1. Julius Caesar by WILLIAM Shakespeare
Background Notes

2. Historical Events
First 250 years after founding, Rome was ruled by oppressive kings – Tarquinius Superbus (Tarquin the Proud) was the last
Romans revolted: Led by Lucius Junius Brutus (in play, Brutus descended from him)

3. Lucius Junius Brutus, who has pledged to kill anyone who helps out Tarquinius Superbus during the overthrow of the kings…oops…it’s his sons…boy, is his wife mad. Painting is by Jaques-Louis David (18th century)
Lucius Junius Brutus pledged to kill anyone who aided the oppressive ruler Tarquinius Superbus. That included his own sons. Painting is by Jacques-Louis David (18th century)

4. Roman Republic Made up of Senators (from the noble class)
Praetors (administered civil justice) – like police
Tribunes (represented the plebeians, or common people)
Two consuls (powerful)
One served in Rome
One commanded the army

5. The First Triumvirate 60 BCE: Caesar-Pompey-Crassus
59 BCE: Caesar-Pompey became consuls
(Caesar army-Gallic campaigns; Pompey Rome)
Caesar/Pompey struggled for power
Pompey killed outside Italy
Caesar defeated Pompey’s sons in Spain in 45 BCE

6. Map of Rome and its territories under Caesar

7. Opening of Play Caesar’s return from defeating Pompey’s sons
Some [senators] fear Caesar may take absolute power (like kings Lucius Junius Brutus deposed)
Caesar very popular with commoners
Head of Pompey

8. Plutarch Source for historical background
Wrote 56 AD (100 yrs after Caesar’s death)
Elizabethans familiar w/Caesar story
Shakespeare followed Plutarch’s basic account of historical events.
emphasizing how the actions of the leaders of Roman society, rather than class conflicts or larger political movements, determined history.

9. William Shakespeare vs. Plutarch
To save time Shakespeare condensed some of the historical events.
- Caesar’s murder, funeral, and reading of the will all happened on the same day in the play.
~He combined the two Battles of Phillipi
The picture is a painting of the assassination of Caesar. Painted by Vincenzo Camuccini ( ) in 1798.

10. Julius Caesar: the play
Written by William Shakespeare
First performed approx. 1599
Concerns:
Historical events
Evils of rebellion and civil war
Ambition and its effect on leadership

11. Elizabethan England
Queen Elizabeth’s reign a good time in British history
Long reign ending
Concern about successor
Violence preceded her reign
Henry VIII’s 6 wives, no certain
successor – lots of
instability

12. Connection: From ancient Roman history to Elizabethan England
Attitude of Brits: better to accept power than to have civil war
In play, those who would fight against Caesar (even for noble cause) would cause suffering for the people

13. The Globe Theater

14. Rhetorical Devices
Julius Caesar is about power, ambition, and betrayal. The characters are constantly trying to persuade themselves, each other, and the audience of the rightness of their cause. As a result, the play is full of speeches that make masterful use of rhetorical devices, such as repetition, parallelism, and rhetorical questions. Watch for them!