Plot of Julius Caesar PDF

# Introduction ## Plot of Julius Caesar - Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare's great tragedies. - It depicts the murder of Julius Caesar and its consequences. - The play is divided into five acts. ### Act I - Excitement is heightened in Rome during the feast of the Lupercalia, as Julius Cae...

# Introduction ## Plot of Julius Caesar - Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare's great tragedies. - It depicts the murder of Julius Caesar and its consequences. - The play is divided into five acts. ### Act I - Excitement is heightened in Rome during the feast of the Lupercalia, as Julius Caesar is set to be crowned king. - Roman workers celebrate Caesar's victory over the sons of Pompey by decorating statues. - Two tribunes (representatives of the people on the Roman Senate) scold the workers for being absent from work. - The tribunes are jealous of Caesar's growing power and popularity. - Cassius, a senator, plots with Casca, Cinna, and others to win Brutus to their cause. ### Act II - A storm brings foreshadowing of disaster. - Cassius induces Brutus to join in the murder of Caesar. - Portia, Brutus' wife, and Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, have premonitions of Caesar's death. - Decius Brutus interprets dreams and portents favorably. - Caesar goes to the Capitol despite his wife's pleas. ### Act III - Caesar ignores the warnings of Calpurnia and a soothsayer. - Caesar is murdered in the Capitol. - Brutus explains the murder to the crowd. - Antony stirs the mob with a speech over Caesar's body. - The conspirators are forced to flee Rome. - Antony, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus make plans to overthrow Brutus and Cassius. ### Act IV - Antony and Octavius pursue the conspirators. - Brutus and Cassius are reconciled but disagree on tactics. - Caesar's ghost appears to Brutus and warns him they will meet again at Philippi. ### Act V - Brutus is initially successful in battle, but Cassius believes Brutus to be defeated. - Cassius orders his servant to kill him. - Brutus is defeated and, after a final battle, falls on his own sword. - Antony and Octavius declare Brutus the noblest Roman of them all. - The play ends with the message that even in death, Caesar's spirit was powerful. ## Structure of the Play - There are five stages of action divided into five acts. - **Act I** introduces the situation. - **Act II** details the development of the conspiracy against Caesar. - **Act III** is the crisis with Caesar's murder. - **Act IV** is the falling action, which includes the downfall of the conspirators. - **Act V** is the catastrophe and concludes with the deaths of Caesar's enemies. ## Julius Caesar: Historical Background - In the sixth century BC, Rome was ruled by King Tarquin, a brutal tyrant. - Lucius Junius Brutus led a rebellion against Tarquin and founded the Roman Republic in 509 BC. - In the first century BC, Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar formed a triumvirate to govern Rome. - Crassus was killed in 53 BC while fighting against the Parthians. - Caesar defeated Pompey and his sons, consolidating his position as dictator from 46-44 BC. - Cassius and Brutus, along with other senators, decided to kill Caesar on March 15, 44 BC. - Antony and Octavius forced Caesar's murderers to flee Rome and defeated them at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC. ## Title of the Play - Shakespeare names his tragedies after the tragic hero. - Julius Caesar dominates the entire drama even though he only appears in three scenes and is killed midway through the play.