Julius Caesar: the “foremost man of all the world.” - PowerPoint Presentation

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Julius Caesar: the “foremost man of all the world.” pp.115Slide2

1.

Getting acquainted with Shakespeare

2. A look at Shakespeare’s London3. The Elizabethan Theater - The Global Theater 4. Biography of Julius Caesar and brief historical overview5. Analysis of Acts6. Questions and quote sheets corresponding with respective acts.7. Essay Questions8. Review Sheet

OverviewSlide3

Part 1: Introductory MaterialThe Text, p.4

Read page 4 and discuss why you think many editors chose to rearrange Shakespeare’s words:

the modernization of spelling and grammarthe creation of consistent iambic pentameter Note: your text has not chosen this conventionSlide4

Who is William Shakespeare?Check out with phonesSlide5

Queen Elizabeth IJulius Caesar Similar to Elizabethan England

Her reign was drawing to a close and she did not have any successors to throne.People were concerned about peaceful transition of power because there were threats of rebellion.This political concern becomes a major concern of the play- the struggle for power and what it does to those who engage in it. This theme is shared in the respective histories of Rome and England and therefore would appeal to Elizabethan audiences.Slide6

The Global TheaterSlide7

Interactive Global TheaterLet’ s take a tourSlide8

Looking inside…Slide9

The Elizabethan Theater

Inn yards: common folks

Balconies: gentry Social classes Divided stage :planks-improvisedFlag Slide10

Looking around…Slide11

Introducing:Julius Caesar: the “foremost man of all the world.” pp.115Slide12

“Beware the Ides of March”Slide13

The death of Caesar was considered one the vilest crime in all of history.Slide14

The stab wound #23 was the fatal wound!

According to Noah

Charney on Art Crime and Art Historical Mysteries in his book The Secret History of ArtCaesar could have survived all other wounds!And Caesar was stabbed coming out of the senate and not as guidebooks state coming from the Theater of MarcellusSlide15

Shakespearean TriviaRefer to p.147 of your text

Caesar and LincolnSlide16

Introduction to Julius Caesar

Best known of Shakespeare’s tragedies

Taken directly from Roman historyOnly play that deals with a historical personage of “the highest magnitude.” p.5Caesar has been a historical figure that has intrigued both Elizabethan and modern audienceWhy is this so?Slide17

A Problem Play :Who is the central character?

Julius Caesar?

Brutus?The city of Rome? Refer to page 5Is Caesar a Hero or tyrant?Elizabethans perspectiveAmerican perspectiveModern perspective Refer to pages 5 &6Slide18

I say Caesar you say?Tyrant

HeroSlide19

Julian Calendar & Gregorian Calendar

Julian Calendar

Julius – month of JulyWho still uses Julian calendar?The Berber people of North Africa on Mt. AthosThe Orthodox Church uses it to calculate movable religious feastsSlide20

Julius Caesar revealed…Accomplishments:

Aqueducts-this one is in Rome

Greatest Roman General and statesman of his timeStudent of Greek and LatinMilitary geniusImpoverished aristocrat - TriumvirateAttacked bribery in existing political system and made taxation fair for the common peopleConquered peoples always treated justlyLaw - legal system developed based on the idea must be for the good of the people who are governedPeople loved him and were ready to make him king - problem Rome had a republican form of government!Quite a resume!http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-roman-achievements.htmlSlide21

Cornelia, the first wife of Caesar

The daughter of

Sulla a Roman general and conservative statesmenThe mother of Juliahttp://www.google.ca/search?hl52Fen.wikipedia.orgSlide22

