study guide - Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

The 2015 Linny Fowler WillPower Tour
STUDY GUIDE
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s production is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a
national program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour is
made possible through a generous gift
from:
Beall and Marlene “Linny” Fowler
And these generous supporters:
The National Endowment for the Arts in
partnership with Arts Midwest presents
Shakespeare in American Communities. The
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is one of
40 professional theater companies selected
to participate in Shakespeare in American
Communities, bringing the finest productions
of Shakespeare to middle- and high-school
students across the United States. This is the
13th year of this national program, the largest
tour of Shakespeare in the United States.
Anonymous
Jaqueline Brown
in honor of Mr. William B. D’Alton Sr.
Lee and Dolly Butz
Capital Blue Cross
The Century Fund
Tom and Gayle Cichocki
Crayola
DeSales University
Donald DuPont
Embassy Bank
Gadomski Foundation
K12 Systems
John Kennedy
in memory of Paul Marsters
Anne and Bruce Lawrence
Mr. and Mrs. Dean and Wendy Macinskas
Roseann Paciotti
in honor of John and Aurelia Stella
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Michael and Christine Perrucci
Brenda Shahpari-Azar
in memory of Asghar Shahpari-Azar
Shakespeare in American Communities
Sara Ann Thomas
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Julius
Caesar
Our performance of Julius Caesar is designed to
energize and inspire your students- instilling a
greater understanding and appreciation of
theater, Shakespeare, and language, both
spoken and written. The post-show discussion
allows students to directly connect with the
actor-teachers. For schools that have
contracted for the full day program, workshops
provide students with activities which illuminate
the vitality of Shakespeare’s words and
characters in a highly engaging experience.
PREPARING STUDENTS
What Can We Do to Prepare?
Synopsis of the Play
Characters in Julius Caesar
WillPower Actors
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6
7
8
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Who Was This Guy?
10
Shakespeare’s England
11
Shakespeare’s Theater
13
Shakespeare Timeline
14
Shakespeare’s Language
15
Shakespeare’s Inspiration
16
Shakespeare Inspires
17
The Play in Performance
18
Historical Accuracy & Anachronisms 19
Julius Caesar: A Historical Timeline 20
Roman Government
21
Quotes: On Shakespeare
22
CLASSROOM EXERCISES
Before Reading Julius Caesar
23
While Reading Julius Caesar
24
After Reading Julius Caesar
25
After Seeing Julius Caesar
26
More Activities Before Reading
27
More Activities While Reading
29
The Day of the Play
31
Essay & Discussion Questions
32
This study guide gives you information and
activities specific to this production of Julius
Caesar which is designed to give young people a
fresh view on a classic work. There is also
information and resources on Shakespeare’s life
language, and theater. We will bring all our skill,
passion, and artistry to the task. We hope you
and your students enjoy, and will be filled with,
WillPower!
REFLECTION WORKSHEET
CHARACTER QUIZ
OPPORTUNITIES AT PSF
SHAKESPEARE COMPETITION
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
SOURCES & RESOURCES
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Julius
Caesar
What can we do in class to prepare?
Read the synopsis.
We know time is tight in the classroom and your students may not have the opportunity to read the
whole play. That’s okay, but do give them a sense of the story. The experience of seeing the play will
not be spoiled by knowing the end; it will only be enhanced. Shakespeare’s plays are driven by language
and character. If we know the plot ahead of time, there is no worrying about following the events and
we are able to enjoy Shakespeare’s language and the journey of the play. Our synopsis is on page 6.
Get to know the characters.
Shakespeare liked to create large casts of characters. The people in his plays are as detailed and diverse
as the people in our world. As their names can be unusual, it is helpful to review who is who and what
they do before the play begins. Just like in Shakespeare’s day, our WillPower actors play multiple roles.
Take a look at page 8 to find out how we perform Julius Caesar with only nine actors!
Introduce the language.
Try thinking about Shakespeare’s language as 400 years younger than the English we speak today. It is
more vibrant, imaginative, and full of passion and power. This is the element that creates the wild ride
of a Shakespearean play.
At first, our modern ear can be overwhelmed by the richness and complexity of the text. If you listen
closely and give yourself a few minutes to adjust, the language will begin to reveal its exceptional
beauty. Try the classroom activity on page 27 and 28 as a warm-up.
Play your part.
Remind your students that the performance happens in real time and they have a very important role
to play. The actors will often be looking at and speaking directly to the audience as an acting partner
and looking for a response. We invite students to participate as an engaged and supportive audience.
When the audience is attentive and responsive, they share in the creation of magical theater moments.
Live theatre is not the same experience as going to the movies or watching TV at home. In the same
way, noises and distracting behavior will have a negative impact on the actors’ concentration and
performance, and affect the experience of the other spectators. Audience members should not talk to
each other, unwrap candy or other food, search through a purse or backpack; they should also shut off
wristwatch alarms and cellphones. Texting distracts those around you from the live event and you
might miss the kiss, a bawdy joke, or an inspiring moment. Don’t check out! Remember that actors
can see and hear the audience.
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Julius
Caesar
Act 1
“Beware the ides of March.”
Julius Caesar returns to Rome after fighting a long civil war with his fellow consul-turned-enemy,
Pompey. The whole city is there to celebrate Caesar’s victory…or so it seems. From the crowd
emerges a soothsayer, who warns Caesar to “beware the ides of March”, referring to March 15th in the
Roman calendar, and meaning that Caesar’s time of reckoning will come on that day. Caesar decides to
ignore the warning. Cassius, a Roman senator, begins to plot against Caesar, fearing Caesar will hold
too much power over the people. Cassius attempts to convince Brutus, another senator and Caesar’s
close friend, that Caesar will become a tyrant. Cassius, when alone, reveals to the audience that he
believes Brutus is easily manipulated, and instructs a politician named Casca to help him write forged
letters to Brutus, further urging him to turn against the emperor.
Act 2
“Cowards die many times before their death; The valiant never taste of death but once.”
After much convincing, Brutus agrees that Caesar must be killed in order to save Rome from tyranny.
The conspirators, led by Cassius, convene at Brutus’ house in the dark of night to confirm alliances and
establish a plan for assassination. Portia, Brutus’ wife, is wary of her husband keeping secrets from her.
Meanwhile, Caesar’s wife Calpurnia has been having horrible nightmares that predict her husband’s death.
On March 15th, she begs Caesar not to go to the Senate, but he refuses to listen to her pleas.
Act 3
“Et tu, Brute?”
With everyone convened at the Senate, the conspirators put their plan into action. Caesar’s ally Mark
Antony is lured away and in his absence the conspirators surround Caesar and brutally stab him to
death. After Caesar is killed, Mark Antony privately vows revenge for the death of his friend. The city
holds a grand funeral for Caesar, and both Brutus and Antony come to speak to the Roman people.
Brutus speaks first, and attempts to convince the crowd that Caesar deserved to die. Antony’s speech
quickly turns the crowd against the conspirators, and an angry mob chases them out of the city, leaving
Antony free to inherit Caesar’s power.
Act 4
“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune…”
Antony sends troops against Brutus and Cassius, who are now outside the cities with their armies.
Tensions erupt between Brutus and Cassius in the military camp, and they get into a heated argument.
It is only when Cassius offers his life as proof of his loyalty the two are able to forgive each other.
Meanwhile, Brutus’ wife Portia has killed herself. Caesar’s ghost appears to Brutus, and informs him
that they will meet again at Philippi -- the field where they will face Antony’s army in battle.
Act 5
“This was the noblest Roman of them all.”
The two sides finally meet on the battlefield. After receiving a false military report that predicts a
terrible fate for his troops, Cassius orders his servant to kill him. Brutus remains fighting, but is
ultimately overcome by Antony’s army in a second battle. Defeated, Brutus asks one of his soldiers to
hold his sword as he runs into the blade, ending his life. In the chaos, Antony finds Brutus’ body and,
proclaiming him in the end to be a noble man, prepares to give him an honorable burial.
