Warm-Up What are facts that you remember about William Shakespeare and his plays?

Warm-Up

What are facts that you remember about William Shakespeare and his plays?

Shakespeare Facts to Remember

Born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford, England

Died April 23, 1616Married to Anne Hathaway (she was 8

years older than him . . . COUGAR!) and had 3 children

Lived during the Renaissance Period under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I

Shakespeare’s Career He had his own theater troop called Lord

Chamberlain’s Men. He is the most famous poet and playwright in

the world. His plays were performed at The Globe Theater

in London. He has three types of plays: Comedy, Tragedy,

History He wrote a total of 37 plays. His most famous poem form is the sonnet (a 14

line poem with the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg).

Julius Caesar Julius Caesar BackgroundBackground

Iacta alea estIacta alea est““The die has already The die has already

been cast”been cast”

The Play: The Results of The Play: The Results of ViolenceViolence

Assassination:Assassination:

The murder of a public figure is an act The murder of a public figure is an act that can take place in a split second yet that can take place in a split second yet change the course of historychange the course of history

March 15, 44 BC Julius Caesar is March 15, 44 BC Julius Caesar is assassinated on the floor of the Roman assassinated on the floor of the Roman SenateSenate

The PlayThe Play

The play is about the The play is about the assassination of a Roman assassination of a Roman general and dictator who general and dictator who lived and died more than lived and died more than 2000 years ago.2000 years ago.

Shakespeare drew his Shakespeare drew his material from the ancient material from the ancient biographical text biographical text The Lives The Lives of Noble Grecians and of Noble Grecians and RomansRomans written by written by Plutarch (Greek writer and Plutarch (Greek writer and biographer)biographer)

War & Individual PowerWar & Individual Power It seems that the It seems that the

Roman world in Roman world in Caesar’s time was Caesar’s time was continually at war.continually at war.

But in Rome, the But in Rome, the general had general had enormous individual enormous individual power.power.

Powerful generals Powerful generals like Caesar moved like Caesar moved with their plundering with their plundering armies over the armies over the entire Mediterranean entire Mediterranean World.World.

The Roman Empire during the life of Caesar

These powerful armies would These powerful armies would rule the territory with Roman rule the territory with Roman governors who exacted cruel governors who exacted cruel taxes.taxes.

Sometimes the generals turned Sometimes the generals turned on one anotheron one another

Strong men battling for powerStrong men battling for power

Private Armies & Private Armies & BetrayalBetrayal

Private Armies & Private Armies & BetrayalBetrayal

First Triumvirate: First Triumvirate: Gaius Julius Gaius Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey Magnus, Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey Magnus, and Marcus Licinius Crassusand Marcus Licinius Crassus

Caesar and Pompey were friendsCaesar and Pompey were friends

In 60 B.C. the two generals In 60 B.C. the two generals helped to bring order to a helped to bring order to a weakened governmentweakened government

Caesar

Pompey

Crassus

Caesar and Pompey: Caesar and Pompey: jealousy and murderjealousy and murder

Jealousy!Jealousy!Crassus is killed in Syria; Crassus is killed in Syria;

eager for more power, eager for more power, Caesar leaves RomeCaesar leaves Rome

Caesar conquers the Caesar conquers the Gauls in Europe, sending Gauls in Europe, sending back loads of money to back loads of money to the people, and the the people, and the people give Caesar their people give Caesar their favorfavor

Jealousy!Jealousy! Jealous of Caesar’s military triumphs in the Jealous of Caesar’s military triumphs in the

Gallic wars, Pompey looks towards success Gallic wars, Pompey looks towards success in the Senatein the Senate

The Senate is wary of Caesar’s ambition The Senate is wary of Caesar’s ambition and fear that with the love of the people and fear that with the love of the people Caesar might declare himself kingCaesar might declare himself king

Caesar’s standard (i.e. his symbol)

Views of Caesar…Views of Caesar…

Caesar saw himself as a Caesar saw himself as a defender of the peopledefender of the people

Critics said he bought support Critics said he bought support with bribes and handoutswith bribes and handouts

Enemies said he deprived Enemies said he deprived Romans of their libertyRomans of their liberty

Caesar saw himself as a Caesar saw himself as a defender of the peopledefender of the people

Critics said he bought support Critics said he bought support with bribes and handoutswith bribes and handouts

Enemies said he deprived Enemies said he deprived Romans of their libertyRomans of their liberty

Unconquerable GodUnconquerable God Caesar the invincible; the son Caesar the invincible; the son

of Zeus of Zeus

Declared dictator for 10 years Declared dictator for 10 years and saw to it that his and saw to it that his supporters, including Brutus, supporters, including Brutus, became senatorsbecame senators

Built a statue to himself with Built a statue to himself with the inscription “To the the inscription “To the Unconquerable God”Unconquerable God”

Caesar’s arroganceCaesar’s arrogance Common people loved himCommon people loved him The month of Quintilis is renamed to the The month of Quintilis is renamed to the

month of July in his honormonth of July in his honor

Later he was declared dictator for life (Feb. Later he was declared dictator for life (Feb. 15, 44 B.C.)15, 44 B.C.)

Offered the crown 3 times Offered the crown 3 times but refused but refused

Why? Looked down upon to be Why? Looked down upon to be a king – not democratic, the a king – not democratic, the Roman’s had killed their previous Roman’s had killed their previous king for being a tyrant king for being a tyrant

Caesar was the first to print his own bust on a Roman minted coin (Denarius)

Caesar’s arroganceCaesar’s arroganceHis arrogance and thirst for power His arrogance and thirst for power

became unbearable to some senatorsbecame unbearable to some senatorsMembers of the Roman senate create Members of the Roman senate create

plans to assassinate him on March 15, plans to assassinate him on March 15, 44 B.C44 B.C. because of his threat to the . because of his threat to the Republican traditionsRepublican traditions

They succeed. They succeed.

