Shakespeare

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Shakespeare Julius Caesar
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William Shakespeare

• Birth celebrated as April 23, 1564
• Died April 23, 1616
• Married Anne Hathaway in 1582
• She was 8 years Bills senior
• Had three children Susanna, Hamnet, Judith
• Lapse from 1585-1592

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Shakespeares Career

• By 1592- actor and playwright
• 1594- charter member of Lord Chamberlain's Men
• 1603- Changed to Kings Men
• Retired in 1612
• Wrote 37 plays
• Julius Caesar written in 1599

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Why is his work so popular?

• Shakespeare wrote about human nature and how
  people behave.
• Although his words can be hard to understand, his
  ideas are as relevant now as they were four
  centuries ago.

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Shakespeares Use of Language

• Meter rhythm of speech organized into patterns
  called feet
• Blank Verse unrhymed iambic pentameter
• Heroic Couplet 2 lines of iambic pentameter
  that rhyme

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Iambic Pentameter

• Consists of iambs (hence, the iambic part)
• Iamba set of 2 syllables (a foot), the first
  being unstressed (u) and the second being
  stressed (/)-opposite is trochaic
• Five iambs per line (the pentameter part)
• Therefore, there are 10 syllables in each line
• Usually, the more important words or parts of
  words are stressed

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Elizabethan Stage

• The Globe (Wooden O)- Jan. 20, 1599
• Caesar -Probably the first play to be performed
  at The Globe
• Sets would primarily be imagined by the audience
  (heaven, stage, hell)
• All actors male
• 1613- Henry VIII, light fuse to cannon, theatre
  burned down

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The Globe Theatre

• The theatre most associated with Shakespeare
• Shakespeare owned it in joint with othersunusual
  for a playwright
• Thrust Stage, 3-sided, platform, tiers of seats,
  groundlings
• Rebuilt Globe, on the Thames, in recent years.

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Elizabethan Theatre

• The audience
• It was an entertainment for everyone, like movies
  today.
• The cheapest tickets cost a penny, which most
  ordinary people could afford.
• People jeered at the actors and shouted out rude
  remarks
• Some even climbed onto the stage and joined in
  with swordfights.
• People also brought food with them to eat during
  the performance, or to throw at bad actors.

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Julius Caesar Quick Facts

• 60 B.C.- First Triumvirate (Crassus, Pompey,
  Caesar)
• Caesar crosses Rubicon
• March 15, 44 B.C.- Caesar assassinated
• Ides of March
• 43 B.C.- Second Triumvirate (Antony, Lepidus,
  Octavian)

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Background of Caesar

• Opens in 44 BC when Rome had made conquests
  that allowed it to have an empire in N. Africa,
  Britain, Persia, and Spain.

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Background of Caesar

• City itself collapsing despite conquests
• Military endeavors more ambitious ? generals
  stronger while senators weaker and factionalized
• Sharp class divisions

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Background of Caesar

• City itself collapsing despite conquests
• Majority of population not interested in
  maintaining republic

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Background of Caesar

• Caesar emerged as most likely to succeed
• Remarkable general
• Popular among lower classes at home

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Background of Caesar

• Caesar emerged as most likely to succeed
• Ability
• Charisma
• Ambition
• Good luck

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Background of Caesar

• Caesar emerged as most likely to succeed
• Extremely valuable and extremely dangerous to the
  state

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Background of Caesar

• Caesar caused conflict
• Legal and military attempts to curb his power
  failed
• Group of conspirators assassinated him, causing
  civil war

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Background of Caesar

• New regime
• Caesars friend Mark Antony and his heir,
  Octavius, defeated the conspirators

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Background of Caesar

• New regime
• Octavius was installed as emperor Augustus, and
  senate reduced to ceremonial role

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The Importance of Caesar

• Caesars assassination and death affected Rome
  and its territories for centuries
• Story is simultaneously personal and political

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• Differing views
• Assassination as act of heroism, expediency, or
  villainy celebrate, excuse, or denounce its
  perpetrators?

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• Differing views
• Michelangelo, Milton idealize Brutus as selfless
  defender of human liberty
• Dante sends Brutus and Cassius into the deepest
  pit of hell

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Shakespeares Caesar

• Shakespeare gathered his information mostly from
  biographies written by Plutarch, a Greek
  historian.
• He took liberties with time frames, condensing
  events of many years into a few days. Shakespeare
  also took many other liberties with the dialogue
  and even some events to heighten the dramatic
  effect.
• Shakespeare was more concerned with demonstrating
  a thematic point than with presenting accurate
  history.

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WHO CARES?

• So why did Shakespeare feel that Renaissance
  England would respond to Julius Caesar?

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• Shakespeare saw Caesar and Roman civilization not
  just as one that precedes the future, but as one
  that sets the pattern for future civilizations.
• Shakespeare's England faced concerns of a country
  about to change leadership and centuries.

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The Play---

• In 1599 the play would have served as a timely
  reminder of the enormous upheaval that would
  follow an attempt to seize power through violent
  means.

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JC's current relevance

• Themes in Julius Caesar have an equal relevance
  for politics now, 400 years later. In the rivalry
  between political intimates, Cassius and Brutus,
  the somewhat shady financial dealings of the
  central characters, and the concerns about
  Caesar's style of leadership, there are undoubted
  parallels with societies today.

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JC's current relevance

• It is this issue of leadership and, in
  particular, the question of when effective
  leadership becomes a tyranny, that has most
  relevance.
• Consider the role of President, Prime Ministers,
  Senates, etc.