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Julius
Caesar
The characters in our play
All names in UPPER CASE refer to the names that the characters are addressed as in the play
Julius CAESAR- a military hero, named dictator of Rome
CONSPIRATORS AGAINST CAESAR
Marcus BRUTUS- praetor of Rome, reluctantly joins plot against Caesar
Caius CASSIUS- instigator of the plot against Caesar
DECIUS Brutus- persuades Caesar to visit the Senate, despite warnings against it
CASCA- first to stab Caesar
METELLUS Cimber
TREBONIUS
TRIUMVIRS OF ROME (after Caesar’s death)
OCTAVIUS Caesar- claims to be Caesar’s heir, causing tensions with Antony
Mark ANTONY- Caesar’s most loyal follower, but nonetheless power hungry and manipulative
LEPIDUS- has the least power out of the three triumvirs
HOUSEHOLDS
CALPHURNIA- wife of Caesar
PORTIA- wife of Brutus
LUCIUS- personal servant to Brutus
TRIBUNES OF THE PEOPLE
MARULLUS
FLAVIUS
both oppose Caesar’s rule
OTHERS
A SOOTHSAYER-warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March”
ARTEMIORUS-attempts to warn Caesar of the plot against him
Members of the Army
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Julius
Caesar
Peter Danelski (Maurellus/Octavius/Metellus Cimber) Peter is very grateful
to be a part of this year’s WillPower Tour. He is a graduate of DeSales
University. He studied for his master’s at Trinity College Dublin. During his time in
Ireland, he remained active within Trinity’s Dublin Players as well as the Lir National
Academy. He has also spent several seasons with PSF. His past festival credits
including The Two Gentleman of Verona, Henry VIII, The Two Noble Kinsmen, among
others. Love to Rosebud.
Arlen Hancock (Cassius) is stoked to make his Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
debut and to share this play with you today! Arlen is a Philadelphia based actor with
a BFA in acting from The University of the Arts. Prior to college he spent four years
training at the Norfolk Governor's School for the Arts. Recent credits include The
Tempest (Commonwealth Classics), Midsummer (Philly Shakes Co.) and Hamlet (Rev
Theater). For more info visit www.arlenhancockactor.com. As always, for his sister
Rachel.
Alexander Korman (Marc Antony) most recently performed in Henry VIII (Sir
Thomas Lovell) at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Past credits include The
Tempest (Ferdinand) at Olney Theatre Center; Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors and a
new adaptation of Homer's Odyssey with the National Players, a country-wide
classical touring company. He has performed off-Broadway in Extant Arts'
production of Richard III (Richmond) and As You Like It (Oliver) at Inwood
Shakespeare Festival. He is a graduate of Colgate University.
Dorbens R. Lemma (Brutus) was born in Haiti and raised in Florida. Dorbens is
a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Theatre credits include:
Black Wall Street, Shadows the Musical, Sweating Bullets, Julius Caesar, Adam and Eve
and Josephine. He has co-created workshops and showcases and plans to revisit the
movement of creative collaboration and encouraging more artists to create their
own work as he aspires to continue doing. He is also incredibly excited to be a part
of this production of Julius Caesar with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival!
James Miller (Casca) is a Colorado born actor, currently in a nomadic state
around New York City. This will be his first time working with the Pennsylvania
Shakespeare Festival, and his recent work includes Bottom in The Bloomsburg
Theater Ensemble's school tour of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and multiple roles in
New York City in plays with names too astonishingly long to fit into a small bio. He
is very excited to be on the road spreading the word of the bard once again.
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Julius
Caesar
Annabelle Rollison (Decius/Cinna/Citizen) is thrilled to be making her
professional debut with Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s WillPower Tour! She
was born and raised in California, and earned her BFA in Acting from UC Santa
Barbara in 2010. She is also a proud member of NYU Graduate Acting, class of 2013,
and an alum of the British American Drama Academy’s 2009 summer intensive. She
would like to ask that you please not tear her to pieces, as she is only a poet.
Simone Stadler (Portia/Flavius/Lucius/Citizen) is a New York-based actor,
originally from Portland, OR. She is very excited to be making her PSF debut with
Julius Caesar. Past credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Brooklyn
One), Laughter After Midnight (Theater for the New City), Romeo and Juliet (Brooklyn
One), Twelfth Night: A Radio Play (Anthology Podcast), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
(Beloit Independent Theater Experience), A Streetcar Named Desire (Beloit
College) and The Tempest, where she got to exercise her skills in aerial acrobatics.
Alex Thompson (Julius Caesar) is a recent graduate of Syracuse University.
Recent credits include The Heart’s Impatience (Stephan Zweig), Parade (Newt Lee),
Speed-the-Plow (Bobby Gould), Cole (Ensemble), and Merrily We Roll Along (Jerome).
Alex’s additional credits include As You Like It, Richmond in Richard III, and Exton in
Richard II performed at the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey.
Aurea Tomeski (Calphurnia/Soothsayer/Lepidus) performed most recently in
STNJ’s LIVE! tour of Midsummer as Titania/Hippolyta. NY credits include: world
premiere of Dead Special Crabs at The Barrow Group (Wide Eyed Productions),
Women and Wallace (Box Colony Theatre), Tapefaces (Ars Nova), Crimes of the Heart
(Kraine Theatre). Regional: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet (California Shakespeare
Company), Oliver Twist (A Noise Within), Entropy General (Alive Theatre), History of
the Devil (Garage Theatre). Aurea is a graduate of The New School for Drama MFA
program and proud member of Wide Eyed productions. www.aureatomeski.com
Karyn Bohli (Production Stage Manager) recently graduated from DeSales
University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Theatrical Design and Production. Previous
production stage management credits include Little Women, The Music Man, The Trial
of Ebenezer Scrooge (DeSales University), Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast (PSF). Other
Credits: Assistant stage manager for PSF’s Sweeney Todd, The Importance of Being
Earnest, Measure for Measure, Lend Me A Tenor, Macbeth, and Around the World in 80
Days. Love and thanks to her family and friends.
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Julius
Caesar
Our knowledge of William Shakespeare’s life is pieced
together from limited primary sources for information:
his own works, various legal and church documents, and
references to him, his plays, and his genius in third-party
letters. Here’s what we do know:
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon
on or about April 23, 1564. Records from Holy Trinity
Church tell us he was baptized there on April 26, 1564.
His father was John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, and his
mother was Mary Arden, a land-owning heiress. William
was the third of eight children, three of whom died in
childhood. His father was fairly successful and was an
alderman and a high-bailiff (mayor) of Stratford.
It is assumed that he went to the free grammar school in Stratford, which was considered an excellent
school. It seems certain that Shakespeare never went on to University.
The next documented event is Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582.
They had three children: a daughter, Susanna, and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11.
We lose track of Shakespeare for the next seven years. There are rumors that he was fond of
poaching and had to flee Stratford after an incident with one of the gentry there. He began to make a
name for himself in London by 1592, possibly earlier, as both an actor and a playwright. Unfortunately,
the plague forced the closing of the theaters in 1592. By 1594 the plague had abated, and Shakespeare
was acting, writing, and performing the duties of a managing partner for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
This was a popular company, enjoyed by the commoners as well as royalty. It was around this time that
Shakespeare and company made plans for the Globe Theater. The Globe was to be across the river
from London, and was built around 1599. In total, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays that have survived (or
38, depending on the point of view of the particular
scholar) and numerous sonnets and poems.
April 23, 1616 is the day that marks Shakespeare’s death
(the same as his birthday!) though we are uncertain of that
date’s precision. We do know he was buried in Stratford,
with services at the Holy Trinity Church on April 25, 1616.
In his infamous will, he left his properties to his daughter
Susanna, and to his wife his “second best bed.”
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Caesar
Elizabeth I was one of the most popular and
longest-reigning monarchs in English history
(1558-1603). Images of her curly red hair and
her reputation for possessing a shrewd political
mind are well-known through books, movies,
and works of art. Elizabethan England was a time
of great literary and artistic flowering, as well as
royal turmoil and global conquest.
Elizabeth I presided over a country rocked by
nearly a century of religious upheaval. The
country had endured radical ideological shifts,
accompanied by public persecutions, as each
new monarch took the throne. Elizabeth was the
daughter of Anne Boleyn and the infamous
Henry VIII of England. She became Queen of
England at age 25 after her half-brother and halfsister had each briefly reigned and died. Her
sister Mary’s reign had been particularly brutal
and violent.
