1. William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Historical and Literary Context

2. PICTURE THIS… You are the leader of the free world. You are the most powerful human being on earth. You are the controller of the most powerful country in the world. You are untouchable. You can say or do anything you want.

3. YOU DIDN’T SEE IT COMING… Your best friends stab you in the back…

4. The Roman Empire

5. Rome ruled the world (Europe) at this time. They were constantly waging wars and taking over countries.

6. The Roman Empire Once they would take over a country, a Roman governor would rule that place. The Roman officials were often times very cruel. Many generals became power- hungry and turned on each other. From 82-31 B.C. civil wars were common in Roman society.

7. The Real Caesar Julius Caesar really existed, and Shakespeare took his story from Plutarch’s biography of Caesar and made it into a play. Caesar lived from 102 B.C. to 44 B.C. He was one of Rome’s greatest military leaders.

8. Who was Julius Caesar? Had led his army to conquer the whole of Gaul Had sent an expedition over to Britain Was a popular hero with his troops and with the ordinary people of Rome

9. Caesar and Pompey One of Caesar’s biggest rivals was another general called Pompey The Senate disliked Caesar and supported Pompey – they ordered Caesar to get rid of his army Caesar ignored them and defeated Pompey in battle Caesar then took over Rome as ‘Dictator for Life’

10. The Real Caesar Pompey was murdered before Caesar could get him in Egypt. While in Egypt, Caesar fell in love with Cleopatra. He made her the ruler of Egypt. Caesar went back to Rome a hero and was made dictator. He made his friend, Brutus, a senator.

11. The Real Caesar Caesar felt he was invincible.Caesar felt he was invincible. –He wrote this on the Temple walls… –“To the Unconquerable God” –He was referring to himself.

12. The Real Caesar For many Romans, the idea of having another king sounded horrible. They had been run by a republican government for 450 years. Caesar became more pretentious and arrogant. Senators made plans to assassinate him on March 15, 44 B.C.

13. Julius Caesar How was he murdered?

14. Caesar’s murder – the build up A few weeks before his murder Caesar is told by a soothsayer ‘Beware the Ides of March!’ The night before his murder, his wife Calpurnia has a nightmare and begs him not to go to the Senate

15. Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, begged him not to go to the Senate. She had had a nightmare that he would be murdered.

16. A violent storm occurred; this was believed to be an omen of bad luck for Caesar.

17. Caesar ignored a soothsayer outside the Senate. He told him to “beware the ides of March”.

18. Inside the Senate, a group of senators stabbed him to death, one by one. Casca stabbed him first. There were 23 blows.

19. The Murder 15 th March 44BC Caesar prepares to go to the senate More than 60 conspirators wait for Caesar in the Senate The conspirators, all senators, are led by Brutus and Cassius With daggers concealed under their togas they murder Caesar, stabbing him at least 23 times Caesar says to his friend Brutus ‘You, too, my child.’

20. What Defines Shakespearean Tragedy? A Tragic Hero The Tragic Flaw or Hamartia Reversal of Fortune Catharsis (emotion) Restoration of Social Order

21. The Tragic Hero The tragic hero is someone we, as an audience, look up to—someone superior. The tragic hero is a character that the audience can identify with The tragic hero features a fatal flaw that exposes his/her weakness.

22. The Tragic Flaw The hero is nearly perfect The hero has one flaw or weakness We call this the ‘tragic flaw’, ‘fatal flaw’, or hamartia, ie. pride in Oedipus

23. Reversal of Fortune The ‘fatal flaw’ brings the hero down from his/her elevated state. (Oedipus) Renaissance audiences were familiar with the ‘wheel of fortune’ or ‘fickle fate’. Belief that the supernatural world or destiny/fates involved in world of man. What goes up, must come down. Cycle of life

24. Catharsis We get the word ‘catharsis’ from Aristotle’s katharsis. ‘Catharsis’ is the audience’s purging of emotions through pity, fear, anger, etc. The spectator is purged as a result of watching the hero fall. This is why we cry during movies!

25. Restoration of Social Order Tragedies include: – a private element (within a family or small group) –a public element (society or governmental order) The play cannot end until society is, once again, at peace.

26. The Structure of Tragedy 1.Exposition 2.Rising Action 3.Climax 4.Falling Action 5.Catastrophe

27. Act I: Exposition Major characters are introduced; setting is established; introduction to conflict and pertinent background information provided

28. Act II: Complication/Rising Action Conflict is further developed; competing interests outline their positions; intrigue and suspense builds as plot becomes more focussed.

29. Act III: Climax of Action Development of major conflict reaches the high point; tragic hero must make a decision; protagonist is aware of the implications of his/her actions.

30. Act IV: Falling Action Consequences of actions in Act III begin to play out; protagonist struggles to redeem him/herself in face of opposition; tragic hero at a crossroads.

31. Act V: Catastrophe Conflict is resolved; tragic hero comes to realization of personal loss; often an attempt to rationalize actions; usually ends in death of heroic figure.