English - Julius Caesar Act Reviews

Act 1 -5

Why is Caesar disliked by some of the senators:

1\. Too ambitious (wants to be king)

2\. Too powerful

3\. Will destroy the Roman Republic

Why does Caesar refuse the crown Anthony gives him:

1\. Wants to look “good“ (modest) to the people

2\. Wants the crown officially given to him by the Senate

What are Caesars physical defects:

1\. Had a fever in Spain (just like an ordinary guy)

2\. Lost the swimming contest in the Tiber to Cassius; Cassius had to save from drowning

3\. Deaf in one ear

4\. Has epilepsy (the falling sickness)

Why does Caesar distrust Cassius:

1\. Has a “lean and hungry look“ (ambitious; not content)

2\. Not happy when he sees someone with more power than him

3\. seldom smiles

4\. doesn’t attend plays

5\. doesn’t listen to music

How does Cassius convince Brutus to join the conspiracy:

1\. tells him Caesar is no better than they are

2\. Caesar is too ambitious (wants to be king)

3\. Brutus’ ancestors drove out the last king

Why is Brutus needed in the conspiracy:

1\. People of Rome respect and trust him

2\. His support will make the Romans think the murder is for the good of Rome

3\. Caesar loves Brutus; will not suspect him

Soothsayer:

Warns Caesar to “Beware the Ides of March“

Storm Night:

Indicates something “bad“ will happen; superstitious

Reasons Brutus decides to kill Caesar:

1. Will not have a king in Rome (his ancestors drove out the last king)
2. Caesar would abuse his power


1. Like an adder
2. Like someone who climbs the ladder of success
3. Like an unhatched serpant’s egg

Reasons Antony is allowed to live:

1. The conspirators will seem too bloodthirsty
2. Antony is only an arm of Caesar (powerless once the head, Caesar, is cut off)
3. Antony loves life too much to do anything about Caesar’s murder

Calpurnia’s dream

Caesar is a statue with blood spurting out of a hundred spouts; the Romans are smiling and bathing their hands in his blood.

How Decius will get Caesar to the Senate (by flattery):

1. Reinterprets Calpurinia’s dream (his blood revives Rome; the Romans are happy because he is so good for Rome)
2. Tells Caesar the Senate means to give him a crown (They’ll change their minds if he doesn’t come)
3. Tells Caesar that the people will think he is afraid (The Senate has to wait until Caesar’s wife has better dreams?)

How Portia knows something is wrong with Brutus:

1. Strange men, disguised, visit in the middle of the night
2. He does not sleep at night; walks around outside
3. Does not eat (gets up in the middle of the meal)
4. Is impatient with Portia (stamps his foot; waves for her to leave him; doesn’t talk to her)

How Caesar is warned:

1. Soothsayer (Beware the Ides of March)
2. Wife’s dream
3. Strange night (stormy; weird things happen)
4. Animal sacrifice (no heart)

Reasons Brutus gives the citizens for the death of Caesar in his funeral speech:

1. Says they were all slaves under Caesar
2. Says he loved Rome more than he loved his friend, Caesar
3. Says Caesar was too ambitious

How Antony convinces the conspirators he is on their side:

1. Says he is ready to die with Caesar
2. Shakes the bloody hands of the conspirators
3. Says they must think him either a coward or a flatterer
4. Asks for their reasons for murdering Caesar

How Antony convinces the citizens of Rome that the conspirators were wrong to kill Caesar:

1. Twists the words honorable and ambitious
2. Told them Caesar brought slaves and money to Rome
3. Told them Caesar felt sorry for the poor
4. Caesar refused the crown three times at the Feast of the Lupercal
5. Showed them Caesar’s cloak with dagger holes in it and named who stabbed where
6. Showed them the dead body of Caesar
7. Read them Caesar’s will
8. Used inflammatory words like mutiny and traitors

What was Antony’s promise to the dead Caesar:

1. He will start a civil war against the conspirators
2. He will get revenge for Caesar’s murder

Caesar’s will:

1. Contained money -- 75 drachmas for each citizen
2. Donated land for recreation for the citizens of Rome

Second Triumvirate:

Antony, Octavius, Lepidus

Rules Rome after the death of Caesar

First Triumvirate:

Caesar, Pompey, Crassus

A ruling body of three

Crassus died in Syria

Caesar defeated Pompey in a civil war

How the other members of the Triumvirate view Lepidus:

Antony: as an errand boy, an ass, a trained horse

Octavius: as a tried and valiant soldier

Arguments between Cassius and Brutus:

1. Lucius Pella tried for bribery. Cassius sent Brutus letters to overlook Pella’s bribery and Brutus ignored these letters. Brutus said he sent letters to Cassius asking for money to pay his troops, and Cassius did not send the money.
2. Philippi: should they go there and fight or stay at Sardis? Cassius wants to stay at Sardis: they are rested; let the enemy’s troops get tired out from the march to them. Brutus wants to go to Philippi, the people of Sardis are unfriendly and will join up with the enemy, their troops are at their peak and will lose their momentum if they sit around.

Why the ghost of Caesar appears:

1. His spirit is not at rest
2. He wants revenge
3. He tells Brutus he will meet him again in Philippi

Reasons for Portia’s suicide:

1. Brutus was away too long
2. Antony and Octavius were too strong and would defeat Brutus

Farewells between Brutus and Cassius:

They are about to fight a war and one or both may be killed.

Reasons for Cassius’ Suicide:

1. His birthday
2. Birds that are good omens, eagles, leave; the birds that are bad omens, ravens, crows, kites, come.
3. Lost his battle against Antony
4. Thought his best friends, Titinius, was captured because of him (Cassius)
5. Thought Brutus lost against Octavius
6. Would not be taken captive (prisoner)
7. Caesar is revenged

Reasons for Brutus’ Suicide:

1. Lost the battle against the combined forces of Antony and Octavius
2. Caesar’s ghost appeared twice to him
3. Would not be taken captive (prisoner)
4. Caesar’s spirit will now be at rest

Antony’s feelings about Brutus:

1. Respects him - says he was the noblest Roman of them all
2. Feels Brutus was honest in his motives for killing Caesar