Julius Caesar Sound Recording

Julius Caesar Detailed Study Questions

Act I, scene I

1. How does Shakespeare make the common people appear to be less than noble?
2. What are the people doing that angers Marullus and Flavius?  Why does this anger them?
3. What is the mood of the crowd?
4. What actions do Marullus and Flavius take to correct the situation?

Act I, Scene ii

5. Why does Caesar want Calphurnia to stand in Anthony’s path during the race in honor of the feast of Lupercal?
6. What is Anthony's response to Caesar's instructions? What does this suggest about their relationship?
7. What/Who does the soothsayer warn?
8. What is Caesar's reaction to the soothsayer’s warning?
9. What complaint does Cassius make about Brutus’s behavior towards him?  How does Brutus answer this complaint?
10. Cassius’s story attacks what aspect of Caesars’ makeup? What is this attack supposed to say to Brutus?
11. What does Cassius mean by the following statement? “ Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.”   (147)
12. How does Brutus respond to Cassius’s suggestion?
13. What astute observation does Caesar make of Cassius?
14. What faults does Caesar see in Cassius’s nature?
15. What does Caesar mean by the following statement? “I rather tell thee what is to be feared/than what I fear; for always I am Caesar?
16. What does this statement show about Caesar's nature? What physical problem does Caesar then admit?
17. What story does Casca relate to Brutus and Cassius? What does Casca tell us by the personal remarks he adds to the story?
18. How did the people react to Caesar's’ fit?  What does this possibly tell us about their feelings for Caesar?
19. What information does Casca give about Marullus and Flavius?
20. At the end of the scene, what plans does Cassius make to sway Brutus to his cause?

Act I scene iii

21. What wondrous things has Casca seen on this night? (List at least 4)
22. What reason does Cassius give for the terrible storm?
23. What important news does Casca give Cassius about the Senate’s plan? (85)
24. What does Casius mean by the following statement?  “He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.” (106)
25. What instruction does Casca give Cinna that that will help sway Brutus to their cause?
26. What reason does Casca give for wanting Brutus to join their cause?

Act II, scene i.

27. What question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?
28. Whom is Brutus talking about in his opening soliloquy? What are the metaphors he uses to describe him and the potential if crowned king?
29. What did Lucius find at the window? Where did it come from?
30. For what information does Brutus want Lucius to look at a calendar?  What is the significance of what Lucius finds?
31. Who is at the gate? For what purpose?
32. Why does Brutus reject Cicero? What is Cassius’s reaction and what does this show about his and Brutus’s relationship?
33. Who wants Mark Antony to die? Who doesn’t? Why?
34. The clock strikes three in line 192. This is an anachronism. What does that mean?
35. How does Decius say he will make sure that he will make sure that Caesar will come to the Capitol?
36. What do the conspirators plan to do the next day?
37. How does Brutus want them to look?
38. Has Portia noticed anything strange about Brutus?
39. Why does Portia kneel?
40. What has Portia done to show Brutus that she is worthy of knowing his secret?
41. Does Brutus make plans to tell the truth to Portia? What happens?
42. Why does Caius Ligarius “discard his sickness”?

Act II, scene ii.

43. What strange and horrible things does Calphurnia report to Caesar that have been seen that night?
44. What does Calphurnia mean by the following statement?  “When beggars die, there are no comets seen;/ The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”(30-31)
45. Is Caesar afraid to die? Why?
46. What did the augurers find? What is an augurer?
47. Why does Calphurnia kneel?
48. Will Caesar lie about his appearance at the Senate? Why?
49. What was Calphurnia’s dream?
50. How does Decius convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?
51. Why might Antony be here at Caesar’s house?
52. Explain Trebonius’ aside (line 124).

Act II, scene iii.

53. What is Artemidorus’s plan?

Act II.  Scene  iv.

54. Why is Portia so nervous and upset?  On what errand does she send Lucius?
55. What is the soothsayer’s plan?

Act III, scene i.

56. In regard to Artemidorus’s  request, how does Caesar’s nobility doom him?

57. What is Metellus Cimber’s petition to Caesar?  What is Caesar’s response and why does he give this response?

58. Who is the first to stab Caesar?

59. What are Caesar’s last words and what do they mean?

60. What does Brutus instruct the conspirators to do before they go before the public?  Why does he instruct them to do this?

61. What request does Antony’s servant bring to Brutus? What is Brutus’s response?

62. What does Cassius object to letting Antony speak at Caesar’s funeral? What reassurance does Brutus give him?

63. What promise does Antony give Brutus about his funeral speech?

64. After being left alone with Caesar's body, what does Antony promise to do?

65. Whose servant appears at the end of the scene? What news does he share?

Act III scene ii.

66. What reason does Brutus give for murdering Caesar?  What is the crowd’s reaction?

67. When Antony appears with the body of Caesar, what does Brutus say?

68. What final mistake does Brutus make in letting Anthony speak?

69. What does Antony tell the people he has come to do?

70. What role does repetition play in Antony’s speech?

71. According to Antony, who made the “unkindest cut of all”? (185)

72. Why does Antony read Caesar’s will to the people? What does it promise?

73. At the end of the scene, what are the fates of Brutus and Cassius

Act III, scene iii.

74. What is the significance of this scene?

Act IV. Scene i.

75. What are Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus doing at the beginning of the scene?
76. Why do they want Caesar’s will?  What is ironic about this?
77. What is Antony’s plan for Lepidus? What is his reason?

Act IV. Scene ii.

78. What does Brutus tell Lucilius about dying love?

79. What practical instruction does Brutus give Cassius about their disagreement?  What is unusual about this?

Act IV, scene iii.

80. What wrong does Cassius say Brutus has done him?

81. In response, what does Brutus condemn Cassius for doing?

82. What does Cassius threaten to do if Brutus continues to “urge” him?

83. According to Brutus, how has Cassius wronged him?

84. To prove that he has been wronged, what does Cassius tell Brutus to do to him?

85. What is the real reason for Brutus’s ill temper?  Give all of the details. 

86. Messala brings what ill news of the triumvirate’s actions in Rome?

87. What reason does Cassius give for NOT going directly to Philippi?

88. What reason does Brutus give for going directly to Philippi? Who prevails?

89. What happens to make Brutus speed up his plan to go to Philippi?

Act V, scene i.

90. What hope of Octavius and Antony is answered?  What does this say about Brutus?

91. What does Cassius mean by the following statement?

“Flatterers!  Now Brutus thank yourself;/This tongue had not offended so today,/If Cassius might have ruled.”(45-47)

92. Octavius mentioned that Caesar had how many stab wounds?
93. Whose birthday is this?
94. What ominous sign has Cassius seen that causes him to fear the coming battle?
95. What does Brutus say he will do if they lose the battle?  Why is he reluctant to do this?

Act V, scene iii.

96. What horrible mistake does Cassius make?  What is the outcome of this mistake?

97. What is Titinius’s reaction to Cassius’s action?

98. What is Brutus’s response to Cassius and Titinius’s actions?

Act V, scene iv.

99. What role does Lucilius take upon himself?  What was Antony’s response to his masquerade?

Act V, scene v.

100. What request does Brutus make of Clitus?  What is his response?

101. What does Brutus ask Volumnius to do? What reason does he give?  What is Volumnius’s response?

102. What does Strato do for Brutus?  What does Strato ask Brutus to do first?  Why?

103. What overture of peace does Octavius make to Brutus’s men?

104. How do Antony and Octavius honor Brutus?

Final thoughts

105. Who is the tragic hero of this drama?