Julius Caesar - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 9
About This Presentation
Title:

Julius Caesar

Description:

Julius Caesar Historical Context Julius Caesar The Play First produced in 1599 Marked end of Shakespeare s concern with English history Henry VI, Henry V, Richard ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:171
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 10
Provided by: Plank
Category:
Tags: caesar | julius

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Julius Caesar


1
Julius Caesar
  • Historical Context

2
Julius CaesarThe Play
  • First produced in 1599
  • Marked end of Shakespeares concern with English
    history
  • Henry VI, Henry V, Richard II, King John, etc.
  • Midpoint of Shakespeares career

3
Julius Caesar and Plutarch
  • JC marked beginning of plays based on Plutarchs
    Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans
  • Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus
  • Plutarchs Lives widely read in 16th century
  • Based on Plutarch but added to it
  • Lives of Marcus Brutus and Julius Caesar

4
The Historical Julius Caesar
  • Brilliant author
  • Composed works of history to describe victories
    in Gaul
  • Considered the finest examples of Latin prose
    ever written
  • Military genius
  • Did not command until he was 39 years old
  • Never lost a battle
  • A powerful statesman
  • Envisioned Rome as a world state, not a small
    republic
  • Romans enjoyed personal liberty and the freedom
    to pursue their own occupations

5
The Career of Julius Caesar
6
Historical Caesar, cont.
  • Believed Gaul had to be invaded
  • French see Caesar as the foundation of their
    civilization
  • Some saw Caesar differently
  • Man of cunning, abmition, and deceit,
  • Wanted to do away with Republic and constitution

7
Historical Marcus Brutus
  • Possibly a relative of Lucius Junius Brutus
  • Drove out the last king of Rome and established
    the free republic
  • Established the consulship, which placed limits
    on executive power
  • Kingship was hateful to the people of Rome
  • Once a close friend of Caesar
  • Fought on the side of Pompey against Caesar
  • Caesar spared the life of Brutus, as well as
    Cassius, and they each held the office of praetor
  • Believed that Caesar had dishonored them by
    saving their lives
  • This was the noblest Roman of them allThis was
    a man
  • Irony?
  • Brutus disguised, even to himself, his true
    motives of envy, jealousy, and ambition

8
The PlayWhos the Hero?
  • For Dante, Brutus and Cassius were traitors
    destined for eternity in Hell
  • Devoured by Satan
  • Some of Shakespeares contemporaries thought
    Caesar was a rebel threatening Rome
  • Is Brutus the Hero? Or a gullible villain? Or a
    jealous rival?
  • Or is Caesar the Hero? A good dictator?
  • Or is Caesar the villain? A power hungry and
    ruthless dictator?

9
Journal 25The Historical Caesar
  • Summarize what you learned today about the
    historical Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus
  • ½ page
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com