1. Additional Information on Julius Caesar

2. Themes in Julius Caesar
An idealistic person can be manipulated by a clever and perhaps unscrupulous person.
If the rightful ruler is deposed or killed, chaos will result.
Ordinary people are swayed by effective oratory; thus, they can be changed into a dangerous mob.
Ambitions can change a man’s character so that he no longer seeks the good for all men but, rather, seeks more power for himself.
Power tends to corrupt those who hold it.
People can easily delude themselves into thinking the end justifies the means.

3. Julius Caesar: The Journey of a Leader
If we wind the clock back about 400 years - to the year 1600 in fact - we arrive at the time when William Shakespeare completed Julius Caesar. Can you think of any reasons why this play (and for that matter Shakespeare himself) stood the test of time so well? After all, Shakespeare is a huge commercial success all over the world, even today. Books, films, TV, stage presentations, and souvenirs generate an enormous profit.

4. Julius Caesar Born July 13, 100 B.C.
                                   
Julius Caesar
Born July 13, 100 B.C.
Helped transform Rome into an empire
Elected military tribune in 72 B.C.
Elected Proconsul
Responsible for first invasion of Britain in 55 B.C.

5. The GallicWars
Commentarii de Bello Gallico– book Caesar wrote about the war
This book represents a masterwork of political propaganda as Caesar was keenly interested in manipulating his readers in Rome.

6. The Civil War The First Triumvirate Caesar Pompey
In 50 B.C., the Senate, led by Pompey, ordered Caesar to return to Rome and disband his army because his term as Proconsul finished. Moreover, the Senate forbade Caesar to stand for a second consulship in absentia.
Caesar thought he would be prosecuted and politically marginalized if he entered Rome without the immunity enjoyed by a Consul or without the power of his army.
Pompey accused Caesar of insubordination and treason.
Crossed the Rubicon and marched on Rome
Pompey led Legions of the Republic into battle
Pompey
No picture of Crassus
The First Triumvirate

7.                                                                                                                    
Battle of Pharsalus
Although outnumbered by 25%, Caesar figured out Pompey’s battle plan.
On August 9, 48 B.C., Caesar defeated Pompey’s army, and Pompey fled to Egypt.
On Sept. 28, 48 B.C., Pompey was assassinated by ministers of Ptolemy XIII.

8. Caesar: Destiny of Rome?
                                                                                 
Caesar: Destiny of Rome?
Reorganized distribution of grain
Founded military colonies for the poor
Granted citizenship to doctors & teachers
Stepped up criminal penalties and laws against extortion
Created 1st news sheet
Never lost a war

9. Caesar: Destroyer of the Republic?
                                                              
Caesar: Destroyer of the Republic?
Named dictator for 10 years
Given most lavish honors ever showered on a Roman
Victories = national holidays
Coins minted with his image
Statue erected with inscription: “To the unconquerable god.”

10. Why Kill Caesar?
Enemies within Caesar’s small circle of advisors actively plotted against him
Fear of 1 ruler and wanted to keep old form of government

11. Caesar’s Assassination Chart
Victim
Assassins
Problem
Goal
Result
Julius Caesar (44 B.C.) Rome
Brutus, Cassius, and others
Caesar was becoming too popular. Some Romans feared he would become a tyrant.
To remove the political threat of Caesar becoming King.
Civil war – at the end, Octavius Augustus became not king but emperor.

12. Shakespeare’s Choice
Shakespeare certainly had good reason to write about Julius Caesar.
This Roman emperor was well known in the Elizabethan public's mind - he was, after all, the one who led the first Roman ships to Britain's shores in 55 B.C. and paved the way for the Roman occupation of Britain.
When he became dictator, he was arguably the most powerful ruler the world had ever known.
He also died in spectacular fashion.

13. Shakespeare’s Intentions
Of course, Shakespeare had to gather historical details. He read one major work: Sir Thomas North's translation of the ancient historian Plutarch's Lives.
But Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is not a history book, nor was it his intention to write a piece of Roman history.
It is a play, based on the
Events of Caesar's murder
Pressures on the characters around him
Consequences for the conspirators and Rome in general.

14. Shakespeare’s Purpose
He is not so much interested
in the facts but uses them to:
Present something from his own imagination that would entertain his audiences (the first thing to think about, obviously)
Make audiences think: challenge them to look beyond the story and look at the way human beings act towards each other.

15. Caesar Cartoons

16. Shakespearean Conventions
Bank Verse: unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter
Soliloquy : long speech given by a character while alone on stage to reveal private thoughts
Aside: character’s quiet remark to another