During the Elizabethan period, table manners
were very different than they are now. Even
noble people would throw bones on the floor
when they were finished, and forks were a rarity
at any table. Bread and meat were the two most
important staples on the English diet. They also
enjoyed a lot of wine and cheese but ate very
few fruits and vegetables.
Nonetheless, the age of Shakespeare was a great
time in English history. The reign of Elizabeth
saw England emerge as the leading naval and
commercial power of the Western world with
the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and
she firmly established the Church of England
(begun by her father, Henry VIII, after a dispute
with the Pope.)
This poorly balanced diet was one cause of the
many illnesses that swept through Elizabethan
England. Sicknesses resulted from malnutrition
and improper cooking habits. Also, smallpox and
syphilis were common afflictions passed from
person to person. But the major cause of death
during Elizabethan England was the plague
known as the Black Death, which flooded all of
Europe. It was carried by rats living in the
streets. People used herbal remedies for many
ailments, but unfortunately, only the very rich
were able to afford doctors or apothecaries.
At this time, London was the heart of England,
reflecting all the vibrant qualities of the
Elizabethan age. Its dramatists and poets were
among leading literary artists of the day.
London’s population grew 400%, swelling to
nearly two hundred thousand people in the city
proper and outlying region by the time a young
man named Shakespeare came to town.
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Caesar
The fashions of both men and women were
extravagant and complicated. Men and women
alike were very hair-conscious; they spent a lot
of time and money getting their hair dyed red or
blonde (the most fashionable colors.) Men would
trim and style their beards, and women wore
their hair in combs, nets, or jeweled pins. At the
time, a high forehead was considered very
attractive, so women would pluck the hair from
their front hairlines. Both sexes wore wigs,
especially when they lost their own hair or if it
turned gray.
In terms of clothing, women wore very long
dresses that dragged on the ground, and their
bodices were very tightly-laced and came to a
point at the waist. The sleeves were puffy around
the shoulders and tight around the lower arms.
Very large ruffles around the neck were popular
with both men and women, and were
considered a status symbol for the upper classes.
Men wore shorter breeches or pants with
brightly colored stockings underneath to show
off their calves. Large, ornate jewels were worn
by both sexes, and were often so heavy that it
made dancing difficult.
In addition to attending public theatres, the
Elizabethan people engaged in sports: soccer,
swimming, fishing, bowling, wrestling, and tennis.
The people of a town would also gather together
on holidays for huge parties and festivals,
particularly on All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) and
the Twelfth Night of Christmas.
One rather morbid pastime of Elizabethan
England was watching the public punishments of
criminals. In many towns, the stocks were
permanent fixtures where felons would be
locked into place for mockery and torment by
the townspeople. Public executions were also
well attended. Bear-baiting and cock fighting
were other popular and gruesome sports.
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Julius
Caesar
In Renaissance England, theater was an important part of
everyday life. Public theaters were built in and around the city of
London and were open to all. The most expensive seats were in
the balconies but the cheapest admission charge was for the
“groundlings,” the people who stood on the ground in front of
the stage.
In 1599 the Globe opened. It was an open-air polygonal
amphitheater with many levels and could seat up to 3,000
people. The stage area was a large platform that jutted out from
the building and allowed for the audience to surround it on
three sides. There was no curtain in front of the stage. A
curtained area at the back of the stage could be opened to
reveal another room, or some kind of surprise. Above this area was a balcony. This would be a place
for kings to address the masses or perhaps for Juliet to talk to Romeo. Below the stage was a trap
door that was used for special effects (Shakespeare was very fond of ghosts!) Behind the stage was the
“tiring house,” a place where actors changed costumes and could rest between scenes.
This open-air theater was dependent on natural lighting and good weather. Costumes and props
(guillotines, ladders, crowns, etc.) may have been extravagant in some cases. The set did not change
from show to show. When the play was to shift location, spoken lines set the scene (“How dark is this
night!”) They did use music and sound effects such as cannons and drums. Many plays also had songs.
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Men played all of the roles- In Shakespeare’s day, females were not allowed on the stage (until
after 1660). Now, women often step into roles originally intended for men. Shakespeare trusted the
audience’s imagination, and so do we.
Actors played many parts- At the Globe, an actor might have played seven parts in a single play!
Our actors also double up. It is fun for them and the audience to see them play multiple roles.
One fixed set- Like Shakespeare’s company, WillPower uses a few pieces of scenery, such as
benches and thrones, to imply a new location, but mostly we trust the descriptive language to
change the scene.
No lighting design- As with the set, the lighting did not change with each scene (unless the sun
went behind a cloud!)
No intermission- Shakespeare often didn’t have an intermission, and neither do we.
Shakespeare used music- Unfortunately, we can’t bring live musicians on tour like the ones who
performed at the Globe. But we do use recorded music to create moods and help tell the story.
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Caesar
1564
William Shakespeare and Galileo are born.
1565
Pencils are first manufactured in England.
1567
Two comedies are performed at a Spanish mission in Tequesta, Florida
1576
The first playhouse in England is run by James Burbage.
1588
Spanish Armada is battered by the English
1590
Henry VI, Part 1 becomes William Shakespeare's first play to open onstage.
1595
Shakespeare writes Romeo and Juliet.
1596
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is completed.
1599
The Globe Theatre is built. Shakespeare writes
1600
Shakespeare writes Hamlet.
1603
James VI of Scotland rises to the English throne after the death of Elizabeth I, uniting England and Scotland
under one crown and takes the new name, James I.
1605
Miguel de Cervantes publishes Don Quixote.
and Much Ado About Nothing.
1605-6 Shakespeare writes Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.
1607
Jamestown, Virginia is founded.
1609
Johannes Kepler establishes that the planets move in an elliptical path around the sun; Galileo builds his
first telescope.
1611
The King James Bible is published.
1614
English settler John Rolfe marries Pocahontas, the daughter of a Native American chief.
1616
William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes both die.
1623
Publication of the First Folio.
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The English language and vocabulary were expanding rapidly in Renaissance and Elizabethan England.
Several factors contributed to this:
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Scientific progress
Rediscovery and publication of classical texts
Prized social skills to offer stirring praise or stinging insults
Interest in foreign languages
Publication of The King James Bible (1611) – approximately 8,000 different words.
An average person might make use of 17,000 words in a lifetime.
Shakespeare used more than 34,000.
It has been said that Shakespeare invented, or was the first to commit to print, 1,700 words in writing
his plays, sonnets, and long poems.
Here are some words and phrases that first appeared in print
in Shakespeare’s plays:
Alligator Castigate
Manager full circle Critical Gnarled Puke
Equivocal Jaded dead as a door-nail Gloomy Mimic Impede Auspicious
too much of a good thing
Leapfrog Dauntless Obscene
Torture Frugal Eyeball
all that glisters is not gold
Rumination
Petition elbow-room Rancorous Unmitigated
Eyesore
good riddance Reinforcement Luggage
Pedant Majestic Worthless sorry sight Hoodwinked
Outbreak heart of gold
Divest
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Lonely
Zany
Mountaineer Laughing stock
Julius
Caesar
As the title suggests, the story of Julius Caesar is pulled
directly from the pages of Roman history. Though it is
categorized as a tragedy instead of a history play in
Shakespeare’s canon, Julius Caesar is a reasonably accurate
account of events that happened in Rome around 44 B.C.
The people that Shakespeare wrote about were real, and the
story he tells is an important part of ancient history.
Shakespeare’s main source for Julius Caesar was a
Roman bibliographic collection by Plutarch called Lives of the
Noble Greeks and Romans. Plutarch was an ancient historian
who chronicled the lives of important figures in history, and
his biographies would have been extremely accurate
descriptions of the lives of Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, and
Mark Antony. There were other potential sources for the
work, such as a biography about Caesar written by John
Higgins called A Mirror for Magistrates, a philosophical poem
called Nosce Teipsum (Know Thyself) by John Davies, and
multiple works by the biographer Cicero.
Shakespeare’s source for Caesar’s famous line, “Et tu, Brute?” (or, “And you, Brutus?”) is
uncertain. The line is not referenced in ancient Latin sources by Plutarch or Cicero, and Shakespeare
did not create the line himself. It is speculated that the line had become popular in other theatrical
accounts of Julius Caesar written in the 1500s, and that Shakespeare may have simply taken this line
from these previous plays. However, Shakespeare’s version of Julius Caesar remains the most popular,
well known, and remembered adaptation of Caesar’s life known to date.
