JULIUS CAESAR STD. 8 ACT II SCENE 1 Ref. 1 Lucius: I will, my lord. Exit Lucius It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the question. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; And that craves wary walking Q.1. Where does this scene take place? Who is Lucius? The scene takes place in Rome in Brutus orchard. Lucius is the servant of Brutus. Q.2. In what mood is Brutus? What does it refer to? Whose death is suggested? Brutus is worried and unable to sleep as they are plotting the murder of Caesar. It refers to the freedom of Rome from the tyranny of Caesar. Caesar s death is suggested. Q.3. Who has convinced Brutus to take such a step? What is the motive of Brutus for taking such a decision as expressed in the extract? What does it reveal about Brutus? Cassius convinced Brutus to take the step to kill Caesar. He has done this by speaking to Brutus directly and indirectly through the numerous notes that he has written to Caesar and which were found on the windowsill of Brutus study. Brutus believes that Rome should be set free from the tyranny of Caesar the dictator. He says he has no personal reason to spurn Caesar, but he takes the decision for the general good of Rome He loves Rome and he feels bound by duty which is based on the legacy left by his ancestor, Junius Lucius Brutus to free Rome from a tyrant and to restore it to its former glory of a great Rupublic. 1
Q.4 What danger does Brutus forsee if the person is crowned as a King. How is this danger expressed by referring to the bright day and the adder? Brutus fear and anxiety is apparent in the lines He would be crowned King. How that might change his nature, there s the question! Brutus continues his musings when he says that just as an adder comes out during the day and makes people walk carefully for fear of treading on them. In the same way if Julius Caesar is crowned king, the title of royalty will make him so powerful that he will harm us common people. Q.5. Briefly explain how Brutus continues to reflect on his fears of Julius Caesar growing stronger and more powerful in the rest of the soliloque and how through these musings he convinces himself that he is taking the right decision by being a part of the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar? Brutus continues by saying that greatness, that is, power is abused when it is disassociated from compassion. He says that it is common knowledge that people who are ambitious begin by being humble but when they climb the ladder of ambition they turn their face upwards and scorn those below. However, since they have no reason to quarrel with him now on these accounts, he feels that Caesar in his present position, if he is given increased power it would lead him to the excess of tyranny. Therefore, he says he should think of Caesar as a serpent s egg which if hatched would be dangerous as serpents usually are, so it is wiser to kill him in the shell. Ref II Tis good. Go to the gate: somebody knocks. (Exit Lucius) Since Cassius first did when me against Caesar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream The genius and the mortal instruments Are then in council and the state of man, Like a little kingdom, suffers then The nature of an insurrection. Q.1. Who is knocking at the gate? Why has he come? Cassius is knocking at the gate. He has come, as he wants Brutus to join in the enterprise to kill Julius Caesar. 2
Q.2. In what mental frame of mind is Brutus? Why does he compare his mental condition to a hideous dream? Brutus says that since Cassius first spoke to him about Caesar, he has not slept. Brutus is troubled and confused he says that the interval between the first impulse to do a dreadful deed and the performance of it, is like a nightmare or a horrible dream. Q.3. Explain the meaning of the genius and the mortal instruments are then in council and the state of main is like a little kingdom Brutus says that it is a time when the spirit is in conflict with reasoning. The rational powers (the genius) and the passions of the body (mortal instruments) are engaged in an argument (in council) and man s nature, like a small kingdom, then suffers due to the nature of their revolt. Ref III They are the faction. O conspiracy, Shams t thou to show thy dangerous brow by night When evils are most free? O, then by day. Q.1. Who enters after this extract? How are they dressed? Who informs Brutus of their arrival? The Conspirators: Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus Cimber and Trebonius. Lucius tells Brutus that the visitors have their hats pluck d over their ears and half their faces are buried in their cloaks that by no means he may discover them by any mark of favour. Q.2. What is meant by faction and thy dangerous brow? The word faction refers to a group of conspirators. Brutus exclaims to himself: conspiracy are you ashamed to show your face to world? Here the word dangerous means evil, as the conspirators have an evil plot to kill Caesar. Q.3. How does Brutus advise conspiracy to disguise itself during the day During the day, he advises that they should hide their evil intentions with smiles and affability as they will not find a cavern dark enough to hide their monstrous visage Q.4. What is referred to as Erebus? If conspiracy were to appear with its native semblance on, what would happen? Erebus means hell. If the conspirators moved around with their natural faces Brutus feels that not even hell will be dark enough to hide their evil intentions from being recognized. 3
