Julius Caesar Exam #1

Things to know and review:

• Character names and main personality traits
• Knowledge of the plot of the play (we will not be asking picky "gotcha" questions)
• Study the quotes in the Quote Hunt. 
• Know and be able to apply the literary terms in the Background Notes.

Julius Caesar: Act 2, Scene 1

Today, we started reading Act 2. Click here to see the text.

Major plot points:

• It is early in the morning on March 15, "the ides of March."
• Brutus is alone on stage, wondering out loud whether he should go ahead and go through with the assassination of Julius Caesar. He eventually decides that it is the right thing to do - for Rome's sake.
• Cassius and the conspirators come to visit Brutus. 
• The conspirators make specific plans about the assassination.
• They decide to meet at JC's house at 8am, and they will escort him to the Senate house, where they plan to go through with the assassination. 

Julius Caesar: Act 1, Scene 3

We read Act 1, scene 3 today. Click here to access the No Fear Shakespeare for this scene.

Major points to remember:

• There is a giant storm with thunder and lightning.
• The conspirators see many strange sights, and they think these strange things are a sign that a great evil is coming. They think this great evil = Julius Caesar.
• Cassius' evil plan (from scene 2) is continued; he assigns a fellow conspirator to deliver all the letters to places where Brutus will find them. 

Julius Caesar: Act 1, Scene 2

Today, we read Act 1, Scene 2. Click here to read the text and the No Fear Shakespeare for this scene.

Things to remember:

• Julius Caesar (JC) directs Antony to touch Calpurnia during the race at the festival of Lupercal. They believe in this superstition that says that any woman touched during the race will be able to bare children. (Understandably, JC wants an heir.)
• During the festival, a Soothsayer (kind of like a fortuneteller) comes up and warns JC: "Beware the ides of March." JC doesn't listen to him.
• Cassius and Brutus go off on their own and have a private conversation. Cassius uses this time to try to turn Brutus against JC. Cassius talks a lot of trash about JC. He is somewhat successful, but Brutus isn't ready to completely turn against JC yet.
• Separately, JC and Antony have their own conversation. JC talks a lot of trash about Cassius: "he has a lean and hungry look..."
• Casca says that JC was offered the crown three times, but he refused it three times. JC wants the power, but he wants it to appear as though Rome is still a democracy.
• Cassius hatches an evil plan: He will leave letters for Brutus in several different styles of handwriting, so they look like they were written by different people. These letters will trash JC and build up Brutus.

Julius Caesar: Act 1, Scene 1

Today, we read Act 1, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar.

Click here to go to the No Fear Shakespeare for this scene.

Big moments to remember:

• The commoners are partying to celebrate Julius Caesar's triumphant return to Rome.
• Two cops (think: elected sheriffs) roll up and put a stop to the party.
• They ask the commoners why they aren't at work, and then scold them for their lack of loyalty to Pompey, who Julius Caesar just defeated.
• The cops break up the party and take down the decorations from the party, hoping that doing so will deflate Julius Caesar's ego a little bit.

Julius Caesar: Act 1

Today, we started reading The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.

No Fear Shakespeare - Julius Caesar This link will take you to the online version of No Fear Shakespeare for this text. Choose a scene from the list and you'll see the simplified text.

Click here to download a copy of Quote Hunt #1. This was also given to you during class today (on goldenrod/orange paper).

Julius Caesar: Background Notes and Terms

Here is the slideshow of background notes we went through today for Julius Caesar.

Click here to download a copy of the student handout for these notes.

Vocabulary Unit 6 Notes and Julius Caesar Anticipatory Set

Today, we took notes for the next unit of vocabulary. The date for this quiz will be May 4, 2018.

Click here to access all the documents for this unit of vocabulary.

Here are the notes:




DAILY GRADE
We also completed an anticipatory activity for Julius Caesar today. It's another one of those things where you read a statement, then agree or disagree with it. If you were absent today, see me for a copy of this assignment. Two written paragraphs are part of this assignment.

Humument

Here is my example of a humument. As with all poetry, this piece does express a personal opinion of mine.

EOC Review for Nonfiction (Eddy Zhong: School Makes Kids Less Intelligent)

Click here to see the video of the speech we discussed today in class.