Calphurnia Quotes

Question 1

‘Graves hath yawn’d and yielded up their dead’ Act 2, Scene 2

Answer 1

• Theme of supernatural.
• An ominous tone present, which foreshadows the death of Caesar.
• Sense of foreboding.
• Alliteration of ‘yawn’d’ and ‘yielded’ illustrate that an embodiment of death is awakening from their slumber, ready to eliminate Caesar.
• Reinforced with the personification of ‘yawn’d’ suggests death has woken up from its slumber.
• Use of nouns ‘graves’ and ‘dead’ connotes massacre and brutality.

Question 2

‘The Heavens blaze forth the death of princes’ Act 2, Scene 2

Answer 2

• Theme of supernatural.
• Idea of Heavens opening up when someone royalty will die. Julius Caesar is royalty.
• Foreshadowing.
• Telling Caesar to pay attention to the signs.
• Parallels Act 1, Scene 3 when Cassius tells Casca about the dreadful nights.
• Celestial imagery ‘Heavens’ illustrates importance, puts weights to it. Almost prophetic.
• Use of verb ‘blaze’ suggests something unprecedented will erupt.
• The noun ‘death’ evokes brutality and execution.

Question 3

‘Alas, my Lord, your wisdom is consumed in confidence’ Act 2, Scene 2

Answer 3

• Representation of Caesar’s hamartia.
• Pronoun ‘my’ and ‘your’ exemplifies how Calphurnia cares for Caesar’s life and wellbeing.
• Alliteration of ‘consumed’ and ‘confidence’ show how arrogant and opinionated Caesar has become.
• Verb ‘consumed’ show how arrogance has manipulated an monopolised Caesar’s character.
• Calphurnia was to stop Caesar from going astray.