““Sic semper Sic semper tyrannis” tyrannis”

-thus always to -thus always to tyrants-tyrants-

Shakespeare’s PlayShakespeare’s PlayShakespeare’s play starts with Shakespeare’s play starts with

events that happened a month events that happened a month before the murder.before the murder.

The play condenses 3 years of The play condenses 3 years of history into one play in which 6 days history into one play in which 6 days are acted out.are acted out.

Julius CaesarJulius Caesar Roman Terms Roman Terms

Forum:Forum: The public square of an ancient Roman cityThe public square of an ancient Roman city that was the assembly place for political activity and that was the assembly place for political activity and public business. public business.

Ides:Ides: In the ancient Roman In the ancient Roman calendar, the fifteenth calendar, the fifteenth day of March, May, July, or Octoberday of March, May, July, or October, and the , and the thirteenth thirteenth day of the other monthsday of the other months. .

Feast of Lupercal:Feast of Lupercal: A Roman festival supervised A Roman festival supervised by priests on February 15th celebrating the god of by priests on February 15th celebrating the god of fertility.fertility. The festival included a race in which men The festival included a race in which men dressed in sacrificial goat skins would run through dressed in sacrificial goat skins would run through spectators in the streets, and their touch was thought spectators in the streets, and their touch was thought to cure sterility.to cure sterility.


Plebeians:Plebeians: Of or relating to the Of or relating to the common common people of ancient Romepeople of ancient Rome

Patricians:Patricians: A member of one of the A member of one of the noble families of the ancient Roman noble families of the ancient Roman RepublicRepublic, which before the 3rd century , which before the 3rd century B.C. B.C. had exclusive rights to the Senatehad exclusive rights to the Senate

Triumvirate:Triumvirate: A government of three A government of three officers or magistrates functioning jointlyofficers or magistrates functioning jointly


Tribune: Tribune: (A) an officer of ancient Rome elected by the (A) an officer of ancient Rome elected by the

plebeians to protect their rights from plebeians to protect their rights from arbitrary acts of the patrician arbitrary acts of the patrician

magistrates. magistrates. (B) a protector or champion of the people.(B) a protector or champion of the people.

Senate:Senate: The supreme council of state of the The supreme council of state of the ancient Roman Republic and later the Roman ancient Roman Republic and later the Roman EmpireEmpire


Stoicism:Stoicism: A A philosophyphilosophy that focuses on that focuses on Duty, self-discipline, and subjectionDuty, self-discipline, and subjection to the natural order of to the natural order of

thingsthings Civic obligations; Civic obligations; duty BEFORE selfduty BEFORE self!! Repressing all emotions—Repressing all emotions—do not outwardly show happiness, do not outwardly show happiness,

sadness, etc.sadness, etc. Speaking inSpeaking in a calm and a calm and emotionless manneremotionless manner

Epicurean:Epicurean: A A philosophyphilosophy that focuses on that focuses on Human freedomHuman freedom; “I am the center of my universe” attitude; “I am the center of my universe” attitude being good only to increase one’s own happiness; being good only to increase one’s own happiness; self self

BEFORE dutyBEFORE duty!! Eliminating fear from lifeEliminating fear from life, especially fear of death and the , especially fear of death and the

fear of the supernatural (the gods live in their own world and fear of the supernatural (the gods live in their own world and are too busy to bother with us on earth).are too busy to bother with us on earth).

Speaking in a vibrant and emotional mannerSpeaking in a vibrant and emotional manner

Julius CaesarJulius Caesar Literary & Drama Literary & Drama TermsTerms

Anachronism:Anachronism: person, place, or thing placed in person, place, or thing placed in the wrong time period.the wrong time period.

Apostrophe:Apostrophe: An address to the absent or dead An address to the absent or dead are spoken to as if present or the inanimate, as if are spoken to as if present or the inanimate, as if alive.alive.

Aside:Aside: remarks unheard by other actors on stage remarks unheard by other actors on stage when an actor turns his head toward the when an actor turns his head toward the audience to speak.audience to speak.


Pun:Pun: a humorous play on words indicating a humorous play on words indicating different meaningsdifferent meanings

Comic Relief:Comic Relief: humor inserted into the play to humor inserted into the play to break a serious moodbreak a serious mood

Foreshadowing:Foreshadowing: the dropping of important the dropping of important hints by the author to prepare the reader for what hints by the author to prepare the reader for what is to comeis to come

Soliloquy:Soliloquy: speech delivered while the actor is speech delivered while the actor is alone on stage. It informs the audience of what is alone on stage. It informs the audience of what is happening in the character’s mind or gives happening in the character’s mind or gives needed information about other characters.needed information about other characters.


Hyperbole:Hyperbole: the conscious use of overstatement the conscious use of overstatement or exaggeration by a writer for effector exaggeration by a writer for effect

Oxymoron:Oxymoron: a figure of speech which combines a figure of speech which combines two terms that in ordinary usage are contraries or two terms that in ordinary usage are contraries or oppositesopposites

Blank Verse:Blank Verse: Unrhymed lines written in iambic Unrhymed lines written in iambic pentameter, each line has 5 sets of unstressed pentameter, each line has 5 sets of unstressed syllables – 10 syllables totalsyllables – 10 syllables total

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Warm-Up What are facts that you remember about William Shakespeare and his plays?