Julius Caesar entry 1)
The play Julius Caesar,
written by William Shakespeare, begins with two tribunes named Flavius and
Murellus are walking through the city and happen to see many citizens wandering
around and not working. They soon discover that the reason the people are
wandering around rather than working is because they all wish to see Julius
Caesar’s parade through the streets after his latest victory over the sons of
the deceased Roman general Pompey, who is a rival of Caesar’s. Upon hearing
this from one citizen Murellus becomes angered by the citizens not wanting to
return to work. Next the two men begin to down-play Caesar’s victory by making
it sound like it really isn’t anything that special. “What conquest brings he
home? What tributaries follow him to Rome? To grace in captive bonds his
chariot wheels?” (scene 1 act 1 lines 31-33). My first question is why do you
think that Flavius and Murellus are trying to make it sound like Caesar’s
victory really isn’t that great? Why would they not agree with the cobbler and
want to join in the celebration? Also why do you think that Flavius and
Murellus are so angry with everyone wanting to see Julius Caesar? Next Flavius
instructs Murellus to go to a temple and remove any crowns that people have
placed on statues of Ceasar saying, “these growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s
wing will make him fly an ordinary pitch” (1.1.71-72). So are they basically saying
that they should show the people that Caesar is not someone special or someone
that should be looked up to? Why are they so against Caesar and his
accomplishments? They may not like the guy, but it sounds like the people do
and it sounds like he has done pretty well for Rome. Do you think that the
people like Caesar so much because they only see the great things he has done
and do not really know the kind of person that he is and it is only the people
close to Caesar or higher up in status that know who he is? Or do you think
that Flavius and Murellus are just very jealous of the attention that Caesar is
getting from these people?
Julius Caesar Entry 2:
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question, Flavius and Marullus want act like Caesar`s victory is no big deal because they want him gone. They dislike him so much politically that they would kill him. The Senators do not like Caesar because the liked Pompey, his rival, that is why the senators who plan to kill him are at Pompey`s porch (1.3.126). Why specifically do you think that Cassius and Casca want to kill Caesar? Is it for the same reason that all the other senators want to? When Cassius is conspiring with Casca he says, “My answer must be made. But I am armed,/ And dangers are to me indifferent.” (1.3.114-115). To me it sounds like Cassius will stop at nothing to get Caesar killed, why do you think he would risk his own death to murder him? Is it only because Julius Caesar is viewed as a tyrant? Is killing Caesar worth getting himself killed in the process? “I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs of Caesar`s images, are put to silence” (1.2.284-286). Why do you think that Marullus and Flavius were killed? Was it really because they took the crowns off of Caesar? Or was it because they did not like Caesar and he did not want anyone that opposed him to have any political influence? Do you think this is why they conspire to kill Caesar? How do you think the senators will convince Brutus to kill Caesar with them? Will they tell him about Marullus and Flavius? Do you think that Mark Antony will become a problem later in the book? He did crown Julius Caesar during the Parade, or at least tried to three times. Who else do you think will be on Julius Caesar`s side? How would Mark Antony try and help prevent it?
Julius Caesar (entry 3)
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question I believe that you are correct in saying that the only reason that all these senators hate Caesar so much that they would/will kill him. As for the reason as to why Cassius and Casca (and the other senators) want him dead is because they dislike him and think that Caesar thinks to highly of himself and they believe he is far too weak to be a good ruler. We can clearly see how Cassius feels about Caesar after he delivers fake letters to the home of Brutus who believes that these letters came from actual people and have actual complaints against Caesar. Brutus then compares Caesar to a snake before then coming to the conclusion that he must be killed (2.1.33-34). Soon after a group of conspirators show up at Brutus’ home and plan how they will kill Caesar saying that they should also kill Anthony, however Brutus refuses to kill Anthony because he believes that it will make this plan too bloody. Do you agree with Brutus or the other conspirators? Or do you not agree with any of them and think that they should just let Caesar become the ruler of Rome? Which leads me to my next question being why do you think the people love Caesar so much, is it because they are unaware of his flaws and only see the good parts about him? Or do you think that they know about these flaws, understand what they mean and love him anyways? These conspirators believe that killing Caesar is a noble thing and that it is necessary for Rome’s survival, do you agree or do you think that it is a little too much? It also seems like every other “main” character is against Caesar, and all we have heard about so far is what others think of Caesar and how terrible they think that he is, why do you think that is? Why are we not hearing more from Caesar and his point of view? Do you believe that this was intentionally done by Shakespeare or just a coincidence? Also why do all of Shakespeare plays consist of a group of people plotting against another person or group of people?
