Julius Caesar English Exam

Flavius

Roman tribune who opposes Caesar’s rise to power

Marullus

Roman tribune who scolds citizens for celebrating Caesar

Julius Caesar

Ambitious Roman general whose power alarms the Republic; though admired, he ignores warnings and omens, showing fatal overconfidence that leads to his assasination

Octavius Caesar

Caesar’s adopted heir; politically shrewd; joins Antony and Lepidus to defeat the conspirators

Mark Antony

Caesar’s closest friend; initially appears emotional and impulsive, but later reveals himself to be intelligent, manipulative, and a powerful orator

Calpurnia

Caesar’s wife, deeply troubled by nightmares and supernatural signs predicting Caesar’s death

Portia

Brutus’ wife and daughter of Cato; intelligent and perceptive, struggles with Brutus’ secrecy; kills herself by swallowing hot coals

Decius Brutus

Conspirator who uses clever persuasion to reinterpret Calpurnia’s dream and convince Caesar to go to the Senate

Cicero

Famous Roman senator and orator; avoids joining conspiracy

Publius

Roman senator present during key moments, largely insignificant

Popilius

A senator whose brief comment to Cassius causes panic among the conspirators, implying he knows of their schemes

Brutus

Moral center of the play; an honorable Roman who joins the conspiracy not out of hatred for Caesar, but from a belief that Caesar’s ambition threatens Rome; classic tragic hero

Cassius

True architect of the conspiracy; intelligent, manipulative, and driven by envy of Caesar

Casca

Blunt and cynical conspirator who speaks plainly and distrusts grand speeches; first to stab Caesar

Trebonius

Conspirator who distracts Mark Antony during Caesar’s assassination

Ligarius

Once loyal to Caesar, joins conspiracy out of devotion to Brutus

Metellus Cimber

A conspirator who petitions Caesar for his brother’s return, serving as a distraction that initiates the assassination

Cinna (the conspirator)

Takes part in the murder of Caesar

Cinna (the poet)

Innocent man killed by an angry mob simply because he shares a conspirator’s name

Publius (servant)

A servant attending Brutus

Titinus

Cassius’ loyal friend; his death, caused by a misunderstanding, led Cassius to suicide

Pindarus

Cassius’ servant who assists in his suicide

Messala

A trusted soldier and messenger for Brutus

Varro

A soldier serving Brutus

Clitus

Brutus’ servant who refuses to kill him

Claudius

A soldier aligned with Brutus

Strato

A loyal soldier who helps Brutus commit suicide honorably

Volumnius

A friend of Brutus who survives the war and mourns him

Lepidus

Member of Second Triumvirate with Antony and Octavius; considered weak and easily manipulated

Who are the conspirators?

Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, Cassius, Brutus, Ligarius, and Tribonius

What political tension is revealed at the start of the play?

The commoners celebrate Caesar’s victory, while the tribunes fear he is becoming a dictator

Who warns Caesar to “Beware the Ides of March,” and how does Caesar respond?

A soothsayer warns him, but Caesar ignores the warning, showing his arrogance

How does Cassius begin turning Brutus against Caesar?

He appeals to Brutus’s honor and love of Rome, suggesting Caesar’s ambition threatens freedom

What does Casca report about Caesar and the crown?

Caesar publicly refuses the crown, but his actions suggest he may secretly desire it

What supernatural signs appear in Rome, and what do they foreshadow?

Storms and strange omens suggest chaos and Caesar’s impending death

Why does Brutus decide Caesar must be killed?

He believes Caesar could become a tyrant and must be stopped for Rome’s good

Who joins the conspiracy, and why is Brutus important to it?

Senators join, but Brutus’s honorable reputation gives the plot credibility

Why do the conspirators spare Mark Antony?

Brutus argues Antony is not a threat and that killing him would make them seem cruel

How does Calpurnia try to stop Caesar from going to the Senate?

She shares prophetic dreams and fears based on omens

How does Decius convince Caesar to ignore Calpurnia’s warning?

He reinterprets the dream and appeals to Caesar’s pride

How is Caesar assassinated, and who delivers the final emotional blow?

The conspirators stab Caesar in the Senate; Brutus’s stab devastates him most

What is Caesar’s reaction to Brutus’s betrayal?

He accepts his fate, saying “Et tu, Brute?” and dies

What conditions does Antony set before speaking at Caesar’s funeral?

He promises not to blame the conspirators directly

How does Antony turn the crowd against the conspirators?

Through rhetorical skill, irony, and emotion in his funeral speech

What role does Caesar’s will play in the mob’s reaction?

It reveals Caesar’s generosity, enraging the crowd

What happens to Cinna the poet, and why is it important?

He is killed by a mob for his name, showing chaos and loss of reason

What new political alliance forms after Caesar’s death?

Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus form the Second Triumvirate

What causes tension between Brutus and Cassius?

Disagreements over money, leadership, and strategy

How does Portia’s death affect Brutus?

He hides his grief, showing emotional restraint and inner suffering

What military decision leads to disaster for the conspirators?

They march to Philippi instead of waiting, a choice Brutus supports

Why does Cassius kill himself?

He mistakenly believes Titinius has been captured by the enemy

Why does Brutus choose to kill himself?

He believes honor demands death rather than capture

How do Antony and Octavius judge Brutus at the end?

Antony calls Brutus “the noblest Roman of them all”

What is the overall outcome of the play?

The conspirators are defeated, and Rome moves toward imperial rule