Act 1
How does Shakepseare make the noble stand apart from the poor?
Shakespeare has Patricians speak in Iambic Pentameter and Plebians do not.
What makes Brutus Question killing Caesar?
Caesar has shown that he is rational in the past, but he could let the power go to his head once he is king.
What does Brutus instruct the conspirators to do after the death of Caesar?
All of the conspirators put Caesar's blood on their hands.
What are Anthony, Octavius, and Lepidus doing in the beginning?
They are compiling a list of people they suspect of conspiring against Caesar to be executed.
What does Cassius see that warns him of the coming battle.
He sees two eagles eating out of the hands of their soldiers until the next morning when the eagles are replaced with crows and ravens.
What angers Marillus and Flavius into doing what that gets them taken care of?
People are celebrating Caesar instead of Pompey. Marillus and Flavius tear down celebrations of Caesar and force people to leave celebrating.
What is like a phantasm or hideous dream?
Brutus's dread of killing Caesar.
What is the reason that the conspirators put Caesar's blood on their hands?
They want to show that they are proud to kill Caesar and that they were not wrong to kill him.
What animal does Anthony compare Lepidus to?
He compares him to his military horse. Only to be taught what to do and do what is asked of him.
What does Brutus say is cowardly? Does he end up committing this cowardly act?
Brutus says that it is cowardly to commit suicide when you know the enemy will win. He does not technically kill himself, but he runs into his blade that another is carrying (killing himself).
What does Cassius say about Caesar to make him appear weak?
Cassius says that Caesar was not able to cross a river without Cassius's help, showing his weakness.
What does Calphurnia dream of the night before the ides of March?
A lion has a child in the street, people were given back from the dead from their graves, and fiery warriors rained blood on the capitol. Happy people bathed in the blood of Caesar.
What promise does Anthony give Brutus about his speech at Caesar's funeral?
1. He will not blame the conspirators.
2. He will only speak good of Caesar and his accomplishments.
3. He would let the people know he was there by permission.
What do Brutus and Cassius argue about when they first meet?
Cassius says that Brutus has betrayed him by turning in his bribe-taking soldier, and Brutus says Cassius betrayed him by taking bribes in the first place.
What mistake does Cassius make? What does this cause?
He thinks that Titinius is killed so he kills himself. (Titinius is really alive.)
What is Cassius's plan to sway Brutus?
Throw notes (pretending to be from the plebians) to Brutus saying that Caesar is not fit to be king.
What does Decius do to reinterpret Calphurnia's dream and convince Caesar to leave?
Decius says that people bathing in Caesar's blood is positive. He says that people will not give him his crown if he does not leave and that people will mock him for listening to his wife's advice.
They react positively to both men. Supporting them and everything that they say. For Brutus they react by believing that Caesar was justly killed, but for Anthony, they react by proclaiming that the men who killed Caesar were traitors.
What news does Messala bring about Rome? Who specifically is mentioned?
He tells them a a hundred of senators has been executed, Cinna included.
How many people refuse Brutus's request? Who agrees to do what he asks?
Three people refuse to kill Brutus, but Strato agrees.
What are the two interpretations of the storm?
The storm is warning of how terrible Caesar would be as king. It is warning of how bad the conspirators will make Rome.
What does Portia hear and worry about?
Portia hears things like people screaming at the capitol. Portia worries for her husband Brutus, who just went to kill Caear.
Who is killed at the end of the scene and why?
The poet also named Cinna is killed just for having the same name as one of the conspirators.
What does Caesar's ghost tell Brutus to startle him into leaving sooner?
He tells him that he will see him at Philippi.
Who does Octavius want to give an honorable burial? Why does he do this?
He wants to bury Brutus like a soldier. He does this because Brutus always had good intentions, he just executed them wrong.