Quick Write

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Quick Write

• Julius Caesar tells a story about the hunger for
  power, a story based on real people and events
  from the days when Rome ruled much of the world.
• Think of stories- fictional or true- that youve
  read or seen about people who hunger for power.
• Write about it in your notebooks now.

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Themes in Julius Caesar

• An idealistic person can be manipulated by a
  clever and perhaps unscrupulous person.
• If the rightful ruler is deposed or killed, chaos
  will result.
• Ordinary people are swayed by effective oratory
  thus, they can be changed into a dangerous mob.
• Ambitions can change a mans character so that he
  no longer seeks the good for all men but, rather,
  seeks more power for himself.
• Power tends to corrupt those who hold it.
• People can easily delude themselves into thinking
  the end justifies the means.

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Julius CaesarThe Journey of a Leader

• If we wind the clock back about 400 years - to
  the year 1600 in fact - we arrive at the time
  when William Shakespeare completed Julius Caesar.
  Can you think of any reasons why this play (and
  for that matter Shakespeare himself) stood the
  test of time so well? After all, Shakespeare is a
  huge commercial success all over the world, even
  today. Books, films, TV, stage presentations,
  and souvenirs generate an enormous profit.

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Julius Caesar

• Born July 13, 100 B.C.
• Helped transform Rome into an empire
• Elected military tribune in 72 B.C.
• Elected Proconsul
• Responsible for first invasion of Britain in 55
  B.C.

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The GallicWars

• Commentarii de Bello Gallico book Caesar wrote
  about the war
• This book represents a masterwork of political
  propaganda as Caesar was keenly interested in
  manipulating his readers in Rome.

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The Civil War
Caesar

• In 50 B.C., the Senate, led by Pompey, ordered
  Caesar to return to Rome and disband his army
  because his term as Proconsul finished. Moreover,
  the Senate forbade Caesar to stand for a second
  consulship in absentia.
• Caesar thought he would be prosecuted and
  politically marginalized if he entered Rome
  without the immunity enjoyed by a Consul or
  without the power of his army.
• Pompey accused Caesar of insubordination and
  treason.
• Crossed the Rubicon and marched on Rome
• Pompey led Legions of the Republic into battle

Pompey
No picture of Crassus
The First Triumvirate
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Battle of Pharsalus

• Although outnumbered by 25, Caesar figured out
  Pompeys battle plan.
• On August 9, 48 B.C., Caesar defeated Pompeys
  army, and Pompey fled to Egypt.
• On Sept. 28, 48 B.C., Pompey was assassinated by
  ministers of Ptolemy XIII.

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CaesarDestiny of Rome?

• Reorganized distribution of grain
• Founded military colonies for the poor
• Granted citizenship to doctors teachers
• Stepped up criminal penalties and laws against
  extortion
• Created 1st news sheet
• Never lost a war

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CaesarDestroyer of the Republic?

• Named dictator for 10 years
• Given most lavish honors ever showered on a Roman
• Victories national holidays
• Coins minted with his image

• Statue erected with inscription To the
  unconquerable god.

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Why Kill Caesar?

• Enemies within Caesars small circle of advisors
  actively plotted against him
• Fear of 1 ruler and wanted to keep old form of
  government

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Caesars Assassination Chart
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Shakespeares Choice

• Shakespeare certainly had good reason to write
  about Julius Caesar.
• This Roman emperor was well known in the
  Elizabethan public's mind - he was, after all,
  the one who led the first Roman ships to
  Britain's shores in 55 B.C. and paved the way for
  the Roman occupation of Britain.
• When he became dictator, he was arguably the most
  powerful ruler the world had ever known.
• He also died in spectacular fashion.

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Shakespeares Intentions

• Of course, Shakespeare had to gather historical
  details. He read one major work Sir Thomas
  North's translation of the ancient historian
  Plutarch's Lives.
• But Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is not a history
  book, nor was it his intention to write a piece
  of Roman history.
• It is a play, based on the
• Events of Caesar's murder
• Pressures on the characters around him
• Consequences for the conspirators and Rome in
  general.

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Shakespeares Purpose

• He is not so much interested
• in the facts but uses them to
• Present something from his own imagination that
  would entertain his audiences (the first thing to
  think about, obviously)
• Make audiences think challenge them to look
  beyond the story and look at the way human beings
  act towards each other.

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Shakespearean Conventions

• Bank Verse unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter
• Soliloquy long speech given by a character
  while alone on stage to reveal private thoughts
• Aside characters quiet remark to another

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THE END
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