Julius Caesar Exam Review Flashcards
is knowing what is meant or said more important?
what is meant in shakespeare
what is lupercal?
a celebration of the founders of rome where they carry dead goats to strike infertile women
what transition was rome in, and what did it mean?
the transition from a republic to an empire, meaning that it would no longer be ruled by an elected body
what are soliloquies?
example?
speeches alone on stage that are used to provide information to the audience
- such as act 1 scene 2, where Cassius’ soliloquy reveals a plot to influence Brutus to overthrow Caesar
what did shakespeare rely on to establish the setting of his plays?
instead of what?
he relied on langauge instead of physical items becausea bare stage gave him more flexibility
what is suspense? what act is this seen in and what is an example?
the anticipation of the outcome of events
- act 2
- JC raises the question of whether Brutus will join Cassius’ conspiracy
what is dramatic irony?
example?
occurs when the audience knows something that a character does not know
- the audience knows that Cassius sent the letters to Brutus anonymously, but Brutus believes they are true
when was julius caesar born and when had he gained control of rome?
born in 100 BC and gained complete control of rome by 45 bc
what did julius caesar introduce to rome?
- new policies that reformed the senate
- extended citizenship to residents of conquered territories
what did julius caesar develop that we still use today?
the calendar
when was julius caesar assasinated?
in 44 bc
what is situational irony?
example?
it is when what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected
- caesar expected to be crowned king but gets assasinated instead
what did lord chamberlain build in 1599 and how does it relate to the play ‘julius caesar’?
he built a new open air playhouse called ‘the globe’.
julius caesar was one of the first plays performed there
what is verbal irony?
example?
verbal irony occurs when a writer says one thing but really means the opposite
- antony’s actions to the conspirators directly after caesar’s death versus his speech
what was the audience like during shakespeare’s time?
they were rowdy townspeople that commonly fought during the plays
what is a tragedy?
a drama in which the main character suffers a downfall
what is a common debate about JC?
who the main character actually is becuase caesar is killed in act 3
what does JC mention that has not been invented yet?
clocks
was shakespeare more interested in historical accuracy or the storyline and maintaining the interest of his audience?
the latter
what did brutus claim to descend from?
the founder of the roman republic who reportedly expelled rome’s 7th king becuase of his tyrannous ways
how many silent films of julius caesar were produced and how many since then?
10 and 3 movies since then
what did john wikes booth yell at the crowd after killing president lincoln?
“sie semper tyrannis”
who is octavius?
caesar’s great nephew and adopted son
who warns caesar of the “ides of march”?
the soothsayer
who is decius?
he persuades caesar to ignore various warnings not the visit the senate
who kills cassius?
pindarus
who is caesar’s most loyal follower?
mark antony
who names the conspirators against julius caesar
artemidorus
who is cicero?
a renowed orater and respected senator
how do flavius and marullus respond when they see the commoners who are celebrating caesar’s triumph?
they scold the commoners of their disloyalty to pompey and how easily they are swayed
what is cassius’ impression of caesar in scene 2?
he believes that he has a feeble constitution and has a deep disdain of him. he thinks he is undeserving of such respect as he is weak and power-hungry.
to what extent does brutus agree with cassius’ impression of caesar?
he agrees that caesar has grown too powerful and a threat to rome, but he still holds affection and love for him
what happens when antony offers caesar a crown? how does the crowd react?
he refuses it three times and ends it by falling into a fit. the crowd’s support increases because of his apparant modesty.
describe cassius’ and casca’s reaction to the storm
casca is frightened of the storm while cassius welcomes the bad omens as a warning against caesar’s growing power
what do cassius’ and casca’s reactions to the storm reveal about their characters?
both offer supernatural explanations of the storm, but casca is presented as naive and easily swayed while cassius manipulative.
what actions does cassius take to win brutus over?
cassius leaves anonymous letters, written by him, posing as commoners giving brutus praise and confessing fear of caesar’s rule
why is it important for cassius to gain the support of brutus?
