William Shakespeare's

classic repertory company STUDY GUIDE William Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR Education Outreach Supporters Funded in part by generous individual contributors, the National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Foundation for MetroWest, Fuller Foundation, The Marshall Home Fund, Roy A. Hunt Foundation, and Watertown Community Foundation. This program is also supported in part by grants from the Billerica Arts Council, Brookline Commission for the Arts, Canton Cultural Council, Brockton Cultural Council, Lawrence Cultural Council, Lexington Council for the Arts, Marlborough Cultural Council, Newton Cultural Council, Watertown Cultural Council, and Wilmington Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Classic Repertory Company is produced in cooperation with Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Theatre NEW REP ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 200 DEXTER AVENUE WATERTOWN, MA 02472 the professional theatre company in residence at the artistic director jim petosa managing director harriet sheets arsenal center for the arts A Timeline of Shakespeare’s Life 1564 Born in Stratford-upon-Avon 1582 Marries Anne Hathaway 1585 Moves to London to pursue theatre career 1592 London closes theatres due to plague 1593 Starts to write sonnets 1594 Publishes first works of poetry 1594 Starts managing, as well as writing for, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men 1599 Writes Julius Caesar 1600 Writes Hamlet, one of his most well-known plays 1603 The Lord Chamberlain’s Men is renamed the King’s Men in honor of the new King James’ patronage 1604 Retires from acting 1613 The Globe Theatre burns down 1614 The Globe Theatre is rebuilt 1616 Dies and is buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-Upon-Avon adapted from http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/timeline.htm C.1600 JOHN TAYLOR THE CHANDOS PORTRAIT, LONDON PORTRAIT GALLERY, NATIONAL Why do we read Shakespeare? Shakespeare’s works are over 400 years old. Since his time, so many other books and plays have been written that we may ask why we still care to read and perform his works. There are many ways we can answer this question, depending on where we look. First, let’s consider what these plays are about. People often refer to Shakespeare’s work as timeless and universal because the issues and themes prevalent in his works apply to humans of all ages and backgrounds; themes of love, self-discovery, relationships, and political strife are relevant in any society, whether in 1600, 1850, or 2015. Through watching or reading Shakespeare, we can easily draw parallels to contemporary and historical issues. Shakespeare’s plays are also very much driven by human psychology. His characters are so well developed that we do not merely view the wide range of human emotions and the changes that each character experiences, but we also identify with these characters and their personal struggles throughout each play. Aside from the artistic importance of his works, Shakespeare also made many contributions to the English language. He coined thousands of new words and phrases that we still use today. For instance, the common phrase “all’s well that ends well” actually comes from the title of one of Shakespeare’s comedies! One might even say that Shakespeare’s plays were part of the birth of modern English due to his creative wordplay, clever imagery, and evocative, if sometimes crude, analogies. So, why do we still want to read and watch Shakespeare today? We can learn so much about his culture and time and the issues that are still around today. We can enhance our vocabulary greatly by studying his use of and contributions to the English language. In watching or reading Shakespeare’s plays, challenge yourself to try and find something that applies to you and your life. It could be a character, a specific line, one of the main themes, or even a relationship. Everyone can connect to and identify with these plays in some capacity, so find the reason or multiple reasons his plays apply to you. ■ Julius Caesar Study Guide 2 Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Speaking or Writing In Ancient Rome, the Forum was both a marketplace and a political epicenter. Roman politicians would deliver speeches to the masses, vying for the people’s support as a mode of gaining political power. As a result, public speaking was central to political life – words were wielded as weapons, often with deadly consequences. The final stage of Roman schooling, the rhetor, focused exclusively on using rhetoric to craft persuasive arguments, creating a class of effective orators. The following is a list of rhetorical devices and their definitions. Apophasis emphasizing a point by pretending to pass over it Mark Antony – Act III, Scene ii Aposiopesis a sudden breaking off in the middle of Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; a sentence, as if unable or unwilling to I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. continue The evil that men do lives after them; Erotesis a manner of phrasing that presupposes The good is oft interred with their bones; either a yes or no answer So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus Pathos an appeal to the audience’s emotions Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: Logos an appeal to the audience’s logic If it were so, it was a grievous fault, Ethos an appeal to the audience meant to And grievously hath Caesar answer’d it. establish the speaker’s credibility Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest– Metonymy the use of an associated object to For Brutus is an honourable man; suggest something else; example: So are they all, all honourable men– using the word “crown” when referring Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. to royalty He was my friend, faithful and just to me: Synechdoche using one part of something to But Brutus says he was ambitious; represent the whole; example: “get And Brutus is an honourable man. your face out of here”, where face He hath brought many captives home to Rome represents the whole person Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Parenthesis the interruption of a thought to Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? introduce a new thought, only to return When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: to the original line Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Apostrophe a sudden appeal to someone or Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; something that is not present And Brutus is an honourable man. Rhetorical question a question not meant to be answered, You all did see that on the Lupercal but used to make a point I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Epinome the repetition of a phrase, word, or Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? question meant to drive a point home Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. Using this list, circle and label as many You all did love him once, not without cause: examples of rhetoric in Mark Antony’s speech What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? as you can find. Think about what effect each O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, device has on its audience. ■ And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me. Julius Caesar Study Guide 3 Biographies Julius Caesar (100 BCE – 44 BCE) During his time in political office, Julius Caesar frequently appealed to the people, hosting lavish games and bestowing gifts to the citizens of Rome in order to secure their support. Like many Roman politicians, he recognized that with great power came the support of the MARLON BRANDO AS MARK ANTONY OF JULIUS CAESAR IN THE 1953 FILM ADAPTATION mob. He formed an alliance with the two most powerful men in Rome, Pompey and Crassus, and together the three men exerted complete control over the senate. Caesar grew more and more powerful until the Senate, including Pompey, recognized him as a threat. They demanded that Caesar return from his military exploits, relieving him of his duty as General. Instead, Caesar crossed the Rubicon in an act of defiance, beginning a civil war that would result in Pompey’s death and culminate in Caesar’s appointment as dictator for life. Shakespeare’s play opens with the celebration of Caesar’s return on the heels of his victory over, and assassination of, Pompey. Marcus Brutus (85 BCE – 42 BCE) Marcus Brutus came from a long line of assassins – Lucius Junius Brutus, the founder of the Roman Republic, led the revolt against the final king before the establishment of the Roman Republic in 509 BCE and served as one of its first consuls. Marcus Brutus’ family name was well-known and inextricably linked to political revolution. Though he’d initially opposed Pompey’s rise to power, Brutus aligned himself with Pompey’s supporters after the crossing of the Rubicon and was captured, then released by Caesar after Pompey’s defeat. After his release, Caesar named him praetor, a position possessing executive and judicial powers. Caius Cassius (~95 BCE – 42 BCE) During the civil war between Pompey and Caesar, Caius Cassius initially fought on Pompey’s behalf, but after Pompey’s decisive defeat in Pharsalus, he reconciled with Caesar and was given the title of legate, similar to a governor. He was famously cantankerous, with the historian Plutarch referring to him as “a hot, chollerick, and cruell man that would oftyntymes be carried away from justice for gayne.” Cassius was deeply offended when Caesar named Brutus praetor urbanus, a position slightly higher than Cassius’ own of praetor peregrinus.

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