julius caesar packet -...

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Julius Caesar Fall 2011

Julius Caesar Study Guide Questions English 10

PLEASE use the plot summaries in this study guide,

class discussions, and online tools like No Fear Shakespeare

to make sense of the play. (http://nfs.sparknotes.com)

List of Characters

1

1 Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. New York: Chelsea House, 1996. Print.

Act I Due____________

Act II Due____________

Act III Due ___________

Act IV Due ___________

Act IV Due ___________

Tracking Themes due_______________

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/juliuscaesar/

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Tracking Themes (aka big ideas or abstract ideas) Pick one of the following “big ideas” and track it throughout Julius Caesar. Find at least FIVE different situations in which

the word is used and the idea is developed. Record the specific act, line, and scene for each situation. Then translate the

line into your own words. Then discuss the line. This means you should evaluation or analyze the ideas suggested in the

line: How does the line define the theme? What is Shakespeare saying about glory, love, or power? How does this

definition contrast to other definitions throughout the text? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

AMBITION

CONSPIRACY

COWARDICE

DECEPTION

ENVY

FATE

FRAILTY

GLORY

HEROISM

HONOR/HONOUR

IDEALISM

LEADERSHIP

LOVE

LOYALTY

MANHOOD

PATRIOTISM

POWER

REALISM

REVENGE

Tips:

Listen for the word in class and record lines each day.

Search the full text of the play at http://shakespeare.mit.edu/julius_caesar/full.html

o Use the Find function (control-F or command-F) to build a big ideas quotations bank and search

all five acts.

o Search using other parts of speech (for example, coward or cowardly instead of cowardice or

deceive for deception) or synonyms (e.g. for envy, try jealousy).

Example:

Theme/Word Selected: honor

a. “If it be aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death i' the other and I will look at both

indifferently”….” said Brutus to Cassius (I. ii. 86-89).

Translation: Brutus tells Cassius if it would be good for Rome he would look at honor and death fairly

or without opinion and do what Cassius needs even if it requires his own death. In other words, he would

accept death to maintain honor.

Analysis: Shakespeare is suggesting Rome and honor are more important than self preservation for Brutus.

This pushes readers to consider the definition: Is honor worth dying for? Is it always honorable to die for

your country? What if the death is for a false cause?

Theme/Word Selected:__________________________________

a. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Translation:__________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Discussion:____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

http://shakespeare.mit.edu/julius_caesar/full.html

Heather Pedersen

Typewritten Text

Heather Pedersen

Typewritten Text

Heather Pedersen

Sticky Note

Honors 1 or 2 ambition heroism honor/honour leadership power Revenge Loyalty Love Honors 3- Conspiracy Cowardice Deception Glory Manhood Patriotism Group 4 or 5 Envy Fate Frailty Idealism Realism

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b. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Interpretation:__________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Discussion:____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

c. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Interpretation:__________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Discussion:____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

d. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Interpretation:__________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Discussion:____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

e. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Interpretation:__________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Discussion:____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Tracking Persuasive Strategies

Identify three different places in the play when characters use persuasive strategies. Find at least one example of

each strategy.

Ethos

a. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

b. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Logos

a. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

b. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

Pathos

a. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

b. _________________________________________________________________ ( )

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Act I Summary2

Act I, scene i 1. Give two reasons why Flavius scolds the citizens.

a.___________________________________________________________________

b.___________________________________________________________________

2. List two words or phrases Murellus uses to describe the crowd of working people.

a.__________________________________ b.__________________________________

3. What does Flavius want to do about Caesar? Give two reasons you know this.

______________________________________________________________________________

a.__________________________________ b.__________________________________

Act I, scene ii 4. The Fortune-Teller warns Caesar to “beware the ides of March.” What does this mean and

how does Caesar react to the warning?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2 Scott, Mark W., ed. Shakespeare for Students: Book I. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. Print.

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5. What reasons does Brutus give for being harsh and distant lately?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

6. Cassius tells Brutus that many men wish that “noble Brutus had eyes in his head.” What

does Cassius insist that Brutus cannot see?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

7. What does Brutus fear when he hears the crowd shouting?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

8. Cassius says, “What a shame for this age we live in!” What does he mean by this?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

9. Caesar is suspicious of Cassius. List four qualities in Cassius that Caesar does not like.

a. _____________________

b. _____________________

c. _____________________

d. _____________________

Act I, scene iii 10. Casca reports that he has seen many unnatural wonders this night. List four of his

observations.

a. _________________________________________

b. _________________________________________

c. _________________________________________

d. _________________________________________

11. According to Cassius, what is the real cause of these unnatural events?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

12. Explain why Casca wants Brutus to join the conspiracy?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Translation Activity3

Directions: 1. Read the passage below aloud two different times (Act I, scene ii, lines 135-150)

2. Translate each line by writing what the line means below it.

3. Respond to Questions for Analysis.

Context: Cassius, a nobleman and a senator, shares thoughts about Julius Caesar.

