Introducing Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III by William Shakespeare Feature Menu

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III by William Shakespeare “How many ages hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over in states unborn and accents yet unknown!”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Introducing Act III So far, in Act I... Act I ends with the senators intent on crowning Caesar the next day. Cassius calls together his fellow conspirators, then sets out to visit Brutus to make a last appeal for his assistance in Caesar’s assassination. “He would be crowned. How that might change his nature, there’s the question.”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Introducing Act III So far, in Act II... Cassius persuades Brutus to join the conspiracy but rejects the plan to kill Mark Antony. Caesar is restless after a night that disturbs all of Rome. Calphurnia, Caesar’s wife, persuades him to stay away from the Senate. “When beggars die, there are no comets seen...”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Introducing Act III So far, in Act II... The conspirators goad Caesar into going to the Senate by suggesting that he is weak to give in to his wife’s fears. They report that the Senate will crown him that day. Caesar prepares to accompany the conspirators to the Senate. “And we (like friends) will straightway go together.”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Introducing Act III So far, in Act II... Artemidorus has written a warning of the plot which he hopes to give to Caesar as he walks to the Capitol. Portia, who persuaded her husband Brutus to tell her of the plot, speaks with the soothsayer, who is waiting to warn Caesar of danger. “Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose ‘em.”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Introducing Act III Act III opens with Caesar on his way to the Capitol. [End of Section]

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Tragedy—a play, novel, or other narrative that depicts serious and important events and ends unhappily for the main character.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy The main character has a tragic flaw—a defect in character or judgment—that directly causes the character’s downfall. The work ends unhappily, with the death of the main character. Shakespeare’s tragedies share these characteristics with the tragedies of the ancient Greeks: The main character is often high ranking and dignified, not an ordinary man or woman.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy All of Shakespeare’s tragedies share a similar five- part structure. Act I Exposition Act V Climax and resolution Act III Crisis, or turning point Act II Rising action Act IV Falling action

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Act I, Exposition The main characters and their conflicts are introduced. The setting is established. Background information is provided. Act IAct V Act IIAct IV Act III

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Act II, Rising Action Suspense builds as a series of complications occur. Act IAct V Act IIAct IV Act III The main characters try to resolve their conflicts.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Act III, Crisis or Turning Point The main character makes a choice that determines the rest of the play’s action. Act IAct V Act IIAct IV Act III In a comedy, the turning point lifts the play upward to a happy ending. In a tragedy, events spiral downward to an unhappy ending.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Act IV, Falling Action The consequences, or results, of actions taken during the turning point are presented. Act IAct V Act IIAct IV Act III The main character is propelled deeper and deeper into disaster; the tragic ending seems inevitable.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Act V, Climax and Resolution The climax, or moment of greatest tension, occurs near the end of the play. In a tragedy, the climax is usually the death of the tragic hero. Act IAct V Act IIAct IV Act III

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Literary Focus: Tragedy Act V, Climax and Resolution A brief resolution (or denouement) closely follows the climax. Loose ends in the plot are tied up, and the play ends. [End of Section] Act IAct V Act IIAct IV Act III

Roman Government: Rule by the Rich The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Background Roman politics unfolded at the Forum, where leaders legislated before lively crowds from all social classes.

Roman Government: Rule by the Rich From 509 B.C., Rome was a republic, with power vested in its citizens. However, only the wealthiest citizens could be senators. A huge gap existed between the rich and poor. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Background

Roman Government: Rule by the Rich Marcus Cicero, the Roman statesman, approved of keeping power from the common people, whose “ignorance and rashness” made them unfit to use it. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Background

Roman Government: Rule by the Rich The Roman republic was a direct democracy in which eligible citizens could vote on legislation. But this privilege occurred only in Rome, excluding most citizens from outside the city. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Background

Roman Government: Rule by the Rich The major inequity in the Roman government stemmed from control of the Senate by the wealthy, which made Rome an aristocracy posing as a republic. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Background [End of Section]

Meet the Writer

[End of Section] The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Meet the Writer William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, a market town about a hundred miles from London. He was one of eight children. At grammar school, Shakespeare would have learned to read, write, and speak Latin and would have studied some of the classical poets and historians. He did not attend university. Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582, and they had three children. More About the Writer