Julius Caesar

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 Protagonist: Julius Caesar is an arrogant soldier and ambitious politician, who believes that he is infallible. After his great victory over the sons of Pompey, he believes that he is worthy of more power than just being the head of Rome; he wants to be crowned the leader of the entire Roman Empire.

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.

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.

Antagonists Caesar's antagonists are Brutus, Cassius, and the other conspirators who do not want him to become the head of the Roman Empire. They plot to overthrow Caesar and assassinate him outside the Capitol; he is an easy target because of his fatal flaw - his extreme "hubris" or pride. Many times, Caesar is nearly saved by omens and warnings, but he disregards them, thinking himself infallible. He is so proud that he is easily flattered, leading him to think less strategically and placing himself in grave danger.

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 The Globe 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. Each year the Globe Theatre Company rediscovers the dynamic relationship between the audience and the actor in this unique building. The Globe also welcomes international theatre companies to share the impact Shakespeare’s plays have had worldwide. 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.

The End Julius Caesar is the COOLEST!