Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Key Facts Full title: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Author: William Shakespeare Type of work: Play (drama) Genre: Tragedy

Key Facts con’t Setting (Time): 44 B.C. Setting (Place): Rome Source Shakespeare used for Julius Caesar: Plutarch’s Lives

Key Facts con’t Play takes place over 6 days time Actual events, as recorded in history, take place over a span of 3 years.

Key Facts con’t Protagonist – Brutus (no, not Caesar!) Play revolves around Brutus’s thoughts and actions We can always trust Brutus to have honest intentions. He believes in doing what is best for the people of Rome, not himself. Brutus is guided by his love for Rome, even if it means turning against his friends. Tragic flaw – Error in judgment. He trusts too much.

Key Facts con’t Antagonist – Julius Caesar Not really a traditional antagonist He desires to rule Rome Brutus is antagonized by Caesar’s ambition Caesar thinks he is fit to rule because he is better than others Believes his power is justified by his personal potential for greatness

Key Facts con’t Antagonist – Antony Once Caesar is gone, Antony becomes the antagonist. Can be cold and calculating: He plots to have the people riot and kill the conspirators (even though others may get killed in the process) Unclear whether he is motivated by his grief for Caesar or by his own ambition. Is he trying to take power? He makes the reader admire Brutus more because Brutus only killed for noble reasons

Key Facts con’t Written mainly in blank verse – unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter. Iambic – unaccented syllable followed by accented syllable Pentameter – 5 feet per line (10 beats) It is the preferred meter for English verse because it echoes the natural rhythms of spoken English Shakespeare uses blank verse to establish character rank. It is used for the dialogue of all aristocratic & important characters

Key Facts con’t Commoners and minor characters often speak in ordinary prose. Prose – Ordinary form of written language. Most writing that is not poetry, drama, or song.