Julius Caesar William Shakespeare Shakespeare and His Times

Julius Caesar William Shakespeare

Shakespeare and His Times • Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on. Avon (1564 -1616) during a time that England experienced a significant Renaissance. • Queen Elizabeth I was in power, and life was good. • Humans were very interested in exploring the world and human nature.

Characteristics of the English Renaissance • Humans had the potential for development. • It was a time for heroes – the more well-rounded, the better. Individuals were expected to examine their own nature and the causes behind their actions. • Despite the fact that a woman was queen, women still held a lower social status than men. • A firm belief in a “Natural Order” hierearchy: God, Humans, Animals, Plants (living), and Rocks (non-living). Order is based on complexity. When everything is in its proper position, there’s harmony.

Characteristics of the English Renaissance • The “Natural Order” was reflected in the human social structure: Royalty, Nobility, Gentry, and Peasantry. If the chain is broken, everything is upset and everyone suffers. • An upset to the natural order is reflected in unusual natural occurrences (ex. weird animal behavior, strange weather). LOOK FOR SOME OF THESE INSTANCES IN THE PLAY! • Elizabethans believed in the “Divine Rule of Kings. ” Monarchs were God’s agents – to rebel against them was to rebel against God.

Characteristics of the English Renaissance • There was a succession crisis – Queen Elizabeth was 66, had no kids, refused to marry anyone, and had never named an heir. • The English Army was in Ireland, attempting to suppress a rebellion. • England begins its first attempts at colonizing the world. • Julius Caesar was first performed in 1599 at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. • Caesar was a popular topic among Shakespeare’s contemporaries because many saw parallels between their own country’s current situation (Elizabeth’s lack of an heir, England being a world power, and England’s attempts to colonize the New World) and the political uncertainty Roman citizens felt in 1 BC.

Features of Shakespeare’s Use of Language • BLANK VERSE: Shakespeare writes most of his plays in this format (unrhymed iambic pentameter). • IAMBIC PENTAMETER: Iamb – [Untressed Syllable, Stressed Syllable]; Pentameter – 5 iambs per line. • EXAMPLE: – But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? – It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!

Features of Shakespeare’s Use of Language • There is ALWAYS a specific reason when you notice Shakespeare breaking this pattern. He may be establishing a character, creating a mood…something! BEWARE OF SHIFTS IN LANGUAGE!!! Examples: • • – – – Commoners speak in prose and when Marrulus speaks to the commoners, he switches to prose as well (Act I, scene i). Casca speaks in prose when he describes how Caesar has refused the crown (Act I, scene ii). Brutus’ speech to the crowd is in prose (Act III, scene ii).

Features of Shakespeare’s Use of Language • Watch for Shakespeare’s use of figurative language (especially SIMILE and METAPHOR) – his characters often speak in figurative language to expand ideas and amplify imagery.

The Tragic Hero • TRAGIC HERO: According to Aristotle, was a man who rises to a high position, and then falls from that high positon – usually to utter desolation and/or death. • Some tragic heroes bring about their own downfall, like Creon (and his hubris) in Antigone. • While others seem to be more the victims of fate, like Oedipus, who cannot prevent himself from killing his father and marrying his mother. • By the renaissance, however, most individuals believed themselves to be less the pawns of fate, and more in control of their own destiny. • The Elizabethan tragic hero is much more responsible for his/her own downfall.

Historical References in the Play • The Roman Dictator: – Was a legitimate political office. – This position was assigned only when the government deemed it necessary for a single individual to hold absolute power for a short amount of time, most often during the time of a rebellion. – Dictator must be obeyed at all times and without question. – As powerful as the dictator was, he needed to rely on the Senate to fund his programs and commands. – Julius Caesar served as dictator of Rome for 10 years.

Characters

Brutus • The play’s tragic hero. • Believes in the power of voting. • Loves Caesar as a friend, but opposes any single man having all of the country’s power. • Believes Caesar must die in order to preserve the country – believes Caesar’s death will benefit Rome. He’s torn between loyalty to his friend, and loyalty to his country. • Only character who can separate private and public life

Julius Caesar • A great Roman general and senator, recently back from a successful military campaign. • Doesn’t seem to want to accept the position of dictator. • Unable to separate public and private life. • Seduced by the way people idolize him – almost seems as if he thinks he’s invincible. • Ignores bad omens and threats against his life.

Antony • Caesar’s friend. • A “flip-flopper” who seems to be willing to say and/or do anything, as long as it saves/benefits himself.

Cassius • Hates Caesar’s god-like status. • Uses fake letters to trick Brutus into murdering Caesar for “Rome’s benefit. ” • A shrewd politician: opportunistic and lacking integrity.

Octavius • Caesar’s adopted son and appointed heir. • Returns to Rome after Caesar’s death and joins with Antony to fight Brutus and Cassius. • Antony tries to control him, but Octavius emerges as a strong leader.

Casca • A public figure opposed to Caesar’s rise to power. • Talks about how Caesar refused the throne, but believes Caesar is just acting in order to trick the people into believing he has no personal ambition.

Calpurnia • Caesar’s wife. • One of the few characters who actually pays attention to negative omens and signs. • Warns Caesar against going to the Senate on the Ides of March (March 15), but he ignores her.

Portia • Brutus’ wife. • Kills herself out of grief that Antony and Octavius have become so powerful.

Flavius • An official elected by the people to protect their rights. • Condemns people for cheering for Caesar when they once cheered for Pompey, Caesar’s enemy. • He and Marullus are punished for removing decorations from Caesar’s statue during Caesar’s triumphal parade.

Cicero • Roman senator and great orator. • Speaks at Caesar’s triumphal parade. • Later dies at the order of Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius.

Lepidus • The 3 rd member of Antony and Octavius’ political coalition. • Antony doesn’t trust him, but Octavius does.

Marullus • Like Flavius, criticizes the public for cheering for Caesar. • Helps Flavius remove the decorations from Caesar’s statue and is punished as a result of his defamatory actions.

Decius • A member of the conspiracy. • Convinces Caesar the Calpurnia’s interpretation of the bad omens is wrong and that no danger awaits him. • Leads Caesar right into the conspirators’ hands.

Themes • Fate versus Free Will – The play seems to indicate that fate and freedom maintain a delicate coexistence. – Certain events may lay outside of human control, but it’s stupid to become so paralyzed by fear that you fail to act.

Themes • Public Self versus Private Self: – Tragedy happens when characters neglect their private feelings/loyalties for what they think is best for the public good. – A contrast between the way you think/act in public versus who you really are.

Themes • Misinterpretations and Misreadings: – The inability to read people and events leads to downfall. – Conversely, the ability to do so is the key to survival.

Themes • Inflexibility versus Compromise – Stubbornness is not a good thing! – Instead, individuals succeed through adaptability, bargaining, and compromise.

Themes • Rhetoric and Power – The ability to make things happen by words alone is the most powerful type of authority. – Words can be effective tools at moving hearts and minds.

Symbols • Women and Wives – Represent the private, domestic realm.