Julius Caesar-Act One Study Guide. Yelling at the people who are cheering Caesar for having killed Pompey

Transcription

1 1. Where does the first scene take place? In the streets of Rome 2. What are Flavius and Marullus doing? Julius Caesar-Act One Yelling at the people who are cheering Caesar for having killed Pompey 3. Who claims to be a "mender of bad soles," a "surgeon to old shoes," and one who lives by the "awl?" The cobbler, who makes and mends shoes 4. According to a laborer, why have the people left their shops and assembled? To get a day off from work and to see Caesar and rejoice in his victory over Pompey 5. Who was Pompey? A Roman general, a member of the first Triumvirate (government headed by 3 people). The first Triumvirate consisted of Caesar, Pompey and Crassus. C. poisoned Crassus and killed Pompey to become dictator. 6. How do Marullus and Flavius rebuke the people? They yell Go home! You used to cheer for Pompey and now you cheer the one that killed him. Shame on you! 7. What was Lupercal, and when did the Feast of Lupercal occur? A Roman festival held Feb. 15. Men run the streets, barren women are touched by them men for luck to shake off the curse of being unable to have children. 8. What character establishes the notion that Caesar is ambitious, and that he flies too high and is a danger to free men? Cassius is jealous and starts the conspiracy, going to individuals and stirring up hatred toward Caesar. 9. The purpose of the Feast of Lupercal was to secure purification and fertility for the spring planting. What other purpose did it serve for women as well? To end their state of being childless. Caesar in particular wants his wife Calpurnia to have a child so that he will have an heir.

2 10. In scene two, who, in particular, is instructed to stand in Antony's way and why? Calpurnia, so that Caesar will hopefully get an heir to the throne or become the next ruler of Rome 11. What warning does the fortuneteller give to Caesar? Beware the Ides of March. (March 15) 12. What is Caesar s response to the fortuneteller s warning? He ignores him, calls him a dreamer. He believes if something s in the stars, it s inevitable and going to happen. 13. What do Cassius and Brutus discuss after Caesar and his followers leave? Cassius says to Brutus that Brutus would make a good leader. 14. With whom is Brutus upset and why? He s upset with Caesar, even though Caesar is his friend. He believes that Rome should remain a republic, and so he is forced to oppose his friend. 15. Cassius openly works on contrasting Brutus s humility to Caesar s presumptuousness and arrogance. Why? Persuade Brutus to become the next head of the Republic 16. What fear does Brutus blurt out when shots are heard and a trumpet sounds? That the people want to crown Cesar king, which would be the end of the Republic. Brutus grandfather had first ended the monarchy in the Roman empire. 17. When Caesar returns from the race, which character s countenance seems to disturb him? Caesar is disturbed by Cassius, and he says he doesn t much trust him. He says he has a lean and hungry look (for power) 18. How does Caesar contrast Cassius with Antony? He says Cassius is too serious and stern, whereas Antony loves parties, jokes and plays and is (fatter) more content and less of a danger to Caesar. 19. Why does Antony have to speak to Caesar from his right side? Caesar is deaf in his left ear.

3 20. Why does Brutus grasp Casca s cloak? What does he want to know? Brutus asks Casca why Caesar looks so serious as Caesar s leaving the Feast of Lupercal. He wants to know if they crowned Caesar king. 21. What does Casca tell him has happened? Antony offered Caesar the crown 3 times and 3 times he refused it. The last time, C fell down and had a seizure. 22. What other physical impairment does Caesar have? epilepsy 23. According to Casca, did the Roman people seem to want Caesar to be king? They admired his respect for the republic and his turning down the crown, but he was really ready to accept it and probably would have if he d not fallen with the seizure right then. 24. What dramatic action had Caesar taken in front of the people before his fainting? He offered the crowd his throat to cut in case he had done anything wrong. 25. How did Casca react to the events at the Lupercal Festival? Mocking the commoners, commenting on their stinking breath 26. What has happened to Marullus and Flavius and why? They were silenced as punishment for pulling down the decorations from C s statues 27. Cassius s major plan involves Brutus. What is it? Replace C with Brutus as the head of the Republic 28. What secretive means does Cassius intend to use to persuade Brutus he is more noble than Caesar? Send him letters in disguised handwriting 29. In scene three, it is the evening of the Ides of March. Describe the weather. Stormy, lightening, burning meteors falling from the sky

4 30. Casca meets Cicero on the streets. State two unexplainable events. People on fire but not burning up, a slave with a hand on fire but it doesn t burn, an owl in the middle of the day, a lion in downtown Rome not attacking anyone 31. What is Caesar to do tomorrow? Go to the Senate and be crowned king 32. Cassius compared the storm to whom? C and the Roman people 33. According to Casca, what do the senators plan to do tomorrow? Crown him 34. What pledge does Casca give to Cassius? I ll do as much as anybody against C 35. Who is Cinna? A conspirator, and a senator 36. According to Cinna, acquiring the cooperation of who would be more beneficial? Cicero, a 62 year old Senator 37. Cinna is to deliver the forged letters to what three places? Judge s chair, Brutus s window, by the statue of Brutus grandfather 38. According to Cassius, what fraction of Brutus remains to be won over? His heart and his friendship with C 39. Who "sits high in all the people s hearts?" Brutus. He s highly respected by the people and that s why Cassius needs him to join the conspiracy so the people will side with those who kill C.

5 Act One Quotations 1. "O you hard-hearted people, you cruel men of Rome, didn t you know Pompey the Great?" Flavius to the commoners 2. "If we can pluck these growing feathers out of Caesar s wing, we can force him to fly lower." Flavius concerning taking the decorations off Caesar s statues 3. "barren women, when touched in this holy race, are able to shake off the curse of sterility." Caesar to Antony about the Feast of Lupercal and Calpurnia 4. "I shall remember when Caesar says Do this, It is done." Antony to C, pledging his loyalty 5. "Beware the Ides of March." The soothsayer, or fortune teller 6. "I fear that the people choose Caesar for their king." Brutus to Cassius, letting Cassius know that he doesn t favor it. 7. "I was born as free as Caesar and so were you. We both have eaten as well, and we can both suffer the winter s cold as well as Caesar." Cassius to Brutus about Caesar, showing his jealousy 8. "Cassius over there is too lean and hungry looking; he thinks too much. Such men are dangerous." C to Mark Antony about Cassius being hungry for power 9. "Such and such are reasons, they are natural occurrences, because I believe that they are completely strange events, full of meaning for the place where they occur." Casca to Cicero. He means that because the natural order is being upset by removing C from power, the gods will be upset and so strange omens will come from the gods to show their anger.

6 10. "It s a very pleasing night to honest men." Julius Caesar-Act One Cassius (to Casca) is saying that the gods know they re about to kill C and that s a good thing to honest men. 11. "O, he has a high place in the hearts of the Roman people, and what would appear offensive if we did it, his approval, like precious alchemy, will transform it to something virtuous and worthy." Talking about Brutus, Casca says this to Cassius, pointing out why he d be a good leader to take C s place. 12. "Cowards die many times before their deaths; valiant men only taste death once." C meaning he ll only fear death once and that s as he s dying. A coward dies each time he shrieks away from danger.