JULIUS CAESAR: ACT 1, SCENE 1

Questions to Consider:

1) Where does this scene take place?

2) What about the carpenter upsets Marullus?

3) What is Flavius’s attitude to the common laborers?

4) In lines 32-52, how does Marullus insult the commoners?

5) In lines 32-52 (according to Marullus), what did the commoners once think about Pompey?

6) In lines 32-52, how do the commoners now treat Caesar? What does Marullus think that they should do
instead? Why?

7) What does Flavius suggest they do?

8) Explain the significance of the bird analogy at the end of the scene.

JULIUS CAESAR: ACT 1, SCENE 2

Questions to Consider (lines 1-178):

1) What is Antony about to participate in? How does Antony feel about Caesar, based on the interaction
between the two at the start of the scene?

2) What warning is given to Caesar? By whom? How does Caesar react to the warning?

3) What change does Cassius see in Brutus? How does Brutus explain this change?

4) What is Cassius trying to accomplish with when he tells Brutus that it is a shame that Brutus has no
“mirrors [that] will turn [his] hidden worthiness into his eye”?

5) How does Brutus feel about the possibility of Caesar becoming “king”?

6) What evidence in lines 79-89 suggests that Brutus has a “good” conscience?

7) On page 1104, Cassius tells two stories to Brutus about Caesar. What are these two stories? What do
these stories illustrate about Caesar?

8) On what point does Cassius compare Caesar and Brutus (lines 142-146)? What point is Cassius trying to
make to Brutus?

9) How does Brutus react to what Cassius has just said to him?

10) What does Brutus mean by “Brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of Rome”?
 JULIUS CAESAR: ACT 1, SCENE 2

Questions to Consider (lines 179-315):

1) What reasons does Caesar list to Antony about why he distrusts Cassius?

2) When Brutus asks Casca about what transpired that afternoon, what does he say Caesar did when the
crown was offered to him?

3) Who offered Caesar the crown? How many times did he refuse it?

4) Why would Caesar refuse the crown so many times? What is he trying to accomplish with that action?

5) How did the crowd react to Caesar’s refusals? What happened to Caesar after the refused the crown for
the last time?

6) According to Casca (in lines 259-269), what does Caesar threaten to do? Why do the people forgive
him? How does Casca feel about Caesar?

7) What happens to Marullus and Flavius? What does that show you about how Caesar intends to rule?

8) When Casca leaves, Brutus and Cassius discuss his personality. How does Brutus feel about Casca?
How does Cassius?

9) In lines 301-315, what does Cassius reveal? Why would he not want Brutus to hear the thoughts he
expresses in these lines?

JULIUS CAESAR: ACT 1, SCENE 3

Questions to Consider:

1) Why is Casca “breathless” and bewildered at the start of Act 1, Scene 3?

2) What does Casca say is the reason for the “sway of the earth” (hint: examine lines 11-13)

3) What four “portentous things” does Casca tell Cicero about in lines 15-32?

4) What is Cicero’s reaction to Casca’s news?

5) When Cassius comes on scene, he brags to Casca about something. What does he brag about and why
might he do this? What is Casca’s reaction to what he has said?

6) Cassius insists that heaven has sent all of these unnatural acts to warn the Romans of an evil condition
that they should correct. What “condition” might he be referencing?

7) Based on lines 80-84, how does Cassius feel about most of the Romans living in the city?
 JULIUS CAESAR: ACT 1, SCENE 3

Questions to Consider (continued):

8) What news does Casca tell Cassius (about Caesar)? How does Cassius react (what does he say he is
going to do?)?

9) What reason does Cassius give as why Caesar is so strong (hint: examine lines 103-111)?

10) In lines 111-114, Cassius questions if Casca is a “submissive slave” to Caesar. How does Casca respond
(line 118-120)?

11) Cassius tells Casca that he has a bunch of “noble-minded Romans” waiting for him at the entrance to the
theater that Pompey built. What must all these people have in common? Why is it significant that they
are meeting a place that Pompey built?

12) Cinna, another one of the conspirators, comes on scene to tell Cassius that the secret group is waiting for
him. What instruction does Cassius give to Cinna (involving Brutus)?

13) Why does Cassius desire Brutus’s involvement in his plan to overthrow Caesar?