JULIUS CEASER : ICSE 8

ACT 1,SCENE 1

SUMMARY: Julius Ceaser is  one of the most popular tragedies of William Shakespeare. It contains   action, thrill, suspense, assassination and jaw-dropping funeral orations.

As usually, the opening scene has a powerful appeal and a strong suggestion which will be going to take place with the development of the play. In short it strikes the key note of the play.

In the opening scene Act 1, Scene 1, we are in the streets of Rome on15th February 44B.C. The streets are crowded with the Romans. They are eager to witness Ceaser, their hero and celebrate the triumph against Pompey. But,  two tribunes, Flavius and Murellus, enter a  street, along with various commoners and  order the commoners to return home and get back to work.  Besides,  Murellus makes a  lengthy inquiry about the profession of a cheeky cobbler  misunderstanding the cobbler’s light-hearted replies. The cobbler explains that he is taking a holiday from work in order to observe the  lavish parade celebrating military victory , he wants to watch Caesar’s procession through the city, which will include the captives won in a recent battle against  Pompey.

After it, Murellus scolds the cobbler and blamed them for their ungratefulness to Pompey and tell them to seek forgiveness to God for their ingratitude. Hearing this, the crowd being ashamed and left the place  and the two tribunes remove the decorations of celebration to prevent Ceaser from becoming dictator.

1. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?
   What tributaries follow him to Rome,  To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels?        You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!                                                          O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey?

Who speaks this line to whom? What type of rejoicing is referred to in the play? What is the conquest referred to in the extract?

2. MARULLUS : May we do so?
   You know it is the feast of Lupercal.

           FLAVIUS : It is no matter; let no images
            Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,
            And drive away the vulgar from the streets:
            So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
           These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing
           Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
           Who else would soar above the view of men
           And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

What was Marullus supposed to do? What is the feast of the Lupercal? How the feast normally celebrated? What is meant by ‘trophies’? Why does Flavius say that no images should be hung with Ceaser’s trophies? Who are the ‘vulgar’? Why should   they be driven away?

3. Which person do the tribunes talk to in Act 1, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar?
4. Whom does Julius Caesar replace as ruler in Julius Caesar?
5. What service does a cobbler provide?
6. Why are the tribunes Flavius and Marullus so upset at the opening of the play?
7. What holiday are the Roman masses celebrating at the time of Caesar's return?
8. What is cause of Caesar's parade?
9. Why does Murellus chide commoners?
10. What can be regulated ,if Creaser’s support can be regulated?