Agenda: Intro Julius Caesar! **Remember to buy No Fear Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (optional) as a study guide!

Journal #1: Betrayal! Start a new section in your logbook: “Julius Caesar Intro Questions” Start a new section in your logbook: “Julius Caesar Intro Questions” Journal (3 minutes): Is there anything for which you would betray a friend? Explain your answer. Journal (3 minutes): Is there anything for which you would betray a friend? Explain your answer.

Journal #2: Assassination Julius Caesar is a play about an assassination intended to bring about political change. Under what circumstances, if any, do you think violence might be a legitimate way to bring about change? Julius Caesar is a play about an assassination intended to bring about political change. Under what circumstances, if any, do you think violence might be a legitimate way to bring about change?

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

What do you know about Shakespeare? (Intro Question #3)

“The Bard”: Elizabethan Theatre Elizabethan Theatre The most widely read author in the English language The most widely read author in the English language Considered to be the greatest writer of all time Considered to be the greatest writer of all time The themes in his plays are universal, and thus remain applicable to today His writing style is poetic and (for those who become accustomed to it) full of beauty 75% written in Iambic Pentameter

Iambic Pentameter Pentameter is simply penta, which means 5, meters. So a line of poetry written in pentameter has 5 feet, or 5 sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. In basic iambic pentameter, a line would have 5 feet of iambs, which is an unstressed and then a stressed syllable. Pentameter is simply penta, which means 5, meters. So a line of poetry written in pentameter has 5 feet, or 5 sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. In basic iambic pentameter, a line would have 5 feet of iambs, which is an unstressed and then a stressed syllable.

Iambic Pentameter / / - / - - / - - / / / - / - - / - - / Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; - / - / - / - / - / - - / - / - / - / - / - I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. - / - - / / - / - / - / - - / / - / - / The evil that men do lives after them; The evil that men do lives after them;

A Few Interesting Facts For much of his life he lived in London, while his wife lived in the town of Stratford, 100 miles to the northwest For much of his life he lived in London, while his wife lived in the town of Stratford, 100 miles to the northwest

Of his 150+ sonnets about love, not one was to or about his wife Of his 150+ sonnets about love, not one was to or about his wife Because he did not go to college, some people think he could not have written the plays that he did Because he did not go to college, some people think he could not have written the plays that he did He had three children: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet (does this last one sound familiar?) He had three children: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet (does this last one sound familiar?) Hamnet died at the age of 11 Hamnet died at the age of 11

The London Theatre Differs from the Greek Theatre in several ways Differs from the Greek Theatre in several ways The VIPs sat in the back, in the balcony The VIPs sat in the back, in the balcony The front was standing room only The front was standing room only Home of the “Groundlings” Home of the “Groundlings”

What the Greeks gave Elizabethan Theatre The proscenium The proscenium The skene The skene The parados The parados And, what Shakespeare occasionally used, the concept of “Deus ex machina” And, what Shakespeare occasionally used, the concept of “Deus ex machina”

It is believed that he died on his birthday, April 23 rd It is believed that he died on his birthday, April 23 rd He placed a curse on his grave to ensure that no one would rob his body parts. Upon his death, he left his wife his “second best bed”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

What do you know? When/Where was the Roman Empire? (Timeline of important events) When/Where was the Roman Empire? (Timeline of important events) Who is Julius Caesar & What are his accomplishments? Who is Julius Caesar & What are his accomplishments? Why was he assassinated? Why was he assassinated? Why should we care??? Why should we care???

Roman Virtues: Via Romana Pietas - duty to one's state, gods and family and a personification of the Roman virtue of pietas Pietas - duty to one's state, gods and family and a personification of the Roman virtue of pietas Duty to the State Industria - "Industriousness" Hard work. Industria - "Industriousness" Hard work. Justica – Roman Law: Sensible laws & governance Justica – Roman Law: Sensible laws & governance Nobilitas - Preserved the political traditions of the aristocratic republic. Nobilitas - Preserved the political traditions of the aristocratic republic. Nobel action within the public sphere

What we know... “Statesman” (high ranking member of senate) “Statesman” (high ranking member of senate) Author, Historian, Orator Author, Historian, Orator Military Genius – never lost a battle! Military Genius – never lost a battle! Increased military by 100,000 legions Increased military by 100,000 legions Gallic Wars (58-52 BCE): Gaul (France) Gallic Wars (58-52 BCE): Gaul (France)

After Gallic Wars... Roman people given 8 times what he promised them Roman people given 8 times what he promised them Roads Roads Indoor plumbing Indoor plumbing Fresh water Fresh water Public baths and parks Public baths and parks Colosseums for recreation Colosseums for recreation

The Fall of Caesar Fearing his rise to power, and unwilling to be controlled, sixty senators decided to kill him on March 15 Fearing his rise to power, and unwilling to be controlled, sixty senators decided to kill him on March 15 The planning, execution, and aftermath of this plot is the subject of Shakespeare’s play. The planning, execution, and aftermath of this plot is the subject of Shakespeare’s play.

WHY? Jealousy – Caesar’s connection to the citizens Jealousy – Caesar’s connection to the citizens Fear of his rising power Fear of his rising power Fear of losing Republican form of Government (Ironically, they did anyway) Fear of losing Republican form of Government (Ironically, they did anyway) Love of their country Love of their country

Death in the Senate Why was the Senate the perfect place for Caesar’s murder? Why was the Senate the perfect place for Caesar’s murder?

Why is the Senate a perfect place to kill him? Public place – no body guards Public place – no body guards No weapons are allowed in the Senate – so Caesar will be unarmed No weapons are allowed in the Senate – so Caesar will be unarmed The Senators don’t trust anyone else to carry out this “enterprise” The Senators don’t trust anyone else to carry out this “enterprise” The Senators wanted to make a statement to the Roman citizens that they are in control! (Duty to the State) The Senators wanted to make a statement to the Roman citizens that they are in control! (Duty to the State)

History vs. Literature (Intro Question #4) You just studied the history of Julius Caesar – why isn’t that enough? (What do you think you might get out of a play that you don’t get from the history books?) You just studied the history of Julius Caesar – why isn’t that enough? (What do you think you might get out of a play that you don’t get from the history books?)

A Few of Shakespeare’s Changes Last Words: “Et tu, Brute” Last Words: “Et tu, Brute” Caesar seems to have just returned from defeating Pompey Caesar seems to have just returned from defeating Pompey The battle of Philippi lasts about a day The battle of Philippi lasts about a day True last words: “Mi dignitas” True last words: “Mi dignitas” The real timeline: three years had passed The real timeline: three years had passed There are two battles, three weeks apart There are two battles, three weeks apart

Shakespeare was not concerned as much with historical accuracy as he was with the way that people interacted with each other, particularly in “big picture” issues

Shakespeare does not write history; he writes politics. -Arlene Okerlund