Julius Caesar, a play full of political drama, moral ambiguity, and the hunger for power, was
written as a response to the world Shakespeare was living in. When Shakespeare wrote about the
historical events of Julius Caesar’s lifetime, he was echoing the worry that many people in Elizabethan
England felt towards the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. Queen Elizabeth, the stalwart virgin queen,
had yet to produce or name an heir to the throne, which could leave England in political turmoil if she
passed away suddenly. The people of England feared that a civil war, much like the one that occurred
after Caesar’s assassination, would plague England when Elizabeth died. This mood of fear and
uncertainty is present in the play’s text, and the people attending its first performances would have
related to the themes and issues facing the characters in the play due to Caesar’s death. In this way,
the play was both an accurate historical drama and a pivotal political piece.
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Caesar
Artists have always been interested in reinventing Shakespeare. They are as inspired by him as
he was by the artists who came before him. Since the original production of Julius Caesar back in the
1500s, the story has been interpreted and re-imagined in numerous ways.
For film makers, the story of the assassination of Caesar has always been intriguing, and since
the 1950s quite a few notable film adaptations were made, including the 1953 movie that starred
Marlon Brando (Vito Corleone in The Godfather) as Mark Antony. Julius Caesar has even appeared in
music, with German composer Robert Schumann writing a concert overture entitled Julius Caesar in
1851. Other composers have adapted it as well, such as the Italian Giovanni Bononcini and the
Czechoslovakian Josef Bohuslav Foerster.
The first known instances of parody productions of Julius Caesar began in the 1950s. In 1958 a
Canadian comedy duo Wayne and Shuster performed a sketch called, “Rinse the Blood off My Toga,”
and it was shown on the popular variety hour TV program, The Ed Sullivan Show. More recently, a
comedy team from Australia produced Dead Caesar, a comedy musical, in 2006. More serious
adaptations include the 1960 film An Honorable Murder, and the 1973 television movie Hiel Caesar
produced by the BBC, which was meant to make the play accessible for young children. This version
was later adapted into a play.
The popular young adult series The Hunger Games is particularly influenced both by Roman
history and Shakespeare. The references to the world in which Julius Caesar lived appear over and
over again within the pages of all three novels, beginning with the name of the county, Panem. This
name comes from the Roman “panem et circenses” which means bread and circuses, referencing a
tradition where the Roman leaders would distract the citizens from ongoing turmoil by giving them
food and lavish spectacles, much like the Capitol does in the Hunger Games. The names of the
characters in the book also appear in Julius Caesar, for example, Katniss’ stylist’s name is Cinna, just like
the poet who is killed in Julius Caesar, and a member of Katniss’ prep team, Flavius, is named after a
tribune who opposes Caesar in the play. Even the names Caesar and Brutus are found within the
books, first with the Capitol reporter Caesar Flickerman, who acts arrogant and godlike, and Brutus, a
District 2 victor in the Games. This does not even begin to cover the other references from Roman
history, such as a character named Romulus Thread, who is named for the founder of the city of
Rome, or Plutarch Heavensbee, named for a famous Roman author.
There are many lines from the prose in Julius Caesar that have inspired artistic endeavors in
modern generations. Mark Antony’s line “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft
interred with their bones,” is referenced both in an Iron Maiden song and a Buffy the Vampire Slayer
novel. In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Brutus’ line, “There is no terror, Cassius, in your
threats, for I am armed so strong in honesty that they pass me as an idle wind, which I respect not!” is
uttered as some of a character’s last words. The wildly successful young adult novel and film The Fault
in Our Stars is derives its name from Cassius’ line, "the fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in
ourselves." This line was also quoted in the movie Intolerable Cruelty by the character Miles Massey,
played by George Clooney (Danny Ocean in Ocean’s Eleven, and Matt Kowalski in Gravity).
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Julius
Caesar
Julius Caesar is most likely one of the first plays to have been performed at the Globe, with the
first written record of its performance in 1599. After Shakespeare’s original productions of the play, it
was performed again in the 17th and 18th centuries, but unlike other Shakespearian plays, it was rarely
adapted outside of its original form.
In the year 1864, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor
who would end up assassinating President Abraham Lincoln, played
Mark Antony in a benefit performance of Julius Caesar alongside his
brothers Edwin and Junius, who played Brutus and Cassius.
Ironically, it is said that when he shot President Lincoln, he shouted
“Sic semper tyrannis,” or, “death to tyrants”, which is what Brutus
says to Caesar as when he stabs him. A large scale production of
Julius Caesar was staged in 1916 in the Beachwood Canyon in
Hollywood, California. The large natural bowl of the canyon was
used to stage huge, elaborate battle sequences. In a similar manner,
in 1926 a production was launched at the Hollywood Bowl mainly
to give jobs to unemployed actors. The production was massive
and featured a stage the size of a city block and a cast of more than
three thousand people. Orson Welles produced Julius Caesar in
1937 and revised and embellished the script. The characters were
John, Edwin, and Junius Brutus Booth
dressed in uniforms similar to those of Nazi Germany and Fascist
Italy, drawing very clear parallels between the reign of Caesar and those of Hitler and Mussolini. He
also cut the script down quite a bit, added lines from other plays, and reduced Act 2 to a single scene.
The production was widely popular and toured the country in 1938.
Julius Caesar has appeared in modern performances as well, often updating the setting to appeal
to a contemporary audience. In 1984, the Riverside Shakespeare Company put on a production called,
CAESAR! which placed the action of the play in modern Washington, with the characters dressed in
present-day garb. In 2005, Denzel Washington (Coach Herman Boone in Remember the Titians) starred
as Brutus in the first Broadway production of Julius Caesar in 50 years, and although the play received
awful reviews, it still did well due to Washington’s fame. The play has also been performed with nontraditional casting, such as the all-African American performance directed by Gregory Doran in 2012,
and the all-female piece directed by Phyllida Lloyd, also produced in 2012. The play’s themes of moral
conscience and the balance of power are still extremely relevant in this modern age, making
contemporary performances of Julius Caesar uniquely pertinent to today’s audiences.
18
Julius
Caesar
Julius Caesar is based on historical characters and events.
All of the main characters in the play are real people, and the
events chronicled throughout the play actually took place.
However, simply because the play is historically based does not
mean that Shakespeare did not take some creative liberties in
staging the drama of the famed Caesar.
To begin with, Shakespeare took the historical events that
took place over months and years and condensed them down
into just a few days or hours. For example, in the play, Caesar’s
assassination and funeral take place in the same afternoon,
while in reality, that all took place over the course of a couple
of days. Additionally, Brutus’ and Cassius’ flight from Rome,
which happens immediately after Antony’s speech in
Shakespeare’s script, did not happen until months after
Caesar’s funeral took place. Towards the end of the play,
Shakespeare has the two battles at Philippi happen in a single
afternoon, one right after the other. According to historical
documents, there were 20 days in between each of these
battles. Shakespeare used his creative license to help the
historical events flow more smoothly and fit into just a few
hours at the theatre.
In addition to condensing the dates of historical events,
Shakespeare also included a number of anachronistic elements
in the play. The word anachronistic means something that is
not in its correct historical or chronological time, that is, characters in the play will make references to
objects that would not have been found in Ancient Rome. For example, a few characters mention
wearing hats, and Caesar is once described wearing an Elizabethan doublet. A clock is also referenced
at one point, an invention that would not be made until the early 14th century. All of these items would
not be historically accurate for people living in ancient Rome; however, it provided a way for
Shakespeare to link his historical characters and events to people of the Elizabethan time period. It is
safe to say that despite some historical deviations Shakespeare used to make the story his own,
Shakespeare’s text is nonetheless the most notable and remembered of all the dramatic accounts of
Julius Caesar from the Elizabethan time period.
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Julius
Caesar
60 B.C
Caesar is elected consul. Caesar, Pompey and Crassus form the “First Triumvirate”
59 B.C
Caesar marries Calphurnia. Pompey marries Caesar’s daughter Julia. Caesar names
Pompey his heir.
58 B.C
Caesar leaves Rome for conquest in Gaul.
