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प्रश्न
Many popular and powerful leaders have been assassinated in the past and in recent times. Can you name some of them?
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उत्तर
Possible reason for Assassination
Mahatma Gandhi
- Systematic brainwashing by the people who are staunch racists. As in the case of Gandhiji, hardcore Hindus were against him thinking him to be responsible for creating Pakistan, a separate country.
Indira Gandhi
- Resistance against authority
- Arranging the military attack on Harmandir Sahib during Operation Blue Star.
Abraham Lincoln
- Opposition to his legacy – abolition of slavery in the United States.
- feeling of insecurity among supporters of slavery.
Martin Luther King Jr.
- Political motives, i.e. enemies seeking revenge .
- Deep-seated racial prejudice and jealousy
Rajiv Gandhi
- Feeling of insecurity among LTTE leaders.
- To prevent him from coming to power and disarm LTTE.
- Security lapses
- Rajiv Gandhi was warned about the possibility of an attack and a threat to his life.
- Meeting with LTTE delegation, made Rajiv complacent about his security.
(students may form groups and discuss the above points in detail.)
In my opinion, assassination is not the end to a problem. One must try to sort out the matter by the means of discussion and looking at the problem with a different outlook.
Points for discussion in the context of present and past assassinations
If we look at history, we will find the instances of a large number of politicians assassinated under different circumstances. These are ‘targeted killings’ undertaken for various reasons ranging from political and ideological differences, to attract media attention, etc. Earlier, there was a high demand to kill rulers who impose their rules on the population. In a country like India with many ethnicities and religions and differentTnte’rests, it is very difficult for a ruler or leader to satisfy their preferences and is more likely to attract attacks.
Sometimes an assassination aims at creating chaos, irrespective of the leaders policies. The dominant position of the American President Kennedy, made him an attractive target.
These political murders can be avoided by minimising political oppression.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
"They that have done this deed are honorable: What private grief’s they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it"……………….
(a) Who is the speaker?
(b) What deed have 'they' done?
(c) What does the word, 'grief’s' mean?
Why does Brutus kill Caesar?
What did Caesar leave for the Romans in his will?
Read the extract given below and answer briefly the questions that follow:
"The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it."
(a) Who is the speaker? Who are 'you'?
(b) How did Caesar pay for being ambitious?
(c) What argument did the speaker give to show that Brutus was wrong in his judgement of Caesar?
How does Decius Brutus persuade Caesar to accompany him to the senate house?
How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia I am ashamed. I did yield to them.
Give me my robe, for I will go.
(a) Why was Calpurnia afraid?
(b) Where did Caesar decide to go?
(c) What does the word 'yield' mean?
Why did Caesar's will infuriate the Romans ?
Consult a dictionary and find out the difference between
(a) killing
(b) an assassination.
Select the option that correctly displays the offer that Cassius makes to Antony after Caesar’s assassination.
Answer the following question briefly.
What does Calpurnia dream about Caesar? How does Decius Brutus interpret the dream?
Answer the following question briefly
Why is Decius more successful than Calpurnia in persuading Caesar?
Answer the following question briefly
What is the petition put before Caesar by the conspirators? How does Caesar respond to it?
Answer the following question briefly
Who says "Et tu Brute"? When are these words spoken? Why?
Answer the following question briefly.
Whom does Antony call 'the choice and master spirits of this age"? Why?
Answer the following question briefly.
How do Brutus and Cassius respond to Antony’s speech?
Answer the following question briefly.
Why does Cassius object to allowing Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral? How does Brutus overcome this objection?
In the play 'Julius Caesar', we meet the Roman mob. We find that as Brutus and Antony speak, the mob displays certain qualities and characteristics.
Given below are some characteristics of the mob. Complete the table by quoting the lines wherein these are revealed.
| Words/ actions of the mob | Characteristics |
| 1. | Foolish |
| 2. | Does not understand the ideals of democracy |
| 3. | Emotional |
| 4. | Greedy |
| 5. | Fickle |
| 6. | Violent |
Antony employs a number of devices to produce the desired effect on the mob. These devices maybe described as rhetorical devices. He first speaks in such a manner that it seems to the mob that he is in full agreement with Brutus about Caesar. Then step by step he moves away from Brutus' position, depicting Brutus as a villain and Caesar as a wronged man. Copy and complete the following table by showing how Antony builds the argument in Caesar's favour.
| Antony's words | Argument |
| 1. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. | Does not wish to eulogise Caesar |
| 2. The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it. | Seemingly agrees with Brutus |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
| But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar; I found it in his closet, 'tis his will: Let but the commons hear this testament-- Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read-- And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds |
a) select the option that appropriately fills the blank.
parchment: ______: will: testament
- dry land
- front area
- pulp
- paper
b) Antony says he doesn’t mean to read the will because ______.
- he feels it is confidential.
- he finds the contents inappropriate.
- the Romans will grieve for Caesar’s death.
- the Romans will kiss Caesar.
c) What are the contents of Caesar’s will that he is referring to?
d) Why does the speaker read Caesar’s will to the citizens?
e) Identify the option that this the technique used by Antony in the given extract.
- reverse psychology
- rhetoric
- dramatic contrast
- persuasion
f) Choose the option that lists the emotion of the citizens after listening to the ‘will’.
- aggressive
- nervous
- enraged
- berserk
- powerful
Read the given excerpt and answer the questions briefly.
|
ANTONY: If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. |
- How does Antony use visual imagery to make his point about the assassination of Caesar? (1)
- What is the significance of the mantle that Antony refers to in his speech? (1)
- Identify the tone of Antony's statement when he says, "If you have tears, prepare to shed them now". (1)
- What does Antony's reference to the Nervii suggest about Caesar's military prowess? (1)