The wives of Caesar

Calpurnia

, The wife of Caesar in this playPompeia, Caesar’s second wifeSlide23

The other womanSlide24

Caesar’s daughter Julia: the 4th

wife of Pompey- known for her beauty

and virtue-once engaged to Brutus!Slide25

BETRAYALTHEMATIC STATEMENT

EXAMPLESSlide26

Historical Background to Julius CaesarBefore Act 1

By Isaac Asimov

Read pp.115-119Slide27

Pompey: Historical Overview

-Brilliant general and in 70 B.C. elected to Consul

- Cicero and Caesar supported Pompey and helped him obtain supreme command of Roman armies in the East - when Pompey returned from the East in 62 B.C. Caesar suggested that Pompey, Crassus and himself form a political alliance known as the First Triumviratehttp://www.mikeanderson.biz/2013_05_01_archive.htmlSlide28

The TriumvirateRome- 250 years kings and monarchy -

Tarquin

the Proud overthrown as an oppressive king/ revolt led by Brutus ( ancestor of Brutus in play) and replace monarchy with Republican form of governmentRome - Republican State-Ruled by the PeoplePlebeian - elect Tribunal- PatriciansPlebeian:cobbler / carpenter Tribunes:Marullus / Flavius Patricians:Roman NobilitySlide29

First Triumvirate- the three-Pomphey, Crassus & Ceasar

Death of PompeyJulia his wife and Caesar’s daughter caused the bond between Pompey and Caesar to die. In 55 B.C., Crassus was killed in a campaign and Pompey and Caesar seriously vied for power. Caesar in charge of the army, joined by Mark Antony, marched on Rome and defeated Pompey. This was the first time Pompey was defeated on the battlefield and he fled to Egypt where he was killed by someone who wished to win Caesar’s favor ( supposedly). Caesar went on to defeat Pompey’s sons.Caesar : Ambitious man 44 B.C. Made dictator for life / absolute rule Mark Antony offered him the crown -complication March 15/ Ides of March he was killed by conspirators threatened by the idea of kingship taking over their Republican form of government-feared dictatorship.Slide30

Military GeniusSlide31

Shakespeare’s time-plays divided into 5 Acts

A modern play characteristically had three acts. The Elizabethan audience, due to lack of seats, moved about freely. They did not want breaks or intervals because they were there to be entertained.

Act 1: Exposition: informs the audience , supplies background information.Act 2: Complication: characters begin to embroil themselves in various problems and conflicts.Act 3: Climax : highest point of actionAct 4: Resolution: situation has to be sorted out -resolved Act 5: Denouement: all complications of the plot are unraveled, the untying of knots. If the play is a tragedy, the word catastrophe (meaning disaster) is used.Slide32

Time Compression of play by Shakespeare

Time of Play’s Action:

Day 1: Act 1. sc.1&2 ---- Feb.15, 44 B.C. Day 2: Act 1. sc.3 ---- Mar.14, 44 B.C. Events of play 3 years; ShakespeareDay 3: Act 2. sc.3 ---- Mar.15, 44 B.C. Reduces time to 6 days!Day 4: Act 4. sc.4 ---- Nov.43 B.C.Day 5: Act.4 sc. 2&3 Day 6: Act.5 ---- Oct.42 B.C.Slide33

Julius CaesarAct III, scene I, lines 65-67

“But I am constant as the Northern Star,

Of whose true-fixed and resting quality,There is no fellow in the firmament.”What does this reveal about this man?How Caesar saw himselfSlide34

As Constant as the North StarSlide35

HOW DOES CAESAR SEE HIMSELF?Slide36

Dramatic Technique

1. Spectacular - Supernatural

2. Dramatic Irony3. Nemesis: - just punishment {Cassius and Brutus}4. Suspense: conspiracy & battle 5. Fate: the intervention of some force, over which we have no control; a force which determines human destiny .Battle -> Cassius eyesight led him to send Pindarius to report the success of Titinius and resulted in his death.Caesar -> interpretation of Calpurnia’s dream6. The Oracular : Prophetic utterances which determine human procedure. Ex: Soothsayer & Caesar’s spirit.7. Tragic HeroSlide37

Terms: reminder terms sheet

Oxymoron

a figure of speech which juxtaposes elements that appear to be contradictory. Oxymora appear to be seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.” .Slide38

Metonymy

Metonymies are frequently used in literature and in everyday speech. A metonymy is a word or phrase that is used to stand in for another word. Sometimes a metonymy is chosen because it is a well-known characteristic of the word.

