Rome, Julius Caesar & Shakespeare English II RSS

Rome

Roman Garb

Roman classes Right to vote –Patricians Nobles (landowners) –Plebians Commoners (regular townspeople) No rights –Slaves Captured prisoners of war

Rome Monarchy? Republic? Dictatorship? Oh my! How about a triumvirate!! –Caesar –Crassus –Pompey

Julius Caesar In 58 B.C., Caesar governed part of Gaul (France) and over the next 10 years conquered all of Gaul. Very charismatic. People loved him.

Crassus Killed in battle!

Pompey With Crassus gone, it’s only Caesar and Pompey ruling Rome. (…so much for that triumvirate) Pompey feels jealous of Caesar’s popularity. He convinces the Senate to order Caesar to D.E.A.R. (drop everything and return – to Rome, that is…)

Caesar Being the brave and daring man that he is, Caesar decides to invade Rome instead. He wins the battle and makes himself absolute ruler. Isn’t there another word for that?

Pompey Ran… like the coward he is… to Greece. Caesar followed him. Ran again… to Egypt. This time he was murdered (guess who did it…)

Caesar 3 years later, he found Pompey’s sons and defeated them as well. (Why?) Caesar returns to Rome in victory and becomes the undisputed leader of the entire Roman Empire!!!

Marcus Brutus Very good friends with Caesar. Caesar appointed him to a high office. Conspirators convinced him that Caesar was too powerful and needed to be taken down.

Conspirators against Caesar Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius –Brutus’ brother-in-law Decius Brutus Casca Cinna Metellus Cimber Trebonius Caius Ligarius

Caesar’s Death

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Shakespeare probably used Greek historian Plutarch’s (46 – 127) writings to write his play, Julius Caesar.

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Born in Stratford- upon-Avon (England) This period is known as the Elizabethan Era; therefore, Shakespeare’s type of drama is known as Elizabethan Drama. (Who is this Elizabeth person?)

Elizabethan Drama Shakespeare wrote three types of plays: –Comedies (nobody dies) –Tragedies (everybody dies) –Histories (based on history) Julius Caesar is a historical tragedy. (Why do you think that is? Hmm…) His plays were performed in the Globe Theatre.

The Globe Theatre Holds up to 3000 patrons. Circular structure. Stage in the middle. Working-class folks paid a penny ($4 now) & stood on the ground. (exposed to weather, dirty) For 2 pennies, you can sit in the gallery. (Roof, see better)

Words to know… Act – a division within a play Aside – lines that are spoken by a character directly to the audience Anachronism – objects or concepts that are not placed in their proper historical time period. Double entendre – phrases or words which have double meanings, one of which is usually sexual in nature Dialogue – conversation between two or more characters

Drama – work of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience Dramatic irony – when the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know Foil – a character who is nearly opposite of another character Hubris – excessive pride that leads to a character’s downfall (tragic flaw). Irony – a contradiction between expectation and reality.

Monologue – a long speech spoken by a character to himself, another character, or to the audience Pun – a play on words that either sound alike or that have multiple meanings Rebuttal – rhetorical device meant to contradict previous comments given by another party. Scene – a division of an act into smaller parts Soliloquy – thoughts spoken aloud by a character when he/she is alone Synecdoche – referring to the part when you mean the whole.