Julius caesar act 3 ppt

Julius Caesar:
Act 3
English 11

Caesar’s Trip to the Senate:
 Caesar’s progress toward the Capitol is
met by further warnings.
 The Soothsayer is there and Caesar tells
him that the Ides of March have come
and nothing has happened.
 The Soothsayer replies that the Ides
may have come, but they haven’t gone.

 Artemidorus tries to warn Caesar as well
 He was a Greek professor of rhetoric
(political persuasion) who had been the
teacher of many of the conspirators.
 He had picked up the details of the plan
because they had spoken loosely about
it when they were around him. He
wanted Caesar to know of the plan.

 Artemidorus might have wanted to do
this because he favored Caesar or
because of a potential reward from
Caesar.
 He passes a note with the details of the
plan to him, but Caesar puts it aside
though Artemidorus pleads with him to
read it first (instead of other documents)

 Caesar’s answer:
• “What touches us ourself should be last
served.” (III, i, 8)
 This is the quote that basically
condemns himself.

The End is Near:
 The conspirators and others have all
now crowded around Caesar.
 They have gotten this close because
they are pretending to be petitioning for
a recall of a banished Roman citizen
 Each of the conspirators can close in
under the guise of wanting to add
themselves to the petition.

The End is Near:
 Finally, Casca breaks the plan into
action with the cry:
• “Speak hands for me!” (III, i, 76)
 Everyone begins striking at Caesar with
daggers. They had agreed to equally
participate in the attack.
 Caesar tried vainly to avoid the stabs.

The End is Near:
 Caesar finally turns and faces Brutus.
 This led to the line:
• “Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar.”
 Caesar was amazed and discouraged by
the involvement of Brutus.
 Legend says that Brutus actually stabs
him “below the belt.”

The End is Near:
 The importance of this part of the scene
would be Shakespeare’s attempt to
compare the BRUTAL acts of Brutus to
the NOBLE words of Brutus.
 How can two such things exist in the
same person?
 It is part of the tragic flaw of Brutus.

The End is Near:
 Brutus tells the conspirators to smear the
blood of Caesar on their arms and
swords and race to the marketplace
chanting, “Peace! Freedom! Liberty!”
 This just adds to the appearance of the
group as BUTCHERS.
• Remember they wanted a “sacrifice” and not
a “butchering” of Caesar.

After-Effects:
 Brutus shows little remorse for the act.
 He has Caesar’s body dragged to the
foot of the statue of Pompey and
declares the body “no worthier than the
dust.”
 This is the same man Caesar forgave
and spared his life from the prison cell
earlier.

After-Effects:
 Full of panic, the Capitol quickly empties
out. Nobody’s sure the range of the
assassination plot and nobody felt very
safe.
 Publius, an old Senator unable to run
and escape, is approached by Brutus.
 Brutus tells him he is safe and that no
other Roman is a target.

After-Effects:
 He asks that he help the crowd know the
same thing so that an uncontrollable
mob does not form.
 Antony, fearing a bit for his life, had
taken off and now sends a messenger to
Brutus asking if it is safe for him to have
an audience with Brutus.

After-Effects:
 In the message, Antony appeals to
Brutus’ vanity by calling him “noble.”
 Antony realizes that Brutus probably just
wants to replace Caesar and that means
that he could continue as the 2nd in
command.
 The message, though, does not promise
submission to Brutus.

After-Effects:
 Antony asks that Brutus explain the
assassination to Antony’s satisfaction
and that it be clear that Antony had no
role in the plot.
 The praise in the message wins over
Brutus…but not Cassius who hears the
whole scene.
 Cassius is not buying Antony’s pleas.

After-Effects:
 Once again, Brutus discards good
advice from Cassius and welcomes
Antony on stage with him.
 Antony “bluffs” the need to have Brutus
kill him then if he still had it in his mind to
do so. That way he would die with the
same weapon that killed Caesar and be
honored to do so.

