1. by William Shakespeare
Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare

2. Information on William Shakespeare
Wrote during the Elizabethan Period.
Born in Stratford-on-Avon, England.
Married Anne Hathaway and had 3 children.
Wrote Histories, Tragedies, Comedies, and Romances.
Wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets.

3. Information on William Shakespeare
Received most of his information on Julius Caesar from Plutrach’s Lives of the Greek and Roman Nobles.
Never wrote a play set in his own time.
Died at the age of 52. Left his wife his “second best bed” in his will.

4. Key Concepts of Julius Caesar
History Play - a patriotic story about English history
Tragedy - terrible happenings that end in the death of the main character
Tragic Hero - neither villainous nor exceptionally virtuous, with a basic character flaw that leads to his downfall

5. Themes Chaos results when the lawful social order is broken.
The best intentions of good, noble people can lead to a tragedy.
Language is a powerful weapon, and in the hands of a skilled person, it can be used to manipulate others.
Violence and bloodshed can never have morally good results.
Orderliness and stable rule, even rule by a dictator, are preferable to chaos.

6. Symbols
Body and Illness
Blood
Femininity
Omens and Fate
Rome

7. Historical Background
In 60 BC, Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey ruled the Roman Empire as the First Triumvirate
Caesar, the most popular, was a strong military leader
Caesar led his troops against Pompey, who had already been murdered
Caesar declared himself dictator for life

8. Pompey’s sons continued to fight Caesar, but were defeated in Spain
Both Brutus and Cassius had supported Pompey in his war against Caesar, but they were pardoned by Caesar after Pompey’s death

9. Characters

10. Conspiracy Members

11. The Wives
Portia is the confidant to Brutus, yet she finds him hesitant to share his troubles during the plot to kill Caesar.
Calpurnia she was married to Julius Caesar in 59 BC and was loyal to him despite his many infidelities and his neglect. Shakespeare portrays her as sensitive to omens.

12. The Loyalists

13. Other Important Characters
Soothsayer: Twice, the soothsayer warns Caesar of the Ides of March.
M. Aemilius Lepidus: One of the triumvirs who rule following the death of Julius Caesar, Lepidus is weak and Antony uses him essentially to run errands.
Cinna the Poet: Only because he has the same name as one of the conspirators, Cinna the Poet is murdered by the riotous mob intent on avenging Caesar’s death.