Julius Caesar Entry 4:
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your first question, I do not know yet so far through the first half of the book they have just killed Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony ran off very surprised. My answer would be this, if Mark Antony ends up getting all of the Senators killed because he witness the murder of Caesar then they should have killed him, but if Mark Antony is like Brutus said, “And for Mark Antony, think not of him;/ For he can do no more than Caesar`s arm/ When Caesar`s head is off” (2.1.181-183) then it is good that they did not harm him. I think that the reason the people of Rome love Caesar is because he is winning them wars and making it seem like he does not want the power, and the Senate can see right through that. I do not think all of the main characters want to kill Caesar, I think we have only seen the sides of the conspirators so far and that more of Mark Antony and Artemidorus not that Caesar has been killed. What do you think will happen now that they have killed Caesar? Will Mark Antony strike back and get revenge for Caesar`s death? Or will Brutus be right and he will be nothing now that Caesar is killed? How do you think Artemidorus learned of the plan and tried to warn Caesar? What will he do now? I find it very interesting how Calpurnia’s dreams and the stormy weather both appear right before Caesar is killed, did you see this coming soon because of it? How do you think that Calpurnia will react to Caesar`s death, will she kill herself because it is a tragedy and this always happens with Shakespeare? Or will she do something to get back at the Senators?
Julius Caesar (entry 5)
ReplyDeleteTo start off I believe that Mark Anthony is much smarter than he looks and will not do anything to anger the unified senators, I believe that Mark is aware of what the senators could do to him and instead he will “work” with them and do as they say. And this theory is confirmed by Anthony when he sends a message to Brutus after the killing that he had loved Caesar, but is now willing to serve Brutus if they will not harm him. Once Anthony joins the other conspirators they all declare that they only did this because they loved Caesar and the Roman people. My next question to you is do you think that they ever cared about Caesar at all if they were so ready to kill him? Could they not have just consoled Caesar and asked him to change his mind set or to basically just be a better person? In what way do these actions taken by these men show that they loved or even cared for Julius Caesar? To me it looks like and sounds like they just didn’t want Caesar to rule and instead of finding another way to work with or around him they all though killing him would be the best option. It is interesting/coincidental like you mentioned that Caesar’s wife had these dreams that depicted exactly what would happen to Caesar, even the part about the blood! “He was my friend, faithful and just to me. But Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is and honorable man” (3.2.82-84). If he was faithful and just to you then why not treat him the same way? And what is so wrong about being ambitious? I am not sure yet how Caesar’s warning came to be or how Artemidorus was able to almost warn Caesar. I think that now Caesar’s wife’s dream will come to be complete in that the conspirators will walk the streets and show everyone what they have done and they will believe that it is justified. How do you think the people will or should react? Especially after hearing that one of if not their favorite person has just been killed by his “friends”?
