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Unit 5: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

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The play, Julius Caesar, is a fictionalized accounts of the real character and life of Julius Caesar, Rome's first Caesar.  Julius Caesar did rise to power in the Roman Empire, he did become the soul ruler, and he was assassinated.  Shakespeare uses these events as the plot, but he uses his artistic license to create memorable characters and themes.

Julius Caesar: A Tragedy

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        A tragedy is when the hero and protagonist suffers disaster and downfall due to a tragic flaw in their character: Hubris.
There are two kinds of pride: a good kind and a bad kind.  Hubris is the bad kind. 

Is Caesar a Tragic Hero?

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Aristotle: "A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall."

So what or who is a tragic hero?

In drama, the tragic hero is a man of noble stature or maintains a high place in society. He is not an ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause or principle.

  1. His downfall is usually due to excessive pride (hubris)
  2. He is doomed from the start, he bears no responsibility for possessing his flaw, but bears responsibility for his actions.
  3. He has discovered fate by his own actions, and not by things happening to him
  4. He is usually a king, a leader of men - his fate affects the welfare of a whole nation or number of people. Peasants do not inspire pity and fear as great men do. The sudden fall from greatness to nothing provides a sense of contrast.
  5. The suffering of the hero must not be senseless: it must have meaning!
  6. (Optional) The hero of classical tragedies is almost all male: one rare exception is Cleopatra, from Antony and Cleopatra

Julius Caesar Pre-Reading Questions

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  1. What qualities should good leaders have? Make a list of legitimate Leadership qualities.
  2. What could affect a person’s ability to lead?
  3. What affect does the following have on a person’s ability to lead?
  4. Domestic Relationships
  5. Physical Condition
  6. Athletic Ability
  7. Gender
  8. What is a Tyrant?
  9. What are the characteristics of a Tyrant?
    1. Make a list:
  10. What are the qualities of a true friend?
    1. Make a list:
  11. What is Loyalty?
  12. What are things that a person should be loyal to?
  13. How far would you go to stop a friend from harming your country?
  14. How far would you got to get revenge on someone for destroying your friend?
  15. Is there anything for which you would betray your friend?
  16. To what extent can we control the future?
  17. How superstitious are you? Do you have luck rituals that you perform before certain occasions?

Major Themes:  Is Julius Caesar just another High School Movie Plot?

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Fate versus Free Will
Leadership
Public Self versus Private Self
Tyranny
Loyalty to Friends
Loyalty to your Country
Inflexibility versus Compromise
Revenge
Betrayal

Project: I Julius Caesar just another High School Plot?

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Julius Caesar Adaptation Short Story
 
After watching the three examples, come up with a plot that loosely follows the plot of Julius Caesar. 
 
Your short story will need the following:
-Tragic Hero:
  • The protagonist must have one flaw that brings about his/her own downfall.
  • They must be somebody important
-Betrayal: One character must struggle with whether or not (s)he should betray or remain loyal. 
-Ends in Physical or Social suicide
-Your own setting:
  • Time period:
  • Location:
-Characters:
  • Should you give them modern names?
  • Should you change their gender or ages?
-Story:
  • 1-2 pages typed
  • properly punctuated dialogue
  • Short paragraph before the story explaining the concept of your adaptation.


Julius Caesar Audio

Full Video

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Photos used under Creative Commons from Michiel2005, Michal Osmenda, break.things