After-Effects:
 Brutus is taken in by the praise of
Antony, but Cassius encourages Brutus
to reel Antony in by offering to split the
loot now gained by Brutus.
 Antony makes no reply to the offer of
riches, but instead continues his flattery
of Brutus. He even shakes the bloody
hands of the conspirators.

After-Effects:
 Antony then begins to speak of the love
he had for Caesar (but he doesn’t do this
until Brutus himself mentions something
of love for Caesar).
 Cassius jumps back in and wants to
know if Antony is “with them” or “against
them.”
 Antony avoids direct comment on that.

Antony’s Moves:
 Antony wants to have an explanation of
the “crimes” of Caesar that called for
such a horrific murder.
 Brutus is still confident he can give that.
 Antony also asks to bring Caesar’s body
to this forum area so that he can speak
at the funeral service of Caesar.

Antony’s Moves:
 This seemed like a moderate request,
but Cassius pulls Brutus aside and urges
him not to let Antony speak at the
funeral.
 Cassius knows that Antony is a powerful
speaker that could be dangerous if he
gets the attention of the people.

Antony’s Moves:
 Brutus’ vanity is just too strong, though.
 He feels he MUST give Antony the stage
and he consents for Antony to speak.
 However, Brutus says that he will speak
first. This will give him a chance to
explain the murder and then Antony
could say nothing because the crowd will
have been convinced by “noble” Brutus.

Antony’s Moves:
 Brutus even places conditions on Antony
just to make sure.
• He must not blame the conspirators.
• He must speak all the good he can of Caesar.
• He must also mention that he is doing all of
this speaking with the permission of Brutus
and the conspirators.
 He was vain & stupid to think it would
work to limit Antony’s powerful speech.

Antony’s Moves:
 Later, at the end of Act 3, Scene 1,
Antony has a moment alone with
Caesar’s body and he apologizes for his
show of affection with the conspirators.
 There is also another famous
Shakespearean quote in this speech
from Antony.

Antony’s Moves:
 “And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s
voice
Cry ‘Havoc,’ and let slip the dogs of war.”
Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 270-73

Antony’s Moves:
 Ate = goddess of retribution
 Havoc = the final call in a battle after all
of the real fighting is done that signals
the “all clear” for ruthless looting and
killing
 “Caesar’s spirit” = could be his ghost or it
could be his policies (through someone
else)

Plans Being Made:
 As soon as Antony finishes speaking
near the body of Caesar, a servant of
Octavius approaches.
 News is that Octavius is coming to Rome
to claim what he can of Caesar’s
inheritance.
 Antony was not pleased to hear this.

Plans Being Made:
 Octavius would be a distraction and an
obstacle for Antony.
 Antony could make a better case for being in
charge than a sickly 19-year-old who is only
related distantly to Caesar by birth.
 Antony tries to keep him away by sending a
message that Rome is dangerous right now for
someone like Octavius.

Caesar’s Funeral:
 Act 3, Scene 2 is the funeral scene.
 It actually takes place on March 20th.
 The 5 days in-between were very busy
as the conspirators claimed the spoils of
the murder. Many had provinces
assigned to them.
 Power takes root quickly in these guys!

Caesar’s Funeral:
 Brutus begins by addressing a hostile
crowd in the forum.
 He is not very polished as a speaker and
offers the explanation that he loved
Caesar and only killed him for the good
of Rome.
 His best lines were as follows….

Caesar’s Funeral:
 “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he
was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant,
I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew
him.” (III, ii, 24-27)
 He’s almost convincing here, but then it is time
for Antony to speak to the crowd.
 He urges the crowd to listen to him and then
even hurries away as though he’s convinced
Antony’s speech will do no good.

“Friends, Romans…”
 If Caesar were ambitious, that was a bad fault
and he was punished for it.
 He praises Brutus and the other conspirators
(as one of his conditions)
 The phrase “Brutus is an honorable man” is
repeatedly said, but the irony and tone turn
against Brutus with each repetition of the
phrase. The phrase soon becomes an insult!

