CHARACTERS
Which Roman leader is warned to “Beware the Ides of March” but later ignores several warnings about danger?
Caesar
What event involves Caesar being murdered by the conspirators in the Senate?
The assassination of Caesar
What theme is shown when characters use speeches, questions and emotional language to influence others?
The power of rhetoric
What persuasive technique is used when a speaker asks a question to make the audience think or agree?
Rhetorical question
What are the three modes of persuasion called: ethos, logos and pathos?
Modes of persuasion
Which character joins the conspiracy partly because he believes killing Caesar may protect Rome from tyranny?
Brutus
What warning does Caesar ignore before his death?
“Beware the Ides of March”
What theme is shown when Brutus chooses Rome over his friendship with Caesar?
Public duty versus personal loyalty
What technique is used when Antony repeatedly calls Brutus “honourable” until the word begins to sound doubtful or sarcastic?
Repetition / verbal irony
Which mode of persuasion is Antony using when he makes the crowd feel pity for Caesar and anger towards the conspirators?
Pathos
Why is Brutus conflicted about Caesar?
He loves Caesar but fears Caesar may become too powerful
Why is Decius’ interpretation of Calpurnia’s dream important?
It persuades Caesar to ignore danger and go to the Senate
Why is Caesar’s pride dangerous?
It makes him ignore warnings and believe he is untouchable
Why does Antony’s repeated use of “honourable” become ironic?
It begins to suggest that Brutus is not honourable at all
What rhetorical device is being used when Antony repeats “Brutus is an honourable man” to make the crowd question Brutus’ honour?
Anaphora / repetition
How does Antony hide his true feelings after Caesar’s murder?
He acts polite to the conspirators while secretly planning revenge
How does Antony’s funeral speech change the direction of the play?
It turns the crowd against the conspirators and pushes Rome towards violence
How does the play show that honour can be manipulated?
Cassius uses Brutus’ sense of honour to persuade him that murder is duty
What dramatic method lets the audience hear Antony’s true feelings after the conspirators leave, revealing the difference between public performance and private intention?
Soliloquy
How does alliteration usually help a speech become more persuasive or memorable?
It makes key phrases sound forceful, patterned and memorable
Why can Brutus be interpreted as both honourable and dangerous?
His honour makes him act for Rome, but it also helps him justify murder
Why does Caesar’s assassination fail to solve Rome’s problems?
It removes Caesar but creates chaos, revenge and civil conflict
What does the play suggest about truth and persuasion?
People often believe the version of truth that is presented most persuasively
How does Shakespeare use Caesar’s wounds during Antony’s speech to influence the crowd?
He makes the wounds seem like silent speakers that accuse the conspirators and stir pity and anger
Why might a transferred epithet, such as “a nervous cigarette,” be more powerful than simply saying “the man was nervous”?
It makes an emotion feel visible through an object, creating a vivid impression of the character’s state of mind