One famous example of metonymy is the saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword," which originally came from Edward Bulwer Lytton's play Richelieu. This sentence has two examples of metonymy:•The "pen" stands in for "the written word."•The "sword" stands in for "military aggression and force."Slide39

Themes-thematic statements needed

S

truggle for power and what this struggle does to men who engage in itEt tu, Brutus? Then fall Caesar ( Caesar, p.59).“Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more” ( Brutus , p.66) Had you rather Caesar were living and you die all slaves” ( Brutus, p.67)Caesar,now be still: I killed thee with half so good a will.” ( Brutus,p. 108)The noble ideals of man-Brutus, the tragedy of honesty and idealism in a world of human vanity and self- interest “ This was the noblest Roman of them all” (Antony at Brutus death, p, 109)Ambition, greed, pride, corruption etc. “ The lowliness of young ambition’s ladder…once attains…unto the ladder [he]turns his back” (Brutus, p.36).The death of liberty; “Stoop Romans, stoop And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood…waving red weapons over our heads…cry, Peace , freedom, liberty” ( Brutus p. 60)Slide40

Themes-thematic statements neededHonor

, friendship, loyalty to the state,

patriotism“Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead !” ( Cinna, p.59)Manipulation and persuasion to acquire power - the end justifies the meansAppearance versus reality: “Let not our faces put on our purposes” ( Brutus p. 41). “And half their faces buried in their cloaks” ( Lucius p.37) “Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers” (Brutus,p.40Slide41

Themes-thematic statements neededCan we use…

Absolute power corrupt absolutely?

The end justifies the means?Wisdom is gained through suffering?Evil lies within?How can we fine tune these?“Cowards die many times before their deaths; but the valiant never taste death but once” (Caesar, p.46)Slide42

Corruption of PowerIn the attainment of power we often corrupt ourselves

One thing corruption of power reveals is the truthSlide43

AmbitionGreat ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonbo150168.html#eCFy8lQM6hsjr6eJ.99 Macbeth:I have no spurTo prick the sides of my intent, but onlyVaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself,And falls on th'other. . . .Macbeth Act 1, scene 7. 25–28Slide44

Appearance versus RealityThere is no vice so simple but assumes

Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.”

― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of VeniceThere is evil so simple as one that pretends to be good outwardlyThere is flattery in friendship- William Shakespeare“Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous” Caesar, p.21)Slide45

Supernaturalforeshadows/creates atmosphere/affects characters

’

behaviorssoothsayer, storm (owl, omens, blood, fire, eagle, lions), strange behaviors of men and beasts, omens of evil, dreams of Calpurnia, Caesar’s ghost/spiritShakespeare’s use of night and storms Reveals ConflictSlide46

Setting, Mood and Atmosphere

Setting, Mood and Atmosphere

Best scene?Slide47

Make the connections; Symbolism - Supernatural – Foreshadowing and External Conflict

Example#1: pp.26-27 Example of

of pathetic fallacy: a false belief that nature reflects what is going on in the lives of people. Casa supported this view point (p.33) Do we do this today? Springtime?Act 1 sc.3 Thunder and lightning Casca meets with Cicero and notes: “tempest dropping fire”“ocean swell, and rage”, “civil stife in heave” a slave’s “ left hand did flame and burn like twenty torches’“against the Capitol I met a lion”“hundred ghastly women”The “bird of night” at “noon-day” was “hooting and shrieking” Slide48

Calpurnia’s Dream: “When beggar’s die , there are no comets seen” ( Calpurnia, p.46)

Calpurnia pp. 45-46

Lioness whelped in the streetGraves yawned, and yielded up their deadFierce fiery warriors fight upon the cloudsCaesar’s statue:Like a fountain with an hundred spouts Did run pure blood , and many lusty Romansdid bathe their hands in it InterpretationFlash back to Casca And CiceroWarningDecius: Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck Reviving blood, p.48 The Senate have concluded To give the crown to mighty Caesar p. 48 if you do not come their mind may change!Slide49