57 B.C
Street fighting in Rome as politics turn violent.
55 B.C
Pompey and Crassus are consuls. Caesar invades Germany and Britain. Caesar publishes
his account of the war in Gaul.
54 B.C
Julia dies in child birth. Violence and unrest begin in Rome.
53 B.C
Crassus is killed. Consular elections are postponed due to civil unrest.
52 B.C
Martial law declared. Pompey appointed dictator.
50 B.C
Senate orders Caesar and Pompey to resign command over their armies. Pompey raises
troops to combat Caesar.
49 B.C
Caesar invades Italy: Pompey abandons Rome. Caesar defeats Pompey. The Senate
names Caesar dictator and he returns to Rome.
48 B.C
Pompey flees to Egypt and is murdered. Cleopatra is Queen of Egypt.
47 B.C
Caesar pardons Brutus and Cassius for siding with Pompey. Caesar fights Pompeians in
the East, Africa, and Spain.
46 B.C
Caesar’s dictatorship is extended for ten years. Pompey’s sons renew the war and are
defeated.
45 B.C
Caesar triumphs in the civil war. Caesar is granted the permanent, hereditary title of
Imperator (Emperor). Caesar names Octavius his heir. General amnesty declared for
Pompey’s partisans.
44 B.C
Caesar is appointed dictator for life. Caesar is assassinated. Senate grants amnesty for
the conspirators. Antony’s speech at Caesar’s funeral causes riots. Brutus and Cassius
flee Rome.
43 B.C
Octavius and Antony compete for power in Rome. Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus form
an uneasy alliance. They march on Rome and take power.
42 B.C
Caesar declared a Roman god by the Senate. Antony and Octavius pursue Brutus and
Cassius. The armies meet at Philippi. Cassius commits suicide. Second battle at Philippi:
Brutus commits suicide.
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Julius
Caesar
In order to help understand the world of Julius Caesar, it is important to know the historical
background of the Roman people. The people Shakespeare wrote about really existed and lived in
Rome in 44 BC, and their lives were all affected by the political turmoil that was taking place at that
time.
Before Julius Caesar took control of Rome in 48 BC, the Roman government was a republic.
A republic meant that power was held by the people of Rome and their elected representatives, which
included elected or nominated presidents (called consuls) who governed the city of Rome. Two
consuls were elected and allowed to serve for only one year. After that, they would be replaced by
new consuls. The Senate existed as a governmental body to discuss the issues of the time and give
advice to the Roman consuls. The Senate, while it was supposed to be in favor of the people, generally
made decisions that favored the upper classes of society, advancing their personal desires and motives.
Nevertheless, Rome grew to be a great world power under this model of a republic.
The immense power and wealth of Rome inspired ambitions of power for many. Soon, those
who did hold positions of power began to feel that Rome would best be served under an Emperor, or
a single ruler, who held veto power over the Senate. One of these men was Julius Caesar. Caesar had
formerly made a political alliance, called a Triumvirate, with two other leaders: Crassus and Pompey.
This alliance was made in order to establish power against the Senate, but was also made to further the
personal ambitions of the individual men. Caesar himself was a strong military leader who had gained
large amounts of power and land for the Roman Republic, and his military prowess positioned him
above the others in the Triumvirate politically. In 49 BC, after Caesar’s victory in the Gallic Wars, the
Roman senate ordered him to step down. He refused, and invaded Rome under arms, beginning a civil
war that ended with Caesar’s victory, placing him in a very strong political and social position. During
this time, both Crassus and Pompey were killed in battle or political intrigue, therefore leaving Caesar
complete control of the Roman government. He began a series of lengthy reforms and centralized the
government of the Republic. Ultimately, the people named Caesar supreme dictator of Rome, in
admiration of his military victories and successful reforms.
Despite Caesar’s popularity, some still disapproved of the idea of a single dictator leading
Rome. They felt that one person holding all of the power could only lead to corruption. As a result, he
was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC, and a new series of civil wars broke out across the Roman
republic. After the death of Caesar, the republic was never restored to its former glory. Octavius,
Caesar’s adopted heir, was the victor of these civil wars, and under his dictatorship the era of the
Roman Empire began, with one single leader staying consistently at the helm, changing the face of the
Roman government forever.
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Julius
Caesar
“A young man from a small provincial town – a man
without wealth, without powerful family
“Just plunge right in
(to Shakespeare). See a play, read it aloud, rent
a video, listen to a tape. It’s up to you. When
you look at Shakespeare close up, he’s not as
intimidating as when he’s seen from afar.”
connections and without a university education – moved to
London in the late 1580’s and in remarkably short time,
became the greatest playwright not of his age but of all time.
His works appeal to the learned and the unlettered, to urban
sophisticates and provincial first-time theatergoers. He makes
his audience laugh and cry; he turns politics into poetry; he
recklessly mingles vulgar clowning and philosophical
subtlety.”
Norrie Epstein, The Friendly Shakespeare
-Stephen Greenblatt, Contemporary Scholar
“It was Olivier’s
Henry V that made
me realize that
Shakespeare is
about real
people and that
his language wasn’t
simply beautiful
poetry.”
-Robert Brustein
“What point of morals, of manners, of economy,
of philosophy, of religion, of taste, of the conduct
of life, has he not settled? What mystery has he
not signified his knowledge of? What office, or
function, or district of man's work, has he not
remembered? What king has he not taught state,
as Talma taught Napoleon? What maiden has not
found him finer than her delicacy? What lover
has he not outloved? What sage has he
not outseen? What gentleman has he not
instructed in the rudeness of his behavior?”
- Ben Jonson, Elizabethan Playwright
“My advice to anyone seeing Shakespeare:
Don’t worry so much!
Just make sure your ears are clean and your eyes are sharp.
Listen and look and watch.
Look at the distance people stand from each other;
Look at the relationships being developed.
Stay with it.
Don’t negate the move that
Shakespeare will make toward your gut, toward your soul –
Because he will touch you there,
If you allow yourself to be touched.”
-David Suchet, actor
“But Shakespeare's magic could not copied be;
Within that circle none durst walk but he.”
- John Dryden
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
22
Julius
Caesar
The dramaturg is an important person in the rehearsal process that helps everyone else understand
the story. They might help the playwright revise dialogue to make the plot clearer. If the play was
written many years ago, the dramaturg will research historical events that influenced the playwright.
The director might ask them about the unfamiliar culture of the people of the play, and actors will
come to the dramaturg when they don’t understand a word or custom. Dramaturgs are great at
research and know a lot about the structure of a good play.
Dramaturgy can help you read a play in class, too. Individually or in small groups, research the following
topics. Present your findings to the class. As you read, discuss how each item might have influenced the
playwright, the values and lifestyle of the people in the play, or how a theater company might present
Julius Caesar.
1. Take another look at our historical timeline and history of the Roman government on pages 20 and
21. Then, do some research of your own into the long and tumultuous history of the Roman Empire.
References to Roman history are found throughout modern literature, film, and art, like in the Hunger
Games or in The Fault in Our Stars. Why do you think this is? What is it about Roman history that
makes it so applicable to our modern world? Compare some elements of Ancient Rome and the
modern United States. Do you think they share more similarities or differences? Why might a play like
Julius Caesar say to audiences of modern generations?
2. What was it like to see a play during Shakespeare’s lifetime? Research the Globe Theater. What
structural features of the building would the actors have utilized during the first production of Julius
Caesar? What were the scenery and costumes like? Where did the audience sit and what kind of
people attended the theater?
3. Research famous productions of Julius Caesar. What do they have in common? What is different?
What type of actors are cast as Brutus? Antony? What time periods are the productions set in? What
does that tell you about the kind of story you are about to read? Watch the 1953 Marlon Brando film
adaptation of Julius Caesar. Do you like the choices that were made in directing the film? How would
you adapt the play differently, and why?
4. Take a look at the structure of our modern governmental systems as compared to Ancient Rome
(as seen on page 21). What are some similarities and differences? Are we experiencing the same kind
of problem as the citizens of Ancient Rome? Think about Julius Caesar as a political play. What
statements does it make about government, leadership, and power? How might you produce a
production of Julius Caesar that comments on our modern government, and why?