Julius Caesar Entry 6:
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your first question, of course they did not like Caesar, he was a tyrant. They did it to free the people. You have to remember that this is the same Caesar that killed two Senators just for taking the scarfs off of his stature during his parade. They could not have just talked to him saying that he was wrong, they would be risking their lives. I do not think that there was any other way to get Caesar out of power besides killing him, so the Senate Conspirators did what they had to in order to protect liberty. Do you think what they did was the right thing to do? I do not know what Artemidorus will do next, but I do not think he has to do anything, Mark Antony has already basically solved the problem of getting revenge for Caesar, the mobs kill anyone that could be related to the murder even if they were not, “It is no matter, his name’s Cinna/ pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him/ going”. (3.3.33-35). What do you think that Mark Antony will do next? Is he just going to wait out for all the citizens to kill the conspirators or does he have something else in mind? What do you think Artemidorus will do now that the conspirators are being killed? How did he find out who was trying to kill Caesar in the first place? Who will have the power of the Roman Empire now? Do you think that Mark Antony is killing all the Senators so that he will rule Rome by himself? What do you think of the will? I think that Mark Antony faked it in order to persuade the people that Caesar was wonderful and a blessing, just to get the conspirators killed so that he can have all of the power, what do you think?
Julius Caesar (entry 7)
ReplyDeleteI understand what you are saying and I realize that Caesar was not a very nice guy, however some of these conspirators said that they were doing this because they loved Caesar (or at least that is what Brutus had said). Also throughout the story another main thing these guys had against Caesar was how weak he was, so how hard would it have been to just talk to him if they all banned together. I mean it was that simple for them to kill him. I wouldn’t say that it was 100 percent the right thing to do, but you bring up a good point in remembering that Caesar was a pretty bad guy so it might not have been the wrong thing to do either. What do you think? Right or wrong? You are however 100 percent correct in thinking that Mark Anthony faked his allegiance to Brutus and the others to gain their trust just so that he could have the mob kill them all, because again Anthony’s loyalty is to Caesar. Next the book actually tells us that Brutus and the others flee Rome while Anthony and Octavius chase after them with an army. So as of next there will be a battle. Octavius says, “Now, Anthony, our prayers have been answered…and upper regions.” (5.1.1-3). As far as where the power goes to I believe that it will fall into the hands of Mark Anthony and or Octavius Caesar. Now what do you think will happen to Brutus and the other conspirators? Will they lose the battle and all be killed off? Will they be captured and not killed? Do you think that they should be killed for what they have done? Also what is with the Roman people being so easily swayed one way and then the other? One minute they cheer for Caesar, the next they believe he was evil and now they wish to avenge his death? What do you think that this says about where their loyalties lie?
Julius Caesar Entry 6:
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your first question, of course they did not like Caesar, he was a tyrant. They did it to free the people. You have to remember that this is the same Caesar that killed two Senators just for taking the scarfs off of his stature during his parade. They could not have just talked to him saying that he was wrong, they would be risking their lives. I do not think that there was any other way to get Caesar out of power besides killing him, so the Senate Conspirators did what they had to in order to protect liberty. Do you think what they did was the right thing to do? I do not know what Artemidorus will do next, but I do not think he has to do anything, Mark Antony has already basically solved the problem of getting revenge for Caesar, the mobs kill anyone that could be related to the murder even if they were not, “It is no matter, his name’s Cinna/ pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him/ going”. (3.3.33-35). What do you think that Mark Antony will do next? Is he just going to wait out for all the citizens to kill the conspirators or does he have something else in mind? What do you think Artemidorus will do now that the conspirators are being killed? How did he find out who was trying to kill Caesar in the first place? Who will have the power of the Roman Empire now? Do you think that Mark Antony is killing all the Senators so that he will rule Rome by himself? What do you think of the will? I think that Mark Antony faked it in order to persuade the people that Caesar was wonderful and a blessing, just to get the conspirators killed so that he can have all of the power, what do you think?
Fascinating focus on the flux of power--what did you folks think about the three-way division at the end? Might that accomplish more or less liberty than they had before? You've raised a lot of MOWAW-worthy questions (especially about how the people keep being swayed one way or another)...feel free to keep angling at answers, too. Nick, is there a fourth entry from you? I see your third posted twice. Thanks.
ReplyDelete