| Taper | 2. a slender candle |
| Tyranny | Cruel and oppressive government or rule |
| Lest | With the intention of preventing (something undesirable); to avoid the risk of(After a clause indicating fear) because of the possibility of something undesirable happening; in case |
| Anachronism | An Anachronism is an error of chronology or timeline in a literary peace. in other words anything that is out of time and out of the place is an anachronism Example: The most famous example comes from act two scene one of Julius Caesar”Brutus: peace! Count the clock.Cassius: The clock has stricken three.”The time this play depicts is a point in history dating back to 44 A.D. mechanical clocks referred to in the above-mentioned dialogue had not been invented at that time but were present in Shakespeare’s time bus the mention of a clock in this play is an Anachronism |
| Complication | An intensification of the conflict in the story or play complication builds up, accumulates, and develops the primary central conflict in a literary work |
| Personification | Brutus having received mysterious letter that urges him to act against Caesar recalls how one of his ancestors led the early Romans in driving out the kings who used to rule over them some 450 years earlier in doing so Brutus asks the city of Rome a question as if it were a personShall Rome stand under one man’s awe? what Rome?My ancestors did from the streets of RomeThe Tarquin drive when he was called the kingA more vivid personification of Rome occurs in scene two of the same act as Decius Brutus tries to cast a positive light on the horrifying dream that Caesar’s wife Calpurnia had the night before Caesar was assassinated. Decius Brutus Who is one of conspirators interprets the dream as indicating that the blood that sprouted from Caesars statue in Calpurnias dream Signifies that from you great Rome shall suckReviving blood and that great man shall pressFor tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. |
| Irony | Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that they’re intended meeting is different from the actual meaning of the words it may also be a situation that may end up in a quite different way than what is generally anticipated in simple words it is a difference between the appearance and the realityExample: |
| Dramatic irony | Irony understood by audience but not by charactersExample: Calpurnia’s dream and the plot to kill Caesar |
| Aside | Characters thoughts heard by audience but not by charactersExample: page 97 with Trebonius |
| According to Brutus why is it necessary that Cesar be killed | Brutus reasons that although Cesar isn’t bad now getting a crown would change his nature Brutus admits he’s seen no evidence that ambition would change Cesar but he reckons it isn’t worth taking the chance |
| What actions does Lucius perform that help the plot unfold | He brought Brutus the letter |
| What is Brutus internal conflict | He isn’t sure whether or not Caesar there should die |
| Why does Brutus disagree about taking an oath | He thinks their word is enough promiseThey are Romans and Romans don’t do oaths there just true to their word even if that word is murder |
| Why does Brutus disagree about taking an oath | He thinks their word is enough promiseThey are Romans and Romans don’t do oaths there just true to their word even if that word is murder |
| Why does Metellus think it would be a good idea to ask Cicero to join theconspiracy? | Cicero is older, so Metellus thinks their actions would garner more respect. |
| Why does Brutus say they should not ask Cicero to join the conspiracy? | Cicero is set in his ways and will not go along with another person’s plan. |
| What does Brutus say about killing Marc Antony? | It will be too bloody and malicious and will take away from their original purpose. The conspirators should think of the murder as an act of sacrifice for the state and not as a bloodbath. Brutus also contends that because Antony is like Caesar’s arm, once they kill Caesar, Antony will be powerless. An arm without a head can do nothing, and Brutus is sure they have nothing to fear from Caesar’s friend. |
| What reason does Cassius give for why Caesar might not come out of his housetoday? | Caesar is superstitious. Cassius points out that Caesar has been cautious lately because of all the bad omens floating about. Cassius further worries that Caesar’s prophets might convince him to take a sick day from the Capitol. |
| By what method does Decius say he will use to get Caesar out of the house? | Decius will flatter Caesar until he agrees to come out. Decius tells everyone not to worry; he’ll show up at Caesar’s place in the morning to make sure Caesar goes the Capitol. He can sway Caesar easily with fairy-tale interpretations of whatever worries Caesar. |
| Why is Portia, Brutus’s wife, worried about Brutus? | Brutus has been edgy lately |
| How does she prove her strength to Brutus? | Portia stabs herself in the thigh and bears the wound silently. The other night Brutus gave her a mean look at dinner and dismissed her when she wanted to talk about what was bothering him. Portia pleads with him to tell her what’s making him so unhappy. |
| How does she prove her strength to Brutus? | Portia stabs herself in the thigh and bears the wound silently. |
| Why does Calpurnia want Caesar to stay home? | She had a bad dream and saw it as an omen. |
| Describe Calpurnia’s dream. | She dreamed Caesar’s statue had blood pouring from it. |
| How does Decius interpret the interpret Calpurnia’s dream? | Decius says it means Caesar will give new life to Rome. Decius claims the dream means Rome will be revived by Caesar’s blood, and everybody will want a little bit of that wonderful infusion. (Decius really means that Rome will be sustained by Caesar’s spilled blood – not his current, happily circulating blood.)To end all discussion on the topic, Decius offers Caesar the cherry on top: today the Senate is planning on crowning Caesar king, and if he doesn’t show up they might change their minds. They’ll make fun of him for being a scaredy-cat and staying home because of his wife’s dreams. Decius claims he only says these things out of love. |
| What arguments does Decius use to change Caesar’s mind about going to the Capitol? | Decius says everyone will think Caesar is a coward. To end all discussion on the topic, Decius offers Caesar the cherry on top: today the Senate is planning on crowning Caesar king, and if he doesn’t show up they might change their minds. They’ll make fun of him for being a scaredy-cat and staying home because of his wife’s dreams. Decius claims he only says these things out of love. |
| What does Artemidorus plan to do? | He plans to give Caesar a letter warning him about the danger. Artemidorius plans to pass the note to Caesar as he walks to the Capitol. He hopes the note will save Caesar’s life. |
| Why is Portia so nervous? | She suspects something is wrong, perhaps the conspiracy, and is worried about her husband. Though she hasn’t heard the murder plan directly from Brutus’s mouth, it’s clear she suspects something awful. |
| What does Portia want Lucius to do? | She wants him to check on Brutus and tell him she is fine. She tells Lucius, the servant, to run to the Capitol, then yells at him for not leaving, even though she hasn’t yet given him any instruction on what to do when he gets there.Portia is worried, but she doesn’t even know what Lucius should look for. Brutus didn’t look well when he left the house that morning, and she decides Lucius should look after her husband and see what Caesar is up to and whom he’s surrounded by. |
| What does the soothsayer tell Portia? | He doesn’t know of any plot against Caesar but he fears it could happen. He’s going to talk to Caesar. |
Julius Caesar Act 2
April 16, 2020