Julius Caesar Study Guide

I. Terms:
Elizabethan English tragedy protagonist synecdoche
blank verse comedy motive metonymy
iambic pentameter tragic hero pun
rhymed couplet tragic flaw all lit. terms but metaphor
soliloquy triumvirate especially, simile
monologue hubris apostrophe anecdote
aside rhetoric personification allusion
flourish anachronism motif characterization
stage directions internal conflict foreshadowing symbol
foil external conflict irony

II. Themes:
Heroes vs. Villains:
Both Caesar and Brutus are perceived to be heroes and villains in Julius Caesar. At the opening of the play, Caesar is hailed for his
conquests and is admired for his apparent humility upon refusing the crown. However, once murdered, Caesar is painted (by Brutus et
al) as a power hungry leader with the intentions of enslaving all of Rome. Brutus' speech, which follows Caesar's death, successfully
manipulates the plebeian perspective. By the end of his speech, the crowd is hailing Brutus for killing Caesar, whom they now
perceive as a great villain. But, the crowd is easily swayed once again when Antony speaks. Following Brutus' remarks, Antony gives
Caesar's eulogy, manipulating the crowd with stories of Caesar's kindness, and sharing the details of Caesar's will, which leaves
money to every Roman. At the end of Antony's speech, the crowd is once again supportive of Caesar, mourns his death, and seeks to
kill Brutus, Cassius, and the other murderers. The swaying opinions of the plebeians, and the great differences in opinion that the play
presents leave the audience to determine who, if anyone, is the hero of the play, and who, if anyone, is the villain.

Omens/ Superstitions:
The seriousness with which Romans looked to omens is evident throughout Julius Caesar; however ominous warnings and negative
omens are often overlooked or misinterpreted. For example, Caesar ignores the soothsayer's warning to "beware the ides of March,"
ignores Calpurnia's detailed dream of his death, and ignores the negative omen of the sacrificial animal who has no heart. After
ignoring these omens, Caesar dies.
In addition, after the festival of Lupercalia, Casca sees many strange omens, such as a man with a burning hand, a lion roaming the
streets, and an owl screeching during the day time. Cicero, with whom Casca confers regarding these matters, explains that people
with interpret omens as they see fit, inventing their own explanations. True to form, Casca interprets these strange omens as warnings
of Caesar's wish to rule all of Rome with an iron hand, and to destroy the Republic.
Other omens that play important roles in the play include the appearance of Caesar's ghost and when eagles abandon Cassius' and
Brutus' camp and are replaced by ravens.
Idealism:
Brutus wishes for an ideal world. He is happily married, lives in a beautiful home, and is successful according to all measures of
Roman living. However, Brutus wishes for perfection in his life, and although he loves Caesar, Brutus fears Caesar is too power
hungry, and might possibly destroy the Republic. Cassius understands Brutus' idealism and takes advantage of it in order to
manipulate Brutus into joining the conspiracy against Caesar. At heart, it is Brutus' idealism is his tragic flaw. Antony recognizes this
fact when addressing Brutus' dead body at the conclusion of the play, saying "This was the noblest Roman of them all."

Identities, both Public and Private:

In Julius Caesar, the audience is able to see both the private and public sides of Caesar and Brutus. Caesar is a powerful confident
man who leads great armies and effectively rules the Roman Empire, yet he is not without weakness. He is highly superstitious,
suffers from epilepsy, and ultimately proves to be human when murdered by his closest friends. Similarly, Brutus is strong and refuses
to show weakness when in public, whether it be speaking to the plebeians or leading an army into battle. However, we see through his
intimate conversations with his wife Portia and with Cassius, that Brutus is often unsure and greatly pained. Specifically, after fleeing
Rome, Brutus learns that his wife has committed suicide, and is heartbroken when discussing it with Cassius. However, as soon as
soldiers enter his tent, he pretends to not know of her death, and when told of it, does not react with great emotion.

Ambition and Conflict:

Caesar is a great man, and an ambitious man. His ambition is what worries Brutus, and ultimately leads to Brutus joining the
conspiracy to murder Caesar. Cassius is also a very ambitious man, and because he is so jealous of Caesar's power, wishes to kill him
to gain more power for himself. Ultimately, the ambition of these two men leads to their downfalls and to virtual anarchy in the streets
of Rome. Great ambition leads to great conflict.

