Tuesday, 1/14 - Julio Kaiser

• P&P

• Discuss Roman historical background to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

• Begin JC

HW (due next Mon): J1 - Julius Caesar, Act 1 (Reading both JC and Leithart pages 77-83, do the following questions)

1. How does Shakespeare show the division between patricians and plebeians in the opening scene?
2. How does he begin to develop the theme that ingratitude is a root of revolution?
3. How does Shakespeare characterize Cassius (use quotes from the text to support your answer)?
4. Identify and keep track of all fire (flame, spark, etc.) imagery to see where Shakespeare is leading with these images.
5. What significance does Cassius' typology of Aeneas have for his character development?
6. How does Cassius' description of Caesar's mortality betray an ever-increasing decrepitude?
7. When Cassius says he has heard many people wish "that noble Brutus had his eyes" (1.2.62), what does he mean? And how is this related to Cassius' function as a mirror?
8. What does Cassius plan to do to bring Brutus into the conspiracy (1.2.320-327). Also, how is this parallel to his becoming a "mirror" to Brutus?