Name _Graciela Gomez__

Pd._4th_____

Julius Caesar: Act I Reading and Study Guide

I. VOCABULARY: Be able to define the following words and understand them when they appear in
The play.
Wherefore- why
Vulgar- Common, low, base or someone worth nothing.
What part of speech is vulgar when used by Flavius in line 70? _noun- describes the distaste
they feel for the commoners.
Construe- to interpret or explain
II. LITERARY TERMS: Be able to define each term and apply each term to the play.
Blank verse Unrhymed iambic pentameter (5 iambs without rhythm unstressed followed by a
stressed)
List characters who speak in verse: Brutus, Caesar, Cassius, Casca, Flavius, Marullus, Cinna
Prose- Regular Speech
List characters who speak in prose Cobbler, other commoners. _
**What possible reason do some characters speak in prose and some speak in verse?
Demonstration of education, class or power.
Tragedy- A play, novel or other narrative that depicts serious and important events and ends
unhappily for the main character.
Pun- A word or phrase that means two different things at the same time.
Example from Act I, scene i: Base Mettle- vs metal (low strength of spirit vs metal that
oxidizes or corrodes relatively easily.
ConflictExternal: 1. _Conspiring Senators_ vs. _Caesar___
2. Flavius & Marullus__ vs. _Commoners_
3. _Brutus_______ vs. Cassius- trying to reverse Brutus on Caesar
Internal: 4. _Brutus love and friendship for Caesar vs. Brutus hate of Caesars power as
ruler of Rome
soliloquy Speech by a character alone, onstage, to himself or herself or to the audience.

Example: 304-218 Cassius details his plains to write fake letter to convince Brutus that
the citizens of Rome love him more than Caesar to be ruler, but in reality its not true.
iambic meter A metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed
syllable.
iambic pentameter - line of five feet with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed
syllable.
The evil that men do lives after them= 1 foot
metaphor : A word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show
or suggest that they are similar in some way.
Example: _ No, Caesar hath not it; but you, and I, / and honest Casca, we have the
falling sickness. (I, ii, 255-6) Comparing their fall from power if Caesar becomes king.
simile : A figure of speech in which two essentially unline things are being compared in a
phrase such as like or as.
Example: I, ii 136-6 He doth bestride the narrow world/like a colossus, referring to
Caesar and his power.
III. Questions: answer the following questions.
Background
1. Where and when was Shakespeare born? Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon- Avon in United
Kingdom in 1564.
2. What theatre did Shakespeare help build? Shakespeare help build in the Globe theatre.
3. When did he die? He died in 1616
4. In what historical period was Shakespeare living? Who was the ruler of England at that time?
Shakespeare lived in the Elizabeth Era, late 16th century and Queen Elizabeth was the ruler of England
at that time.
5. What three types of plays did Shakespeare write? Give an example of each. Shakespeare wrote
dramas, comedies and romances.
6. What was it like to go to a play during Shakespeares time? There was no sets so audiences had to
imagine them, it was all about listening and also only men were allowed to act. The actors wore
elaborate costumes.
7. What historian did Shakespeare use as a source for writing Julius Caesar? Shakespeare used
Plutarchs biography on Julius Caesar.
8. When and where did Julius Caesar live? Caesar lived in Rome around 44 B.C.
9. Who is Pompey? Although he is not a character in the play, why is he important to the plot?
Pompey ruled Rome before Caesar, in addition loyalists to Pompey believe that Caesar had something
to do with the murder.

Scene 1:
10. What is the setting? What holiday is being celebrated? The setting is in Ancient Roman Times, 44
b.c. Lupercal is being celebrated.
12. Who are Marullus and Flavius? They are tribunes or plebeians that protect the streets.
13. Why do they want to drive the commoners from the street? They want the commoners away from
the street they down want to admire Caesar.
14. What else do Marullus and Flavius do to further hinder the celebration of Caesars victory? They
take down everything from the streets that praises Caesar.
Scene 2:
15. What does Caesar tell Antony to do to Calpurnia?
He wants Anthony to touch her and make her fertile.
16. Why might Caesar ask Antony in front of everyone else? Caesar wants to show all the power
He has and how loyal Anthony is to him.
17. What is a soothsayer? Of what does he warn Caesar? A soothsayer
Is a fortune teller that has been warning Caesar because something is suspicious.
18. What does ides mean? A day in the middle or the 15th day of march.
19. Does Marcus Brutus like Caesar? What does Brutus think of Caesars rise to power? Use lines
from play to support your answer. Yes, Brutus has a close relationship with Caesar but he is
Afraid that he is too ambitious over the power he has.
20. Brutus says, For let the gods so speed me as I love / the name of honor more than I fear death.
What do these lines imply about Brutuss most important value in life? These lines how that Brutus
values honors over fearing death.
21. What story does Cassius tell Brutus? He tells how they went swimming and Caesar was drowning
but Cassius saved him and he was acting like a little girl acting as if she was sick but in reality not.
22. What is Cassiuss point in telling this story? Cassius is demonstrating how much coward,
ambitious leader he is.
23. What is Caesars opinion of Cassius? Why does he feel this way? Caesars opinion of Cassius is
that he doesnt trust him, he thinks there is something going on.
24. What handicap does Caesar reveal about himself when speaking to Antony? Caesar reveals that he
is deaf in one ear.
25. How many times is Caesar offered a coronet, or a small crown? He was offered the crown
By Anthony three times.

26. What was Caesars reaction to the offering, according to Casca?

Caesar keeps rejecting the crown and Cassius tells how Caesar had fainted from the smell
Of the crowd, that he could just not stand it.
27. What sickness does Caesar have? Caesar has epilepsy which means he falls.
28. What happens to Marullus and Flavius? They are both punished.
29. What does Cassius plan to do to convince Brutus to conspire against Caesar? He is going to write
him letters with different handwritings to convince him that the people of Rome want Brutus as the
new leader.
Scene 3:
30. What unusual events occur during the storm? Men are walking on the streets on fire, there is a lion
in the capitol also an owl sat in the market place.
31. What meaning does Cassius interpret from the storm? He believes its strange, that the storm has
come from Caesar having too much power as a leader.
32. According to Casca, what are the senators planning to do to Caesar tomorrow? They are going to
set Caesar as the ruler, the King that the people dont want.
33. Who is definitely part of the conspiracy?
1. Cassius
4. Cimber
2. Casca
5. Cinna
3. Brutus
6. Trebonius