must get Caesar to the Capitol. How does he do it? (2 things) 7. What dangerous request does Caesar unwittingly make of Trebonius? Act II, sc iii 2. What happens in this very short scene? Act II, sc iv 2. Portia says, How hard it is for a woman to keep counsel! What does she mean by this? 3. What information does Portia want?

5 ACT 3 Act III, sc I 2. Why is the opening exchange between Caesar and the soothsayer so important? Name: 3. What will happen to Cassius if the plot to kill Caesar fails? 4. What request does Metellus make of Caesar? Why does Caesar not grant the request? 5. Who stabs Caesar first? Last? 6. Caesar: Et tu,?------then. 7. What happened to Antony? 8. According to Brutus who speaks to the horrified crowd of Romans, what favor did the conspirators do for Caesar? 9. What stomach-turning thing do the conspirators do? 10. A servant brings a message from Antony. What does he want? 11. Antony makes a request of the conspirators. What is it? 12. Antony asks to speak at Caesar s funeral. Cassius thinks this is a bad idea. He worries that Antony will stir the crowd up. How will Brutus prevent that from happening? 13. What does Antony call Caesar s remains? 14. Who is on his way to Rome? 15. What two words does Antony use to describe Rome? Act III, sc ii 2. According to what Brutus tells the assembled Romans, why did he kill Caesar? (2 reasons)

6 3. Antony is a very skilled orator. He is a man with a plan. He, personally, finds it very hard to accept that Caesar s death was necessary, and the only reason he does accept it is because assures him it was necessary, and is an! 4. What has Antony found? 5. What ghastly thing does Antony do when he comes down from the podium? 6. What was the most unkindest cut of all? 7. What evidence is there that Antony has turned the crowd against Brutus and his pals? 8. What had Caesar left to the people of Rome? 9. Who has arrived in town? Act III, sc iii 2. Cinna, the poet, is mistaken for Cinna, a conspirator who killed Caesar. Why do you think Shakespeare wrote this brief scene?

7 Act IV, sc i 2. What is being pricked? ACT 4 3. Cite some proof as to how Antony feels about Lepidus. Name: Act IV, sc ii 2. With word brought by Lucilius, Brutus perceives Cassius to be a friend. 3. Why does Brutus want Cassius to come into his tent? Act IV, sc iii 2. Brutus accuses Cassius of having an itching palm What does he mean? 3. What is Cassius s message to Brutus? 4. What request had Cassius denied Brutus? 5. It is obvious that Cassius is tired of all the battles, with the enemy as well as with Brutus. What end does he offer? 6. At last, Brutus discloses to Cassius why he has been so temperamental. What has happened? 7. Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus have formed an alliance, the triumvirate. To demonstrate their power, what have they done? 8. Who else is dead? 9. Brutus wants to march to Philippi to attack Antony and Octavius while they are en route. Why does Cassius think that is not the right thing to do? 10. Who wins the dispute? What do you think is the reason he wins? 11. Who is in the room when the ghost of Caesar appears? 12. What is the ghost s message?

8 Act V, sc i ACT 5 2. What a blood bath! Julius Caesar was stabbed times! 3. The battle will proceed. Whose birthday is it? 4. What event does Cassius interpret as a bad sign for his side in battle? 5. What tender event ends this scene? Act V, sc ii 2. Brutus fights against, and Cassius fights against. Act V, sc iii 2. Brutus won his battle. Why did he not come to fight with Cassius and his men? 3. How does Cassius die? What provokes his death? What is special about the sword? 4. How does Cassius reward Pindarus? 5. Titinius was coming to Cassius to give him what? 6. How does Titinius die? 7. To Brutus s way of thinking, who slew Cassius and Titinius? 8. Why will Brutus not hold Cassius s funeral service at the battleground? Act V, sc iv 2. What do you think is the purpose of this brief battle scene? Act V, sc v 2. Speaking to Volumnius, what does Brutus know? 3. What will Octavius do with Strato?