<p>Name: ______Period ______</p><p>The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: Act II Study Guide</p><p>Scene i</p><p>A soliloquy is a long speech made by a character who is alone on the stage in which the character reveals his/her private thoughts and feelings to the audience. </p><p>In Brutus’ soliloquy (on pages 48-49) he says of Caesar: “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, Which hatched, would as his kind grown mischievous, And kill him in the shell.”</p><p>1. To what is Brutus comparing Caesar?</p><p>2. What does Brutus mean by these lines?</p><p>3. What does he plan to do?</p><p>Dramatic irony occurs when a character fails to recognize realities that are clear to the audience. (in other words, the audience knows something important that a character in a story or drama does not know.) </p><p>4. How are the letters Lucius gave to Brutus an example of dramatic irony? (In other words, what do we know that Brutus does not?)</p><p>5. Why does Metellus Cimber feel they should ask Cicero to join the conspiracy? What benefit would he bring to their cause? (Refer to lines 155-160) </p><p>6. Why does Brutus oppose including Cicero? (Refer to lines 161-163) 7. Why does Brutus oppose the recommendation by Cassius to kill Mark Antony? (Refer to lines 174-196)</p><p>8. Which conspirator volunteers to bring Caesar to the Capitol? </p><p>9. Why is Portia upset with Brutus? </p><p>10. What unusual thing does Portia do herself? Why might she do this? (Refer to lines 324-325)</p><p>Scene ii</p><p>11. According to Caesar, what did Calpurnia dream about? </p><p>12. What are some of the strange things reported by Calpurnia (in Lines 15-28)?</p><p>13. What does Caesar mean when he says (in lines 31-32): “Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions Are to the world in general as to Caesar.” 14. Caesar says: “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once…:</p><p>Do you agree with Caesar? Explain your response.</p><p>15. According to the servant, do the augurers (soothsayer/prophet) think should Caesar go out on March 15th? Explain why or why not. (Refer to lines 43-45)</p><p>16. What does Calpurnia suggest both Mark Antony and Decius tell the Senators? (Refer to lines 58-59; 71)</p><p>17. For Decius’ “private satisfaction” what reason does Caesar give him about why he won’t come? (Refer to lines 80-89)</p><p>18. What does Decius say to change Caesar’s mind about going to the Senate? (Refer to lines 100-103)</p><p>Scene iii</p><p>19. What is in the note Artemidorus wants to give Caesar? (Refer to lines 1-9)</p><p>Scene iv</p><p>20. How would you describe Portia at the beginning of this scene? Literary Elements</p><p>21. How is Calpurnia’s dream an example of dramatic irony? </p><p>22. Give an example of foreshadowing in Act II.</p><p>23. How does Shakespeare build suspense during scenes iii and iv?</p><p>Act II—Quotes</p><p>Caesar Calpurnia Cassius Brutus Portia</p><p>Using the names above, identify the speaker of the following quotes:</p><p>“I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crowned; ______How that might change his nature, there’s the question…” </p><p>“I think it is not meet Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar… Let Antony and Caesar fall together…” ______</p><p>“For Antony is but a limb of Caesar. Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers…” ______</p><p>“Make me acquainted with your cause of grief… You have some sick offense within your mind, Which by the right and virtue of my place I ought to know of…” ______</p><p>“You shall not stir out of your house today… Call it my fear That keeps you in the house and not your own…” ______</p>