Act I, scene ii, lines 135-150

Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world

________________________________________________________________________

Like a Colossus, and we petty men

________________________________________________________________________

Walk under his huge legs and peep about

________________________________________________________________________

To find ourselves dishonourable graves.

________________________________________________________________________

Men at some time are masters of their fates:

________________________________________________________________________

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars

________________________________________________________________________

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

________________________________________________________________________

Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that „Caesar‟?

________________________________________________________________________

Why should that name be sounded more than yours?

________________________________________________________________________

Write them together, yours is as fair a name;

________________________________________________________________________

Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;

________________________________________________________________________

3 From Teaching Julius Caesar: A Differentiated Approach © 2010 Lyn Fairchild Hawks

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Weight them, it is as heavy; conjure with ‟em,

________________________________________________________________________

„Brutus‟ will start a spirit as son as „Caesar‟.

________________________________________________________________________

Now in the name of all the gods at once,

________________________________________________________________________

Upon what meat does this our Caesar feed

________________________________________________________________________

That he is grown so great?

________________________________________________________________________

Questions for Analysis: (Prove all answers with specific detail.) 1. What is Cassius‟s attitude toward Caesar?

2. What is Cassius encouraging Brutus to do? What does Cassius want Brutus to believe?

3. What methods does Cassius use to convince Brutus?

4. What character traits does Cassius seem to have?

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Act II Summary4

Act II, scene i 13. What is written in the letters that Lucius finds on Brutus‟s bed?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

14. What reason does Brutus give for not swearing an oath of secrecy?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

15. Cassius suggest that Anthony should also be killed. Why does Brutus oppose this idea?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4 Scott, Mark W., ed. Shakespeare for Students: Book I. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. Print

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16. How will Decius persuade Caesar to go to the Capitol?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Act II, scene ii-iii 17. Several strange events scare Calphurnia. List four of them.

a. _____________________

b. _____________________

c. _____________________

d. _____________________

18. What reason does Caesar give for not being afraid of death?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

19. Why do the fortune-tellers advise Caesar to stay at home?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

20. What message does Caesar tell Decius to give the senators?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

21. According to Decius, what is the real meaning of Calphurnia‟s dream?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

22. List the eight people Artemidorus names as conspirators.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Act II, scene iv 23. Write the words Portia speaks that show Brutus has told her his secrets.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

24. What information does Portia ask Lucius to bring from the Capitol?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

25. What does Portia blame for her weakness?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Act III Summary5

Act III, scene i 26. What does Caesar‟s refusal to pardon Metellus‟ brother show you about Caesar?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

27. Write Caesar‟s dying words below.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

28. Brutus thinks the conspirators did Caesar a favor by killing him because…

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

29. Anthony makes three requests of Brutus and Cassius. List them below.

a.________________________________________________________________

b.________________________________________________________________

c.________________________________________________________________

5 Scott, Mark W., ed. Shakespeare for Students: Book I. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. Print.

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30. Anthony warns that Caesar‟s murder will cause terrible events to happen. List four of his

warnings below.

a. _________________________________

b. _________________________________

c. _________________________________

d. _________________________________

Act III, scenes ii-iii 31. What reason does Brutus give the crowd for killing Caesar?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

32. After listening to Brutus‟ speech, what does the crowd wants to do?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

33. After listening to Antony, what does the crowd call the conspirators?

a. _____________________

b. _____________________

c. _____________________

34. In his will, Caesar leaves each citizen ______________ And to all of Rome, he leaves

______________________________________________________________________________

35. What messages does Antony‟s servant bring him?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Act IV Summary6

Act IV, scene i 36. Which relatives of the three leaders are among the prescribed people?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

37. How does Antony want to change Caesar‟s will and why?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

38. What does Octavius mean when he says “we are chained to the stake”?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Act IV, scenes ii-iii 39. Brutus refers to Cassius as a “warm friend cooling.” What does Brutus mean?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

40. Why do Cassius and Brutus go inside Brutus‟ tent to talk?


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______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

41. Of what does Brutus accuse Cassius?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

42. Cassius says he is “weary of living.” What does he ask Brutus to do?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Act V Summary7

Act V, scene i 43. What does Cassius mean when he says, “Now, Brutus, you have only yourself to thank”?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

44. What sign makes Cassius fear the coming battle?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

45. What do Cassius and Brutus agree to do if they lose the battle and why?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Act V, scenes ii-iii 46. Why does Titinius take his own life?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

47. Why does Brutus refer to Cassius and Titinius as “the last of all the Romans”?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


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Act V, scene iv-v 48. What does Brutus ask Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius to do? How do they respond?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

49. Why does Octavius invite all of Brutus‟ soldiers to join his own men?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

50. In what way does Antony honor Brutus?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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