because he is sat high in all the people’s hearts, his prestige will lend legitimacy to the conspiracy.
how does brutus justify the plot against caesar?
by saying that it is for the good of rome and that it is not a personal vengeance, but to prevent caesar from becoming a tyrant
what does the justification suggest about brutus’ values?
brutus values the public good more than loyalty or friendship
why does brutus want to spare antony’s life? (two reasons)
(1) it will be too bloody
(2) he is not a threat
why is brutus’ opinion of antony? (two reasons)
(1) that he is not a threat without caesar
(2) he has a weak character, only tempted by sports, wildness, and women
how does portia convince brutus to disclose his secret to her? (two reasons)
(1) questions her position in his life
(2) stabs herself in her thigh to prove she is as strong as a man
why is calphurnia afraid to let caesar go to the senate house?
because of a bad omen seen in her dreams that foretell his death (bleeding statue)
does caesar seem to share fear? (three reasons)
(1) no, because he is not a coward
(2) yes, he will call in sick as calphurnia wishes
(3) he is swayed by decius’ arguments
what argument does decius make to change caesar’s mind? (two reasons)
(1) calphurnia misinterpreted the dream
(2) they will take away the crown if he does not go today
which of caesar’s personality traits makes him vulnerable to decius’ arguments?
his vanity renders him vulnerable with arrogance
describe caesar’s response to the request to pardon publius cimber
vain and conveyed how he sees himself as superior and constant, not like other weak men
why did the conspirators make the request of caesar at this time?
they had to get closer in proximity in order to stab him with a dagger
what surprises caesar most when he is attacked?
brutus’ involvement in the attack as he was a dear friend. his betray is portrayed in “et tu, brute?”
how does antony behave toward the conspirators after caesar’s murder?
with good will and guilt. He begs them to kill him already, but this is only a facade. He gets distracted and speaks to the corpse of caesar.
why does brutus allow antony to speak at caesar’s funeral? (two reasons)
because the crowd will be reassured and he will abide by the list of rules that he will not speak ill of the conspirators and speak honorably of caesar
what is cassius’ position regarding antony?
full of distrust and doubt
how does the crowd react to brutus’ and antony’s funeral speeches?
the crowd initially accepts Brutus’s explanation for Caesar’s assassination, but after Antony’s speech, they become enraged and turn against the conspirators, demanding revenge for Caesar’s death. Antony successfully manipulates the crowd’s emotions with his passionate plea for Caesar.
what do these reactions suggest about the people in the crowd?
though fickle, they are powerful. their passion put into their mob mentality was enough to rip a man to shreds.
what is the main point that shakespeare is trying to convey in act 3?
to convey the dangers of over ambition and consequences of thee.
why do brutus and cassius quarrel in act 4? (two reasons)
(1) brutus accuses cassius of taking bribes
(2) cassius does not give brutus gold for his army
how do the battle plans of cassius and brutus differ?
cassius wants to wait for caesar’s army to weary themselves of travel while brutus would rather go to philippi to gather an army along the way
what does cassius’ yielding to brutus’ judgement suggest about casssius’ character
despite his manipulative nature, he strongly respects brutus and abides by his judgemenet
what belief does cassius express to messala before the battle? how does this influence his later decision to take his own life?
his newfound belief in bad omens, predicting that they will lose the battle and he will die. this largely affects his willingness to accept his death in the true, roman way at his earliest misfortune.
what supernatural experiences does brutus have in sardis and philippi?
experienced two interactions with the ghost of caesar
how does brutus interpret his supernatural experiences?
aa sign that the reason for all of the deaths was the ghost of caesar and that the only way to end it was to kill himself.
how do antony and octavius respond to brutus’ death at the end of the play?
with respect, ensuring that he is given a proper funeral
what attributes of brutus’ character made the outcome of the play inevitable?
his excessive sense of honor and disregard of the potential consequences of his actions
