Julius Caesar Imagine You are the leader of

Julius Caesar

Imagine • You are the leader of the free world • You are the most powerful human being on earth. • You control the most powerful country in the world. • You are untouchable. • You can say and do anything you want.

YOU NEVER SAW IT COMING…

Your best friends stab you in the back….

The Real Caesar • Julius Caesar really existed, and Shakespeare took his story from Plutarch’s biography of Caesar and made it into a play. • Caesar lived from 102 B. C. to 44 B. C • He was Rome’s military leader.

The Real Caesar § Rome ruled the world at this time. § They were constantly waging wars and taking over countries. §

The Real Caesar • Once they would take over a country, a Roman governor would rule that place. • The Roman officials were often times very cruel. • Many times the generals who took over the countries were asked to stabilize the place. • Many generals got power-hungry and turned on each other.

The Real Caesar • Caesar, a real commander, turned on another general, Pompey. Caesar and Pompey had been friends. • Pompey tried to sway the Roman government to overturn Caesar. • Caesar gained control by bribing the people with his money. • He took control of Rome, and went after Pompey.

Julius Caesar • Caesar was invincible. – He wrote this on the Temple walls… – “To the Unconquerable God” – Talking about himself.

The Real Caesar • For many Romans, having another king sounded horrible. They had been run by a republican government for 450 years. Caesar became more pretentious. • Senators made plans to assassinate him on March 15, 44 B. C. The “Ides of March. ” – Ides: (In the ancient Roman calendar) the fifteenth day of March, May, July, or October, and the thirteenth day of the other months.

Discuss and Write • What makes a great ruler? • Was Caesar a great ruler? If yes, why? If no, why? • Compare Caesar’s government to ours.

The Main Characters • • Caesar – Successful military leader who wants the crown of Rome. Murdered midway through play. His spirit appears to Brutus later in the play. Brutus – Judicial magistrate of Rome. Known for his noble nature. Cassius – Brother-in-law of Brutus. Organizes conspiracy against Caesar. Antony – Devoted follower of Caesar. Persuasive speaker.

Elements of Fiction/Shakespearean Tragedy Exposition: Characters & Setting Act I Rising Action: Introduction of Conflicts Act II Climax: Turning Point Act III In a tragedy, things usually go from bad to worse in Act III Falling Action: Conflict resolution begins to fall into place Result of the climax Act IV Denouement: Main conflicts are resolved Act V This act includes a catastrophe, which is another climactic turning point in the story line.

Julius Caesar · Physically weak: Caesar has several infirmities · A tyrant: Caesar has had Marullus and Flavius arrested · Superstitious: Caesar believes in portents and dreams · Indecisive: Caesar cannot make up his mind whether or not to go to the senate · Inflexible: Caesar thinks himself perfect and decisive

Brutus * Of Noble Heritage Brutus is a Roman nobleman, as was his father · Sincere: Brutus truly believes that his role in the assassination is for the good of Rome · Honest: He refuses to take bribes · Naive: He believes in the essential goodness of those around him · Philosophical: His philosophies guide his actions and decisions.

Cassius · Envious: Cassius has contempt for Caesar and envies Caesar's position · Fearful: Cassius is afraid that Caesar has ambitions to be king. He fears what might become of Rome in such an instance. · Politically Astute: He advises Brutus to assassinate Antony along with Caesar. Understanding what can happen, he advises Brutus not to allow Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral. · Corrupt: Prior to the battle at Philippi, he is accused by Brutus of taking bribes · Military Strategist: His battle plan for Philippi is well thought out and based on sound military principles

Marc Antony ·Loyal to Caesar: Antony loved and admired Caesar · Clever: Antony pretends to befriend the conspirators and asks that he be allowed to speak at Caesar's funeral A skilled orator: Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral sways the crowd ·Hard: Antony's role in condemning men to death shows he can be as cold hearted as he is passionate · A skilled military leader: Antony has an equal voice in planning the war against the legions of Brutus and Cassius

THEMES Major Theme The major theme of Julius Caesar is that misused power is a corruptive force. This is seen in the fact that Caesar is a dictator suspected of being tyrannous, that Cassius is so power hungry that he assassinates Caesar, hoping to become more powerful himself, and that Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus become a dictatorial and tyrannical Triumvirate, worse than Caesar ever hinted at being.

Tragic Hero • Is of a high social rank – a king, a prince, or a general • Has a tragic flaw – an error in judgment or a character defect – that ultimately leads to his or her downfall. • Suffers complete ruin or death • Faces his or her downfall with courage and dignity

Discuss and Write • Which character do you believe will be an antagonist? Which will be an protagonist? • Which might develop in to a tragic hero?

Minor Themes • • goodness of loyalty, honor, and friendship; the evil of pride, conspiracy, and anarchy; the logic of political order; and the viability of republicanism as a form of government.

MOOD The mood of Julius Caesar is one of impending doom and catastrophe. From the beginning, danger lurks in every corner. Friends can no longer be trusted, as they turn to manipulation and conspiracy and plot their next moves. Images of violence, blood, and death dominate the visual texture of the play. The weighty political intrigue is always present throughout the drama. The latter half of the play even assumes an eerie mood with the appearance of Caesar's ghost, returning to seek revenge. The closing phase of the play is dominated by the sinister image of the sword.

SETTING • Julius Caesar is largely set in Rome, in February of the year 44 B. C. • In later scenes, the action moves to Sardis and the battlefield at Philippi. • The physical landmarks of ancient Rome, such as the Tiber River, the Capitol, and the house of the Senate, are referred to with great frequency. • The Forum is also the setting for an important scene. Roman political institutions and officials, such as tribunes, Senators, Patricians, and priests, are always present.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater • The Globe Theater was a perhaps the most famous and interesting theater in the Elizabethan era. • The theater was built just outside of London, (in Southwark to be exact. ) after the triumphant reign of Queen Elizabeth I. • The main reason the Globe Theater is especially famous is the fact that many of William Shakespeare's plays were written and preformed there. • The idea of creating plays and theaters to perform them in was a strange new concept for the Europeans of the Elizabethan Era (aka the sixteenth century. )

Today’s Globe Theater • Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the open-air playhouse designed in 1599, where Shakespeare worked and for which he wrote many of his greatest plays. • The theatre season runs from May to September with productions of the work of Shakespeare, his contemporaries and modern authors. • Today, audiences of this ‘wooden O’ sit in a gallery or stand informally as a groundling in the yard, just as they would have done 400 years ago. Virtual Tour: http: //www. shakespearesglobe. com/about- us/virtual-tour/stage

The End Julius Caesar is the COOLEST!