 Antony does not present any new
evidence or argument against the
conspirators or for Caesar, but the
manner of speech is so hypnotic, that
the crowd can’t help but be swayed to
his side.
 When Antony senses the crowd’s
approval, he calls for action.

 Antony had been busy after the
assassination. He got funds from a
campaign of Caesar’s and persuaded
Calpurnia to give him access to the
documents of Caesar.
 There he found the will for Caesar.
 He’d use the funds for bribes later, but
he’d use the will NOW!

 He shows the crowd the will but refuses
to read it. Of course, the crowd
demands that it be read.
 Antony plays the crowd into a fever pitch
by saying that reading it would wrong the
honorable men who stabbed Caesar.
 The crowd calls them traitors and
“honorable men” (again as an insult).

 This still wasn’t enough for Antony as he
directs the crowd to the body of Caesar
again.
 He points out the cuts where swords hit
the body. He calls out names for each of
the cuts.
 When he gets to a wound made by
Brutus, he hesitates a bit….

 “…Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved
him. This was the most unkindest cut of all!
(Act 3, Scene 2, 183-185)
 He whips away the cloak of Caesar (very
similar to making a cry of “Havoc”) and the
crowd is insane with rage and wants the
traitors killed.

 This was still not enough for Antony and
he calms the crowd again.
 He tells them that he is “not an orator
like Brutus” but is a “plain blunt man.
• He’s basically laughing in Brutus’ face at this
point.
• And there is still the matter of the will to be
read.

 Antony begins the will reading.
• Every Roman man gets 75 drachmas
• All gardens & orchards are for the people
• He also left the “common pleasure” of being
able to “walk abroad and recreate.”
• In other words, he leaves behind the desire
and ability to have great lives as citizens of
the greatest nation in the world.

 Antony has the crowd right where he
wants them and says:
• “Here was a Caesar! When comes such
another?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 254)
 The crowd explodes and they are ready
to destroy the conspirators.
 Antony watches them rush off and is
pleased with the “mischief” he’s started.

Mob Rules Now in Effect
 Shakespeare shows the mob at it’s
frenzied level very soon after.
 They meet a poet named Cinna (not the
one who was a conspirator) and demand
to know his name.
 When he tells them, they recognize the
name as that of a conspirator and they
kill him.

 The conspirators now realize the errors
of Brutus in not getting rid of Antony or
letting him speak.
 The name “conspirator” is now enough
reason to kill.
 Octavius’ servant reappears and tells
Antony that Brutus and Cassius have
been run out of Rome.

 Brutus and Cassius had hoped they could
retire out of Rome and then let things cool
down a bit.
 This didn’t happen as Antony was in control.
Rome was anything but “cool.”
 Brutus & Cassius retire to the eastern
provinces and are the only 2 conspirators
really dealt with in the rest of the play.

Strange Turn for Antony:
 Antony did not have everything his way.
 The day of his funeral speech was the
climax of his life and the apex of his
power.
 He ended his speech asking when
another Caesar would come and that is
answered 11 lines later with the
appearance of Octavius into Rome.

 Octavius’ appearance creates problems for
Antony:
• Caesar had named Octavius the heir in the will (that
part wasn’t read aloud by Antony).
• Caesar also made Octavius his rightful son.
• He also appropriated the funds (that Antony had
already taken) to Octavius.
• This means that Octavius would have been king if
Caesar had lived long enough to get the crown.

 Antony had seen all of that in the will but had
hoped that he had scared Octavius enough
earlier where he would not come to Rome.
 That plan did not work too well for Antony.
 The will in its entirety gets ratified by the
Senate (though Antony fought the parts
involving Octavius).
 Octavius becomes Gaius Julius Caesar
Octavius (a great name change to show kin)

 Now Octavius can call himself “Caesar”
and use the magic and power associated
with that name.
 With all that is going on, Antony knows
that he needs to get straight to the top
and he tells the servant that he wants to
be taken to Octavius for a direct
confrontation.

Julius caesar act 3 ppt

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