Q.5. Why is it necessary to disguise the conspiracy? Give two of the precautions taken by the conspirators to hide their conspiracy? It is necessary for the conspirators to be disguised for fear of being caught as then their plot to kill Julius Caesar would be discovered. The two precautions taken by the conspirators was to pull their hat down over their ears and lift the collar of their cloak up to their ears, thus disguising themselves from being recognized. Ref:IV What need we any spur but our own cause To prick us to redress? what other bond Than secret Romans, that have spsoke the word And will not palter? And what other oath Than honesty to honesty engag d That this shall be, or we will fall for it? Q.1. Who are referred to as we? What is our own cause? State in your own words how the cause itself is a spur? The word we refers to the conspirators. Their own cause was to free Rome from the dictatorship of Caesar. Here Brutus refers to the sufferance of Rome at the hand of Caesar. He feels that the mental pain of the people and the corruption of the present age is enough spur to bind them together in their plan to free Rome from the tyranny of Caesar and the present times and restore Rome back to its original glory of a great Republic. Q.2. Who had suggested the idea of taking an oath? Why did Brutus dismiss that idea? Was Brutus decision wise? Why? When Brutus asks all the conspirators to give their hands by one by one, Cassius interprets it to mean that the Conspirators should lay their hands on the hilt of the sword and take an oath to keep faith. Brutus immediately dismisses the idea of taking an oath. He says that he feels there is no need for them to take an oath, he feels that the sufferance of the people and evils of the time are enough motive to bind them together with a fire that would kindle cowards and would turn even the melting spirits of women to valour. He ends by saying then, countrymen, what need we any spur but our own cause to prick us to redress? Brutus decision was not a wise one. He was too trusting of the conspirators, He did not believe that a conspirator could betray them. However, their plot to kill Caesar was known to Artemedorius and if Caesar had read the note that was presented to him by Artemedorius and taken cognizance of it, he would have been aware of the plot and would have put all the conspirators to death. 4
Q.3. Explain what is meant by honesty to honesty engag d Why is honesty very important for Brutus and his men? Brutus feels they do not need to take the oath as they have given their word, as one honest man to another. Honesty is very important for Brutus as he feels that they should either succeed in their enterprise or die should they be discovered. Q.4. According to Brutus who normally takes an oath? According Brutus, priest, cowards, deceitful men, old feeble carrions and such suffering souls that welcome wrongs unto bad causes normally take an oath. Q.5. How does Brutus convince his group to uphold Roman nobility rather than depend on an oath? Brutus says that every drop of blood in each one of them will be guilty of not being a true Roman if they betray even a smallest part of the plot. Ref V O name him not; let us not break with him For he will never follow any thing That other men begin Q.1. What does him refer to? What did Brutus want to leave him out of? Him refers to Cicero. Brutus wanted to leave Cicero out of the conspiracy to kill Caesar. Q.2. Who was in favour of including him? What was his reason? Cassius wanted Cicero to be included in the group of conspirators. His reason for including him is, as he says, I think he will stand very strong with us. Q.3. Who seconds the inclusion? What reasons does he give? Metillus Cimber seconds the inclusion. He reasons that Cicero s silver hairs will purchase us a good opinion and will make men think favourably of their enterprise. People will then think that his mature judgement has guided them and it would then hide their rash behaviour under the cloak of his maturity. Q.4. Why does Brutus not want to include him? Brutus turns down the proposal. He says that they should not confide in Cicero as he is a type of person that will never follow any plan started by others. 5
Ref VI Cassius: Yet I fear him, For in the ingrafted love he bears to Caesar Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him If he love Ceasar all that he can do Is to himself, take thought and die for Caesar And that were much he should for he is given To sports, to wildness and much company. Trebonius: There is no fear in him, let him die For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter. Q.1(a) What is the occasion for the dialogue? All the conspirators have come to Brutus house to persuade him to join the conspiracy. Q.1(b) Why does Cassius want Mark Anthony to be killed? Cassius feels that it is not right that Mark Anthony, so well loved by Caesar, should live after Caesar dies. He feels that Mark Anthony is a shrewd contriver and with help he might injure them so to prevent this from happening, let Anthony and Caesar fall together. Q.2. Earlier in this scene, Brutus