Death of Cinna, the poet Act 3 scene 3,p.74

Dreamt he did feast with Caesar

Plebeians - mob – kill him for his name and bad poetry“ Tear him for his bad verses”Civil strife has begun – ‘the dogs of war have been let slip’ there is ‘mutiny and rage’Slide50

Portia: Brutus’ Wife

Portia

: Brutus’ wife. Find lines which illustrate Portia’s strength: Wounds herself? p.43 read counterpart of Brutus and a worthy mate for Brutus shares Brutus’ innermost thoughts embraces Stoic philosophy of her husbandanxious about Brutusintelligence and insightfulunderstands rights as wife in partnership of marriagecan be trustedhonorable lineage shows strengthwoman of dignity who demands respectloves BrutusHOW DOES SHE KILL HERESELF?Slide51

Calpurnia: Caesar’s WifeCalpurnia:

wife of Caesar

not one to believe in superstitionsfearfulwilling to lieastute*identity as wife of Caesar*barren*loves CaesarSlide52

Brutus and Antony

Brutus Antony

Honorable DishonorableBeloved by friends, held in high regard Gamesome, without friends except CaesarNo interest in sports Strong athleteIntelligent, kind, considerate Appeals to emotions versus intellect Cruel Straight forward & honest Cunning, deceitful, politically shrewdDomineering with Cassius Submissive towards OctaviusIndependent in action Dependent upon CaesarPure living Playboy mentality    Slide53

Brutus and Cassius

Brutus Cassius

Stoic Philosophy Epicurean Philosophy Man of actionOverbearing in his values & beliefs Submissive Acts on honorable principle Acts on impulseWeak organizer, Strong organizerPolitically naïve Politically shrewd Weak leader Strong leaderHonor in crime Dishonorable in crime - letters & bribesKills Caesar for patriotism Kills Caesar personal jealousy, envy & hatredSlow in anger and forgiveness Hasty temper but quick recovery  Slide54

Tragedy Brainstorm characteristics of tragedy.

 Slide55

Brutus as Tragic Hero

A tragic hero is a man of

noble stature and birth who through his own flaw in character precipitates an event which causes his ultimate downfall. If the fall of the hero is to arouse emotions of pity and fear on the part of the audience, the fall must be from a great height. What evidence is there that Brutus was of noble birth and stature?What is Brutus’s tragic character flaw /his error in judgment? What event is precipitated?The tragic hero is pre-eminently great but not perfect; his fall from greatness leads to self knowledge. Therefore, his tragic flaw {idealism of Brutus} is not a pure loss due to his discovery of his understanding from his defeat.   Slide56

Brutus as Tragic HeroHow is Brutus not perfect?

List the mistakes he made:

His internal conflict is part of his self - knowledge. What is this conflict and what does he discover about himself?The punishment exceeds the crime of the tragic hero leaving the audience feeling pity for the protagonist.List how Brutus is punished :Note: How does the audience respond to Brutus?Slide57

Discuss: What about Julius Caesar as a tragic hero?Slide58

Imagery Blood

Fire

DarknessLightBirds Slide59

Irony : dramatic V

erbal,

SituationalDramatic irony Slide60

Examples of Irony: BrainstormSlide61

ForeshadowingSoothsayer

Cassius comments about Antony,

Caesar’s comments about Cassius Dream of Calpurnia Supernatural omens [turmoil reflected]Slide62

IMPORTANT

Funeral Speeches of Brutus and Antony

Argumentative /Persuasion Techniques in speeches Brutus as a Shakespearean Tragic Hero (flaw, pathos, catharsis) Conflict: External/Interpersonal and Internal Themes: The struggle of Good and Evil/The Dual Nature of HumankindCharactersSoliloquysSetting Mood And AtmosphereGo over Question and Quote Sheet