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 you’ve read or seen about people who hunger for power. Write about it in your notebooks now.

Themes in Julius Caesar1. An idealistic person can be manipulated by a clever and

perhaps unscrupulous person.2. If the rightful ruler is deposed or killed, chaos will

result.3. Ordinary people are swayed by effective oratory; thus,

they can be changed into a dangerous mob. 4. Ambitions can change a man’s character so that he no

longer seeks the good for all men but, rather, seeks more power for himself.

5. Power tends to corrupt those who hold it.6. People can easily delude themselves into thinking the

end justifies the means.

Julius Caesar:The 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.

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.

                                   

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.

The Civil WarIn 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 RomePompey led Legions of the Republic into battle

Caesar

Pompey

No picture

of Crassus The First

Triumvirate

Battle of Pharsalus

Although outnumbered by 25%, Caesar figured out Pompey’s battle plan.

On August 9, 48 B.C., Caesar defeated Pompey’s army, and Pompey fled to Egypt.

On Sept. 28, 48 B.C., Pompey was assassinated by ministers of Ptolemy XIII.

                                                                                                                   

Caesar:Destiny 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

                                                                                 

Caesar:Destroyer of the Republic?

Named dictator for 10 yearsGiven most lavish honors ever showered on a RomanVictories = national holidaysCoins minted with his image

                                                              

Statue erected with inscription: “To the unconquerable god.”

Why Kill Caesar?Enemies within Caesar’s small circle of advisors actively plotted against him

Fear of 1 ruler and wanted to keep old form of government

Caesar’s Assassination Chart

Victim Assassins Problem Goal Result

Julius Caesar (44 B.C.) Rome

Brutus, Cassius, and others

Caesar was becoming too popular. Some Romans feared he would become a tyrant.

To remove the political threat of Caesar becoming King.

Civil war – at the end, Octavius Augustus became not king but emperor.

Shakespeare’s ChoiceShakespeare 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.

Shakespeare’s IntentionsOf 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 himConsequences for the conspirators and Rome in general.

Shakespeare’s PurposeHe 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.

Shakespearean Conventions

Blank Verse: unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter

Soliloquy : long speech given by a character while alone on stage to reveal private thoughts

Aside: character’s quiet remark to another

Conventions continued

Monologue: Long speech given by a character in the presence of one or more other characters

Tragic Flaw: Defect in character or judgment that directly causes the character’s downfall.

Tragedy: Play, novel, other narrative that depicts serious and important events and ends unhappily for the main character

Tragic characteristics

Main character is often high ranking and dignified, not an ordinary man or woman

The main character has a tragic flaw

The work ends unhappily, with the death of the main character

5 part structure of Tragedies

Act I: Exposition

Act II: Rising Action

Act III: Crisis/Turning Point

Act IV: Falling Action

Act V: Climax

THE END

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