Power of Speech (Rhetoric):

Speech plays a very important role in the plot developments of Julius Caesar. The plebeians are easily swayed into greatly
opposing viewpoints through Brutus' and Antony's speeches. Antony's great manipulation of the crowd causes anarchy in the streets of
Rome and creates the support for a mission to avenge Caesar's death.
In addition, Brutus is hesitant at first to join the conspiracy against Caesar, but after speaking with the highly manipulative Cassius,
Brutus is more convinced. Then, after receiving an anonymous letter (actually written by Cassius) that decries the rule of Caesar,
Brutus is convinced he must take action and agrees to join Cassius' murderous plot.
II. Figures of Speech
Julius Caesar ranks among Shakespeare's finest plays, in part because of its highly effective imagery. Among the many and varied
figures of speech in the play are the following:
Anaphora With Metaphor, Alliteration, and Hyperbole
“You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!” (1. 1. 27)
In a metaphor, Marullus compares commoners to inanimate objects. The line also contains alliteration (stones, senseless) and
hyperbole and paradox (the spectators have less sense than senseless things).
Anaphora: repetition of you
Metaphor: comparison of spectators to inanimate objects
Alliteration: stones, senseless
Hyperbole: exaggeration saying that the spectators have less sense than senseless things

Simile With Hyperbole and Alliteration

“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.” (1. 2. 143-146)
In a simile, Cassius likens Caesar to a colossus (giant); in a hyperbole, he exaggerates Caesar’s size. The line also contains alliteration
(we and walk; his and huge).
Simile: Likening Caesar to a colossus (giant)
Hyperbole: exaggeration of Caesar's size
Alliteration: we, walk; his, huge

Metaphors
“I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.” (1. 3. 111-113)
Casca, addressing Cassius and Brutus, compares Caesar to a wolf and a lion and the Roman citizens to sheep and hinds.

Metaphor
“Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept.” (2. 1. 66-67)
Brutus compares himself to a knife that Cassius has sharpened (did whet).

Apostrophe, Personification, Alliteration, Hyperbole

“O conspiracy,
Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy;
Hide it in smiles and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.” (2. 1. 86-94)

Brutus uses apostrophe and personification, addressing conspiracy as if it were a person, as well as alliteration (thou and thy; where
and wilt; mask and monstrous). In an allusion, he refers to Erebus, the Greek god who personified darkness. In a hyperbole, he says
that not even the darkness would be dim enough to hide the conspiracy unless appropriate measures are taken to conceal it.
Apostrophe and Personification: Addressing conspiracy as if it were a person
Alliteration: thou, thy; where, wilt; mask, monstrous
Allusion: Erebus, a reference to the Greek god who personified darkness; also, the dark passage through which the souls of the dead
pass from earth to Hades
Hyperbole: exaggeration saying that not even the darkest of places, Erebus, would not be dim enough to hide the conspiracy unless
appropriate measures are taken to conceal it

Irony in the Funeral Oration

Mark Antony's funeral oration in Act III, Scene II–beginning with "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears–is ironic
throughout. Though Antony says that he comes to bury Caesar, not to praise him, he praises Caesar for swelling the treasuries of
Rome, sympathizing with the poor, and three times refusing the crown Antony offered him. At the same time, Antony praises Brutus–
one of Caesar's assassins–as an honourable man even though the tenor of his speech implies otherwise. Near the end of the speech,
Antony says, "O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, / And men have lost their reason." The word brutish occurs after Antony has
mentioned Brutus by name nine times. It seems brutish is a not-so-oblique reference to Brutus.

Sample Explication Short Essay:

“You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!” (1. 1. 27)

In this alliterative metaphor, Marullus compares commoners to inanimate objects. This hyperbole highlights the tribune’s frustration
with the fickle nature of mob psychology. These men, who the tribunes feel should be at work, are celebrating the success of Caesar
over Pompey’s sons, a man who they celebrated not long ago. Mob psychology is a motif throughout the play. Its ignorant and violent
nature comes to a crescendo during the funeral speeches which leads to the ultimate demise of the conspirators.