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JC's current relevance

• But the play is also about more ageless issues,
  such as the corrupting effect of power. "People
  are rightly nervous about placing trust in
  politicians," says Rylance. "I believe that the
  vast majority of politicians are genuinely trying
  to do some good. But there is always the danger,
  when in a position of power, that means and ends
  can become blurred."

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Tragedies

• Shakespeares most famous and popular plays
• Romeo and Juliet Macbeth Hamlet Othello King
  Lear Julius Caesar

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Tragic Hero

• Character usually of high birth, who is neither
  totally good nor totally bad, and whose downfall
  is brought about by a character flaw or error in
  judgment.

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Doom and Destiny

• Many people believed in fate, or destiny, and in
  the power of the stars to foretell the future.
• Shakespeare uses the idea of fate or destiny to
  add excitement and anticipation to the tragedies
• Uses a prophecy as a way of holding the
  audiences interest, because everyone wants to
  see if it will be fulfilled.

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Look for Rhetoric

• The art or study of using language effectively
  and persuasively
• Make sure to look for persuasion and the use of
  language throughout the play (note the characters
  techniques to win public and political support)

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Elements of Fiction/Shakespearean Tragedy
Exposition Characters Setting Act I
Rising Action Introduction of Conflicts Act II
Climax Turning Point Act III In a tragedy, things usually go from bad to worse in Act III
Falling Action Conflict resolution begins to fall into place Result of the climax Act IV
Denouement Main conflicts are resolved Act V This act includes a catastrophe, which is another climactic turning point in the story line.
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Julius Caesar

• Physically weak Caesar has several infirmities
• A tyrant Caesar has had Marullus and Flavius
  arrested
• Superstitious Caesar believes in portents and
  dreams
• Indecisive Caesar cannot make up his mind
  whether or not to go to the senate
• Inflexible Caesar thinks himself perfect and
  decisive

Protagonist Julius Caesar is an arrogant soldier
and ambitious politician, who believes that he is
infallible. After his great victory over the sons
of Pompey, he believes that he is worthy of more
power than just being the head of Rome he wants
to be crowned the leader of the entire Roman
Empire.
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Brutus

• Of Noble Heritage Brutus is a Roman nobleman,
  as was his father
• Sincere Brutus truly believes that his role
  in the assassination is for the good of Rome
• Honest He refuses to take bribes
• Naive He believes in the essential goodness of
  those around him
• Philosophical His philosophies guide his
  actions and decisions.

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Cassius
Envious Cassius has contempt for Caesar and
envies Caesar's position Fearful Cassius is
afraid that Caesar has ambitions to be king. He
fears what might become of Rome in such an
instance. Politically Astute He advises
Brutus to assassinate Antony along with Caesar.
Understanding what can happen, he advises Brutus
not to allow Antony to speak at Caesar's
funeral. Corrupt Prior to the battle at
Philippi, he is accused by Brutus of taking
bribes Military Strategist His battle plan
for Philippi is well thought out and based on
sound military principles
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Marc Antony

• Loyal to Caesar Antony loved and admired Caesar
• Clever Antony pretends to befriend the
  conspirators and asks that he be allowed to speak
  at Caesar's funeral
• A skilled orator Antony's speech at Caesar's
  funeral sways the crowd
• Hard Antony's role in condemning men to death
  shows he can be as cold hearted as he is
  passionate
• A skilled military leader Antony has an equal
  voice in planning the war against the legions of
  Brutus and Cassius

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THEMES
Major Theme The major theme of Julius Caesar is
that misused power is a corruptive force. This is
seen in the fact that Caesar is a dictator
suspected of being tyrannous, that Cassius is so
power hungry that he assassinates Caesar, hoping
to become more powerful himself, and that Antony,
Octavius, and Lepidus become a dictatorial and
tyrannical Triumvirate, worse than Caesar ever
hinted at being.
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Minor Themes

• goodness of loyalty, honor, and friendship
• the evil of pride, conspiracy, and anarchy
• the logic of political order
• and the viability of republicanism as a form of
  government.

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MOOD
The mood of Julius Caesar is one of impending
doom and catastrophe. From the beginning, danger
lurks in every corner. Friends can no longer be
trusted, as they turn to manipulation and
conspiracy and plot their next moves. Images of
violence, blood, and death dominate the visual
texture of the play. The weighty political
intrigue is always present throughout the drama.
The latter half of the play even assumes an
eerie mood with the appearance of Caesar's ghost,
returning to seek revenge. The closing phase of
the play is dominated by the sinister image of
the sword.
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Antagonists

• Caesar's antagonists are Brutus, Cassius, and the
  other conspirators who do not want him to become
  the head of the Roman Empire.
• They plot to overthrow Caesar and assassinate him
  outside the Capitol he is an easy target because
  of his fatal flaw - his extreme "hubris" or
  pride.
• Many times, Caesar is nearly saved by omens and
  warnings, but he disregards them, thinking
  himself infallible.
• He is so proud that he is easily flattered,
  leading him to think less strategically and
  placing himself in grave danger.

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SETTING

• Julius Caesar is largely set in Rome, in February
  of the year 44 B.C.
• In later scenes, the action moves to Sardis and
  the battlefield at Philippi.
• The physical landmarks of ancient Rome, such as
  the Tiber River, the Capitol, and the house of
  the Senate, are referred to with great frequency.
  
• The Forum is also the setting for an important
  scene. Roman political institutions and
  officials, such as tribunes, Senators,
  Patricians, and priests, are always present.

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