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Julius
Caesar
Before a play goes into rehearsal, the director must pick the right actor to play each character. How
does the director decide what kind of actor to cast in each role? They look for clues in the script
about each character’s looks and personality in what the character does, what they say about
themselves, and what other characters or what the author says about them.
As you read Julius Caesar, take notes about the characters using the chart below. When you have filled
in the first four columns, think of a famous actor who fits the description and cast them! Discuss your
casting decisions with your class.
Character
What the character
says about themself
What others say
about the character
24
What the
character does
Potential
Actors
Julius
Caesar
A crucial part of putting on a play is attracting an audience to enjoy it!
The marketing department’s job is to create posters, brochures,
website content, and other media to tell potential theater-goers about
the play and to entice them to attend a performance.
A great poster design begins with a close look at the mood, symbols,
and themes of a play. For example, the mood of Macbeth is fatalistic,
so PSF’s poster for our 2014 production features the ruins of a
building and relies on dark colors. Compare our posters for Pride and
Prejudice and King John. What do the colors tell you about the mood of
each play? A theme of Measure for Measure is doing what is right even
when you are the only person doing it- so the figure in our poster is
walking alone.
Define mood, symbol, and theme. Think about Julius Caesar and the
most important things an audience member should know about the
play. Design a poster using the mood, symbols, and themes of the play.
King John, 2012
Pride and Prejudice, 2011
25
Macbeth, 2014
Measure for Measure, 2013
Julius
Caesar
A critic judges the merits of an artistic endeavor. They give their opinion of what they saw and felt
when they watched a play, saw a movie, or heard a song. Everyone has an opinion, and by writing a
review, you have the opportunity to express yours!
As you write your review of Julius Caesar, use the outline below as a guide.
1. Introduction. Start by telling the reader what play you saw, who the playwright was, and when and
where you saw it. Tell them what kind of show it was (drama, comedy, melodrama, farce, etc.) and give
them a brief synopsis of the play.
II. Tell your reader what you thought of the play.
Things to consider:
1. The Direction. The director is the person who, in the end, is responsible for what
you see on stage. They pick and work with the actors, stage the movement, and
collaborate on design and costumes for the show. Do you think they did a good job?
Were their choices successful in creating an enjoyable performance? What did you think
of the pacing of the production- was it too fast or slow?
2. The Acting. Discuss the acting. Did the actors make you believe in what they were
doing on stage? Did they make you laugh or cry? Which performances did you
particularly enjoy?
3. The Design. How did the design contribute to the production? What did you think
of the costumes, set, and sound effects? Did they make the play more enjoyable or were
they distracting?
III. Conclusion. Summarize your opinions. How did the play make you feel? How did your reactions
compare with the people around you (i.e. did they laugh at a joke you didn’t like?) What did you
particularly like about the production? Did it change your thoughts on theater or life? Did you learn
anything new? You might conclude by considering if your appreciation of theater was developed by
what you saw.
Remember to be specific as you write your review! Include as many details as you can. Your audience
wasn’t at the performance with you, so it is your job to tell them what you saw and what they missed.
P.S. As a critic, it is okay to write down things that you didn’t like, too. It’s your opinion!
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Julius
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Activities to do before you read the play
1. A Creative Julius Caesar Collage
Start a bulletin board for Julius Caesar. This will be the place where your class can add pictures,
quotes, and poetry that remind them of the characters, plot, events, and key objects of the play.
Have them start off by putting pictures or words that represent anything they may know or think
they know about Julius Caesar before they read it. As they progress through the play, have the
class add items to the bulletin board until it is covered with Julius Caesar information! As they
read, have them look for images of some of the play’s major symbols (daggers, blood, statues,
etc.) As they go deeper into the play, have them sit down in a circle and discuss their additions
to the bulletin board.
-Adapted from a classroom activity found in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s 2002 Julius Caesar Teacher’s Handbook
2. Perform a Two-Line Play
Understanding Shakespeare’s language can be a difficult task, especially when reading his plays
for the first time. In order to help your students to get a handle on Shakespeare’s dialogue,
have them work with a partner to create two-line plays. In order to do this, hand each student
an index card with a line from Act 1 of the play. Have them split up into pairs, and have them
create a short skit using just their two collective lines. Students should choose a set of actions
to make sense of these lines. Creativity and experimentation is encouraged! After they create
their skits, have each group perform for the class. Discuss the activity with the students. How
did they feel delivering the lines? What did they think of Shakespeare's language? What do they
think the play is about?
Line Suggestions:
1. Hence! Home, you idle creatures, get you home! (1.1.1)
2. A mender of bad soles. (1.1.14-15)
3. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes… (1.1.32)
4. You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! (1.1.39-40)
5. We make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph. (1.1.33-35)
6. Beware the ides of March. (1.2.21)
7. Bid every noise be still. Peace, yet again! (1.2.17)
8. Will you go see the order of the course? (1.2.30)
9. Poor Brutus, with himself at war,/Forgets the shows of love to other men. (52-53)
10. The eye sees not itself but by reflection… (1.2.58-59)
-Adapted from a lesson found on the Folger Shakespeare Library’s website
3. Get on Your Feet!
Shakespeare writes in iambic pentameter. Although those are big words they make reading
Shakespeare easy and fun. First you have to feel the rhythm! Have your students take Flavius’
first five lines at the opening of Julius Caesar and read them silently. Tell them to count the
number of syllables in each line-there may be a few lines that do not follow the strict 10 syllable
rule, so don’t worry! Have the class form a circle and walk as they read the lines out loud. Let
27
Julius
Caesar
the rhythm of the lines set the pace for their circle. Remind them to not think too hard about
this, just speak the lines and walk! Allow the rhythm of the writing to affect the speed of their
steps. Guess what? They’re walking in iambic pentameter! When they get to the end of the line
have them repeat, repeat, repeat.
-Adapted from a classroom activity found in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s 2002 Julius Caesar Teacher’s Handbook
4. Try Some Role-Playing!
Many of the characters in Julius Caesar have to make difficult decisions; especially in regards to
the people they are close to. Often in our own lives, we are placed in similar situations. In
order to help your students put the events of Julius Caesar into context, have them role-play or
respond to the following situations, either in pairs, or as a class:
1. A friend is trying to persuade you to do something that is both dangerous and illegal—
to drive without a license. Your friend says he has to take care of an emergency, and
this person knows you can drive, even though you are not allowed to do so legally.
What will you do? What will you tell your friend?
2. A good friend of yours has been elected president of the student council. Soon, you
notice that he or she is abusing the position by claiming privileges and using it to further
his or her social life. How would you deal with this situation?
3. Think of an instance in which you talked yourself into believing something that you
wanted to do was really the right thing to do, even when it wasn’t. Was it easy to
rationalize or make up excuses for the decision? What ended up being the
consequence?
-Adapted from a lesson plan found on Classzone.com
5. Unleash Your Inner Shakespeare
Shakespeare was a talented expressive writer. Have your students do this exercise all on their
own. First they should find a location that has a lot of activity, like a school hallway, the
cafeteria, or outside somewhere. Once they have chosen their secret destination, they should
sit and write for 10-15 minutes. Tell them to write about whatever they see, hear, smell, or
feel. Have them try to make their writing as descriptive as possible. To test their writing skills,
ask if they can use a metaphor in their writing. To see how well they described their location,
leave out its name and have the entire class guess where it was.
-Adapted from a classroom activity found in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s 2002 Julius Caesar Teacher’s Handbook
6. Brainstorm!
A student’s own personal experience and interests can be very useful in helping them connect
with a difficult text such as Julius Caesar. To help them create connections before reading the
play, have them brainstorm a list of power-hungry characters from popular fiction, films,
television, and comic books. Have them consider the following questions:
1. What are some characteristics of these people?
2. Do you admire or fear them?
3. Were these characters successful in their quest for power? Why or why not?
4. Are these people portrayed as good people or bad people?
5. How do the characters surrounding these people feel about them?
-Adapted from a lesson plan found on Classzone.com
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Julius
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Activities to do as you read the play
1. How to Move a Crowd
Mark Antony’s speech in Act 3, Scene 2 is an extremely pivotal moment in the play. You can
help your students to understand the oratory techniques Antony uses by having them assess
the text of the speech. Have your students read the speech and attempt to write it in their own
words. Then have them respond to the following questions:
1. How did Mark Antony feel about Caesar?
2. What words does he use to express his feelings?
3. How do you think he would have delivered this speech? Consider his tone of voice,
mood and attitude. Does he yell, whisper or cry?