had said, our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius to cut the head off and then hack the limbs whom are they speaking off and what course will be too bloody? Here Cassius had suggested that Mark Anthony, who loved Caesar, should also be killed, but Brutus said that if they did, then their actions would seem too murderous. It was enough to kill Caesar, but killing Mark Anthony would be like cutting off the head of a person and then hacking off the limbs, like wrath in death and envy afterwards. They would then appear like murders to the people of Rome. Brutus wishes that they should appear as sacrificers rather than butchers. Q.3. How then does Brutus suggest that they should kill Caesar? Explain his exact words. Brutus suggests that they should kill him boldly, not wrathfully. It would have been good if they could kill the spirit of Caesar without shedding a drop of blood. He says that they should carve him like a dish fit for the Gods and not hew him like a carcass fit for the dogs. Brutus says that just as some clever men incite their servants to do certain deeds for which they afterwards pretend to rebuke them angrily in order to appear innocent before the public. Similarly they would incite their hands to commit the murder and then disown the deed. So they will be called purgers and not murderers. 6
Q.4. Why does Cassius fear him for in the ingrafted love he bears to Caesar? Cassius tries to persuade Brutus that it is wiser to kill Mark Anthony too as he is afraid of him because of his deeply rooted love for Caesar. Q.5. How does Brutus dismiss Cassius fear of Mark Anthony? Brutus tells Cassius that all that Mark Anthony can do if he loves Caesar is to take the whole matter to heart and die and that is too much to ask of him as he is given to sport, to wild living and good company. Q.6. Which of the three, Cassius, Brutus or Trebonius prove to be right and in what way? Cassius is finally proved right as later on in the play we see that at the death of Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony makes a promise that there will be death, destruction and mutiny at the death of Caesar. He moves the citizens in his funeral oration to mutiny and revolt against the conspirators. Ref VII: Portia: Dwell I but in the suburbs Of your good pleasure? You are my true and honourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart Portia: If this were true, then should I know this secret Q.1. Give the meaning of: Dwell I but in the suburbs Of your good pleasure? In the earlier lines Portia has been complaining to Brutus about his strange behaviour. She tells him that there seems to be a sorrow in his mind which he is not confiding in her. She claims her right as a wife to know what is troubling him. She says she is not his wife with limitations, that is, his wife who will only eat with him, share his bed or talk to him sometimes. She says that if she is not his wife in the true sense, does she then but dwell in the suburbs of his good pleasure? Q.2. What is Brutus reaction to Portia s words? Brutus assures Portia that she is his true and honourable wife, as dear to him as the warm blood that visits his sad heart. 7
Q.3. How does Portia defend herself as his true and honourable wife and prove her constancy? Portia grabs this opportunity to insist on knowing what is going on in the mind of Brutus. She says that she agrees that she is a woman, but then she says, she is a woman that Lord Brutus took as his wife. A well-reputed woman and Cato s daughter. Therefore, she feels that she should be thought of as a woman worthier than others of her sex, since she is so father d and so husbanded. She continues to tell him that she has inflicted a strong wound on her thigh and she has kept it a secret from him, so she asks him, can I bear that with patience and not my husband s secrets? Q.4. How do we know that Brutus is convinced of his wife s ability to keep a secret? Brutus is finally convinced, he prays to the gods to make him worthy of his noble wife. There is a knock at the door, Brutus request her to go away for a while and promises to reveal to her, at a later time, the secrets of his heart, all his commitments and the meaning of the worried lines on his brow. Ref. I. Enter Calphurnia Act 2 Sc. 2 Calphurnia: What mean you,caesar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house today. Caesar: Caesar shall forth: the things that threaten d me Ne er look d but on my back; when they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished. Q.1. In what mood is Calphurnia when she speaks to Caesar? What has he noticed about the night and what did he ask his servants to do then? Why does Calphurnia warn him? Calphurnia is frightened and is in a troubled state of mind, the scene begins with thunder and lightning. Caesar enters in a nightgown and says that thrice has Calphurnia cried out for help in her sleep saying that they have murdered Caesar. He asks his servant to bid the priests make a sacrifice in honour of Caesar and then bring back to him their opinion of success. Calphurnia warns him not to venture out to the Capitol that day because of the ill omens and portents of the night. She says she has never before attached much importance to signs and omens but now they make her terribly afraid. 8
