1. Shakespeare and Julius Caesar

2. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Surprisingly little is known about his life. Scholars have had to piece together his life from church documents, property and public records, deduction and speculation … and scanning his plays for clues about his life...

3. His life at a glance: Born 1564. Son of a farmer & glove-maker Raised in a comfortable, prosperous hometown (Stratford-on-Avon) 1582: married Anne Hathaway; they had 3 children 1592: first reference to him in London; worked as an actor & beginning to make a name as a playwright 1590’s: his plays quickly gain attention 1599: opening of The Globe theatre; soon recognized as London’s best playhouse. 1613: The Globe destroyed by fire; indications that he moved back to Stratford Died 1616; most likely of pneumonia

4. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: Written in 1599. Shakespeare based most of his plays on previously written material; Julius Caesar was no exception. Based on a translation of the Greek historian Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans. (Plutarch lived 46-120 A.D.)

5. Julius Caesar Background/Context The Roman Republic, before approximately 60BC, had been governed by a Senate (a group of nobles.) Around 60BC, three men form a pact to control the Republic, called a TRIUMVIRATE: - Pompey; - Julius Caesar; - Crassus

6. Julius Caesar Background/Context But… civil war develops among Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus. POMPEY allies with the Senate AGAINST Caesar. CAESAR leaves Rome, campaigning and conquering in Europe, and becomes increasingly POWERFUL.

7. Julius Caesar Background/Context The army DESERTS Pompey & joins Caesar... … Caesar declares himself DICTATOR for life.

8. Julius Caesar Background/Context Pompey flees to Greece and is killed before Caesar can capture him. R.I.P (Caesar does kill Pompey’s sons.)

9. Julius Caesar Background/Context Caesar triumphantly returns to Rome after fighting Pompey’s forces. = BEGINNING OF THE PLAY. Let’s start…!

10. “How to read” Shakespeare Task: How do you read Shakespeare? Provide some tips and strategies. (Respond in your notebook.)

11. “How to read” Shakespeare Some words Shakespeare uses are no longer in use. Exs: fain (gladly); marry (an oath); doublet (a close- fitting jacket.) Some words are still in use but now have different meanings. Exs: “heavy” can also mean “sorrowful”; “envious” can also mean “malicious”; Cassius says he will throw letters “in several hands” in Brutus’s window; we would say “in different handwriting”

12. “How to read” Shakespeare These differences are explained in notes on the text which are crucial as you read.

13. “How to read” Shakespeare In English, meaning is very dependent on the placement of each word. Ex: “The dog bit the boy.” vs. “The boy bit the dog.” Shakespeare sometimes composes his sentences in an order that seems unusual to us. Ex: Instead of “He goes”, we find “Goes he.” Or “This way will I.” Why?

14. “How to read” Shakespeare Often, his sentences separate words that would normally appear together. Ex: “leave no ceremony out” interrupts the normal phrase “leave out.” Ex: “I would not (so with love I entreat you) / Be any further removed” interrupts “I would not be…” Tip: There might be times when you need to re-arrange the words, putting together words in clusters and placing the words in their familiar order.

15. “How to read” Shakespeare Did Shakespeare write in “Old English”? Fæder ure şu şe eart on heofonum. Si şin nama gehalgod to becume şin rice gewurşe..