4. Does the tone/mood change during the speech?
Then, using student volunteers, have the class read the speech out loud, and attempt to convey
a convincing tone, based on their analysis of the text. Once they listen to the speech, have them
respond to the following closing questions:
1. How did Antony's speech influence the crowd?
2. What did you notice about the words you decided to stress?
3. If you had been in the crowd when Mark Antony gave his speech, would you have
been convinced?
-Adapted from a lesson plan found on the Folger Shakespeare Library’s website
2. 60-Second Times
Help your students to place Shakespeare’s plot in a modern context by having them make a
class wide “60-Second Times” Newspaper. Have your students relay the death of Caesar at the
Senate as if they were writing a newspaper article. What important plot points would they
include? What characters? Are there any quotations they could use? Have them draw or find
pictures online to add to their article. Have the class’ newspaper “published” and distributed
around the school just like a real newspaper!
-Adapted from an activity found on BBC.com
3. Smear Campaign
Politics play an important role in the lives of citizens both in ancient Rome and today. To help
your students place the character’s political motivations into a modern context, you can have
your class create smear campaigns. Tell students that they have been hired to do public
relations for either Brutus and Cassius, or Antony and Octavius. Their job is to conduct a
"negative" ad campaign criticizing their opponents. Break the class up into small groups, and
have them work together to make radio spots that advertise their point of view and exaggerate
their opponents' flaws. Students can write out scripts that will be presented in front of the
class. After each is presented, have the class vote: which group of people would you have sided
with, and why?
-Adapted from a lesson plan found on Classzone.com
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Julius
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4. Press Conference
Sometimes, when looking at all the events that take place throughout the play, it can be difficult
to keep track of everything. To help your students better understand character action and
motivation in Julius Caesar, have them stage a press conference right in your classroom. Have
student volunteers play the parts of Brutus, Antony, and Cassius. The press conference should
take place shortly after Caesar’s death, and the class should prepare questions to ask his
assassinators. Have the class think about what they really want to know about the characters.
Some good starting questions might be, “Why did you kill Caesar?” “Do you wish to hold all
the power for yourself?” and “What will you do now that Caesar is dead?” If you so desire, you
can have the students make fake microphones to interview the conspirators. Have the students
be creative as possible!
-Adapted from a lesson plan found on Classzone.com
5. Antony vs. Brutus
Both Antony and Brutus make extremely compelling speeches at Caesar’s funeral. In order to
help your students understand the importance of these speeches, you can create a crowd of
spectators right in your classroom. Have a student volunteer come up and read Brutus’ speech
(in Act 3, Scene 2) with pronounced feeling, in an attempt to convince the class of what he is
saying. The class’ job is to listen carefully to the speech and respond verbally either negatively
or positively depending on if they agree with the speaker or not. Remind the class to think for
themselves, but also take note of how mob mentality and peer pressure can play a role in their
responses. After the speech ends, ask the class about their reactions. Do they support him?
Why? What specific things did he say that were memorable? Convincing? Repeat the same
procedure with Antony’s speech. Ask the class if Antony creates a more sobering mood than
Brutus does. What does Antony say that is memorable or convincing? At the end, have the
class consider both speeches. Which was more effective, and why? Who would you have
listened to and why?
-Adapted from a lesson plan found on the Folger Shakespeare Library’s website
6. Promptbooks
When reading the text of a play, we all individually see what the play looks like in our own
minds. This activity gives your students a chance to stage the final scene of Julius Caesar as they
think it should be done. After watching WillPower’s production of Julius Caesar, have your
students consider the following: sound and lighting design, set and costume design, and the
acting style. What did they like? What didn’t they like? What would they do differently? Allow
your students to create their own promptbooks. Hand out a script of the last scene, and have
them describe the movements, set, lighting, costuming, and actors they would use in their
scene. Have them be as creative as possible; adding any pictures or drawings they feel help
illustrate their ideas. Make sure that they explain why they made the choices they did, and
remind them that all choices should be supported by the text and knowledge of the characters.
Have the students share their promptbooks with the class, and discuss all the different ways
one scene can be staged. -Adapted from a lesson plan found on the Folger Shakespeare Library’s website
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Julius Caesar contains some of the most famous lines in theater. Below is a list of some important lines
from Julius Caesar that help to set the tone, reveal inner thoughts, and move the story forward. Assign
a line to each student. Give the class time to read the line in context, think about who is delivering the
line and why, and decide what it means. Then have students explore the lines on their feet, making
vocal and physical choices to convey meaning. Reconvene the class into a standing circle, and allow
each student to step forward on their turn and perform their line for the group.
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“Beware the Ides of March”.-Soothsayer, I, ii
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”- Cassius I,
ii
“But, for my own part, it was Greek to me.”-Casca I, ii
“The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power.”-Brutus II, i
“Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant never taste death but once.”-Caesar
II, ii
“But I am constant as the northern star, of whose true-fix’d and resting quality there is no
fellow in the firmament.”-Caesar III, i
“Et tu, Brute?”-Caesar III, i
“O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low? All thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, shrunk to
this little measure?”-Antony III, i
“Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war.”-Antony III, i
“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”-Brutus, III, ii
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears, I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.”Antony III, ii
“O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason.”-Antony, III, ii
“For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
to stir men’s blood: I only speak right on.”-Antony, III, ii
“Put a tongue in every wound of Caesar, that should move the stones of Rome to rise and
mutiny.”-Antony, III, ii
“I’d rather be a dog, and bay at the moon, than such a Roman.”-Brutus, IV, iii
“There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats; for I am arm’d so strong in honesty that they pass
by me as the idle wind, which I respect not.”-Brutus, IV, iii
“Oh Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords in our
own proper entrails.”-Brutus, V, iii
“This was the noblest Roman of them all.”-Antony, V, v
“His life was gentle, and the elements so mix’d in him that Nature might stand up and say to all
the world, ‘This was a man!’”. Antony, V, v
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Caesar
What makes a good leader? Describe some characteristics of a good leader. Choose a leader from history, the
modern era, or a book you’ve read. Discuss whether or not they held these qualities. What made them a good or
bad leader?
If you were to revise this play, what revisions would you make? What events would you add or take out? How
would you change the characters? Write a summary of your revised plot, emphasizing the changes.
In the play, Caesar himself dies very early on. Why, then, do you think Shakespeare titled the play Julius Caesar?
Who is the protagonist of the play? Why?
In one sentence, say what you think the main message of the play is.
Were Brutus’ reasons for killing Caesar justified? Is murder for the good of one’s country ever justified? Why or
why not?
Do you think Caesar was a bad leader for the city of Rome? Was his dictatorship just? What would you have done
if you were in Brutus and Cassius’ positions?
How does Mark Antony use language to convince the crowds? What rhetorical devices does he use? Are they
effective? Why does he come across as more convincing than Brutus does?
What is more important to you: friendship or personal principles? Why? Is there anything you would betray a
friend for?
What role do superstitious practices play in Julius Caesar? Why would the Roman culture be so fixated on the
supernatural? Are there any good luck rituals that you have in your own life?
To what extent can we as human beings control the future? Do we have any say in our fate? Do we create our
own destinies, or are they predetermined?
What role do the plebeians (the common people) play in Julius Caesar? What kind of power do they hold, if any at
all?
What is the significance of Mark Antony’s final words about Brutus: “This was the noblest Roman of them all”? Do
you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Do you think Antony is being sincere, or is he saying this for his
own personal gain?
What parallels can you draw between the political turmoil in Julius Caesar and today’s political scene? Do you think
things have changed for better or for worse? How does power influence people?
What is the significance of Caesar's dying words, "Et tu, Brute”? What do they say about Brutus? What do they say
about Caesar?
What role do women play in Julius Caesar? Are Portia and Calpurnia portrayed negatively or positively?
Do you think the established friendships in the play are legitimate, or done simply for political alliances? Use
textual examples to justify your answer.
What role does manipulation play in Julius Caesar? Who uses it? Is it effective? Are the people who are manipulated
still to blame for their choices and actions?