Q.2. Caesar says, Caesar shall forth On what are Calphurnia s fears based? State the unusual things which she has heard have happened? Calphurnia has had a bad dream wherein she has seen Caesar murdered and she has cried out thrice in fear. She has seen Julius Caesar murdered and many lusty citizens bathing their hands in his blood. The two unusual things that have happened. The watch has seen some horrid sights. A lioness has given birth to a cub in the streets, the graves have opened up and yielded their dead, warriors have fought fiercely in rank and squadron and their blood has rained down upon the Capitol. The air is filled with clash of arms, the neighing of horses and the groans of dying men, while ghosts shrieked and squealed about in the streets. Q.3. What does Caesar say later about cowards? What does he say in the extract to show that he is not threatened? Caesar affirms that he will set out for the Capitol as planned. He says that the things that threaten him do so behind his back, but when they see the face of Caesar they vanish with fear. He later says that his fate is determined by destiny and so he will go as planned, these predictions, omens and evil signs are for the whole world in general and not just for Caesar. Q.4. What according to Calphurnia is the difference between a beggar s death and that of a prince? What does Caesar have to say about the death of cowards and valiant men? Calphurnia tells Caesar that when beggars die no comets are seen in the sky. But when a prince dies, the heavens themselves seem to proclaim the sad news by splattering the sky with burning meteors. Caersar tells Calphurnia that cowards die many times before their actual death as they are constantly in fear of death. He says he finds it strange that men should fear death, as death is a necessary end and will come when it has to. Q.5. What aspect of character of Calphurnia as well as of Caesar are hinted of at in the extract? We see Calphurnia in the true role of a wife anxious for her husband s safety. She is threatened by the ill omens of the day and the unusual happenings and warns and begs of Caesar not to venture out to the Capitol that day. Much as he would like to pretend that he is brave and not afraid, we find that Caesar is affected by the ill omens of the day and Calphurnia s dream. He orders his servants to go to the priest and ask them to offer sacrifice in his honour and bring back to him their opinion whether he should venture out that day or not. When he is informed that the priests did not find a heart in the sacrifice, and they bade him stay at home, he interprets the oracle to mean that Caesar would not have a heart if he stayed at home and did not go to the Capitol that day. Here we have a Caesar torn between his longing to go to the Capitol and his fears and superstitions. Finally he does give in to Calphurnia and decides to stay at home to humour her. 9
Ref. II Decius: Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laughed at when I tell them so Caesar: The cause is my will, I will not come That is enough to satisfy the Senate But for your private satisfaction Because I love you, I will let you know Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home She dreamt tonight.. Q.1. Who is Decius? Why has he come to Caesar s house? Decius is a conspirator. He has come to Caesar s house to take him to the Capitol. In the earlier scenes he had assured the rest of the conspirators that he would do his utmost to convince and get Caesar to the Capitol that day. Q.2. In the earlier extract, what does Caesar say to Decius when he sees him? When Caesar sees Decius, he tells him that he has come at the right time and should convey to the senate that he would not come to the Capitol that day. Q.3. Bring out three arguments Decius puts forward to make Caesar change his mind? One argument given by him to convince Caesar to come to the Capitol is that the Senate has decided to crown mighty Ceasar and if he sent word that he was not coming in, they might change their minds. Besides, he says that a joke is likely to be made by some of the Senators that the Senate meeting is adjourned until Calphurnia is favoured with more fortunate dreams. He feels that the Senators will ridicule his message. Lastly he convinces Caesar by saying that if he stayed away the Senators would think that he is a coward and was afraid. Q.4. How does Decius interpret Calphurnia s dream? He says it is dream that has been totally mis-interpreted. He says that the dream was a vision fair and fortunate, in fact it predicts good fortune. He says that Caesar s statue spouting fountains of blood in which many smiling Romans bathed their hands signifies that Rome will get her blood rejuvenated with his blood and this blood will revive the Roman Empire. Great men will then crowd around Caesar for tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance. They will compete with each other to dip and stain their handkerchiefs in his blood to keep as relics. Q.5. How does Caesar react to Decius interpretation of the dream? Caesar admonishes Calphurnia and tells her that her fears now seem foolish and that he is ashamed that he has yielded to them. Then and there he decides to go to the Capitol and asks for his robe. ****************************************************************************** 10