Explain the significance of Caesar’s line, “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant taste of death
but once.” Who does this apply to in the play? Who can be called “valiant”? Who can be called a “coward”? Why?
What role does justice play in Julius Caesar? Who in the play do you think gets what they deserve? Who do you
think has unfair consequences placed on them? Why?
Who do you think is the antagonist in this play? Why?
Who out of all the characters in the play do you feel is the most morally upright? Why?
What role does death play in Julius Caesar? Is it used as punishment for immoral actions? Is it an escape? How does
death affect each character?
Explain the meaning of the storm in Act 1 Scene 3. How does Shakespeare use this as a symbol for future events in
the play?
Why do you think Caesar denied the crown the people wished to give him? Do you think he was sincere, or was it
for political reasons?
Think about the characters who are leaders in this play: Brutus, Caesar, Cassius, Antony, and Octavius. Who do
you think is the best leader? Why?
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Name:_________________________________
1.) What surprised you most in seeing our production of Julius Caesar? How did it compare to your
expectations?
2.) Which character in the play do you find most interesting? Why?
3.) Julius Caesar includes a great deal of plotting and planning. Who in Julius Caesar sets the plans in
motion? To what ends? Does anyone try to interrupt those plans?
4.) What you think the main message of the play is? Why do you think this? Provide some textual or
WillPower production examples to justify your answer. Do you agree with the play’s message? Why or
why not?
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Name: __________________________
Write the name of the characters below next to their description.
A. Julius Caesar
E. Octavius
B. Brutus
F. Casca
I. Mark Antony
C. Cassius
G. Lucius
J. Calphurnia
D. The Soothsayer
H. Portia
__________ 1.) Wife of Brutus, she is worried about her husband’s well-being and his secretive
nature. She commits suicide at the end of the play.
__________ 2.) The apparent heir to Caesar’s throne, he is Mark Antony’s rival.
__________ 3.) One of the conspirators against Caesar. He is the main instigator and convinces
Brutus to go through with the assassination.
__________ 4.) Newly named the dictator of Rome, he is assassinated early on in the play. He speaks
the line, “Et tu, Brute?”
__________ 5.) He warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March.”
__________ 6.) Brutus’ servant and trusted companion, he refuses to help Brutus commit suicide on
the battlefield.
__________ 7.) Caesar’s trusted friend and praetor of Rome. He joins the plot against Caesar for the
benefit of the people.
__________ 8.) One of the conspirators against Caesar. He is the first one to stab him in the
assassination.
__________ 9.) Wife of Caesar. She begs her husband to not attend the Senate on the day of his
assassination.
__________ 10.) Convinces the Roman people to turn on Brutus and take him to war in order to
gain power. He speaks the line, “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.”
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Julius
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is a professional
theater company and the Official Shakespeare Festival of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now celebrating its 25th season
on the campus of DeSales University. Every summer, the finest
actors, directors, designers, and artisans from Broadway, offBroadway, regional theater, television and film converge at the
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. The area’s leading professional theater company, PSF brings five fullscale productions, the WillPower tour, and Shakespeare for Kids to the stage each year.
Our Mission is to enrich, inspire, engage and entertain the widest possible audience through first-rate
professional productions of classical and contemporary plays, with a core commitment to the works of
Shakespeare and other master dramatists, and through an array of educational and mentorship programs.
We are on social media! Please tell your students they can like Willpower
at facebook.com/PAShakespeare of follow us @PaShakespeare on
Instagram and Twitter to learn more about upcoming events and stay
connected even after your WillPower day has ended.
Student Rush Tickets
As a WillPower participating school, your students are eligible to attend PSF’s professional summer
productions at the dramatically reduced price of $5.00 on a rush basis (with their student I.D.) Single
ticket prices for the general public are normally $25 - $50+. As a teacher, if you are interested in bringing
a group to the Festival, you can take advantage of our great group discounts by calling Catherine Logan
at 610-282-1100, ext 1737.
Summer Learning at DeSales University
The Summer Theater Institute (STI) at DeSales University, in association with The Pennsylvania
Shakespeare Festival, offers professional theater training to high school and college students, and
members of the community, as well as the best in drama education for grade school students.
The Summer Video Institute (SVI) at DeSales offers students an introduction to the theories and
techniques of digital moviemaking. Working with state of-the-art technology, students will design, shoot,
and edit films of their own creation.
The Summer Dance Intensive (SDI) at DeSales offers professional dance training to students ages 14 and
up. The two-week program focuses on technical training in ballet, modern, and jazz dance.
For more information on the Division of Performing Arts: www.desales.edu
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Julius
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Shakespeare and the Common Core
Standard Area – CC.1.3: Reading Literature: Students read and respond to works of literature – with
emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual
evidence.
Grade 6: CC.1.3.6.A, CC.1.3.6.B, CC.1.3.6.G, CC. 1.3.6.H, CC.1.3.6.K
Grade 7: CC.1.3.7.A, CC.1.3.7.B, CC.1.3.7.G, CC.1.3.7.K
Grade 8: CC.1.3.8.A, CC.1.3.8.B, CC.1.3.8.G, CC.1.3.8.K
Grades 9-10: CC 1.3.9-10.A, CC.1.3.9-10.B, CC.1.3.9-10G, C.C.1.3.9-10H, C.C.1.3.9-10K
Grades 11-12: CC.1.3.11-12A, CC.1.3.11-12.B, CC.1.3.11-12C, CC.1.3.11-12G, CC.1.3.11-12.K
Standard Area – CC.1.4: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write
clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.
Grades 6-8: CC.1.4.6-8.A, CC.1.4.6-7.C, CC.1.4.6-7.D, CC.1.4.8.D
Grades 9-10: CC.1.4.9-10.A, CC.1.4.9-10.B, CC.1.4.9-10.C, CC.1.4.9-10S
Grades 11-12: CC.1.4.11-12.A, CC.1.4.11-12.B, CC.1.4.11-12.C, CC.1.4.11-12.S
Bolded standards are directly related to the viewing of a play and comparing it with the
original text.
1.) H. Portia
2.) E. Octavius
3.) C. Cassius
4.) A. Julius Caesar
5.) D. The Soothsayer
6.) G. Lucius
7.) B. Brutus
8.) F. Casca
9.) J. Calphurnia
10.) I. Mark Anthony
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And for teaching Shakespeare
BOOKS
Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead, 1998.
Boyce, Charles, and David Allen White. Shakespeare A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Plays, His
Poems, His Life and Times, and More. New York: Facts on File, 1990.
Dunton-Downer, Leslie, and Alan Riding. Essential Shakespeare Handbook. New York: DK Pub., 2004.
Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. New York: Viking, 1993.
Fantasia, Louis. Instant Shakespeare. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2002.
Meserve, Walter J. and Mollie Anne. A Chronological Outline of World Theatre. Feedback Theatre
Books, 1992.
McQuain, Jeffery and Malless, Stanley. Coined by Shakespeare: Words and Meanings First Penned by the
Bard. Springfield, MA: Merriam Webster, 1998.
Moston, Doug. The First Folio of Shakespeare, 1623. New York: Applause, 1995.
Scott, Mark W., ed. Shakespeare for Students. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1992.
PERIODICALS
Gopnik, Adam. “Will Power: Why Shakespeare remains the necessary poet.” The New Yorker 13
Sept. 2004: 90-95.
Greenblatt, Stephen. “Shakespeare’s Leap: How did the son of a provincial glovemaker become the
greatest playwright of all time? By plunging into the streets.” The New York Times Magazine 12
Sept. 2004: 52-55.
WEBSITES
Shakespeare Festivals and Theaters
www.americanshakespearecenter.com
www.asf.net
www.bard.net
www.gashakespeare.org
www.pashakespeare.org
www.orshakes.org
www.osfashland.org
www.rsc.org.uk
www.shakespeare.org
www.shakespeareandcompany.org
www.shakespearedc.org
www.stratfordfestival.ca
Shakespeare Literature
www.webenglishteacher.com
www.folger.edu/education
www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/
www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org
www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
www.rsc.org.uk
www.absoluteshakespeare.com
www.internetshakespeare.uvic.ca
Study Guide Contributors
Jill Arington, Carolyn Lucas, Thomson Jaffe, Erin Hurley
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