Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

BRUTUS - The name of Cassius honours this corruption And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. CASSIUS - Chastisement. BRUTUS - Remember, ..... the..... of .....', remember.

1. What do the words in the blanks signify? What does Brutus' statement, 'Did not great Julius Caesar bleed for justice sake' given after this extract refer to? (Understanding & Analysis)
2. What does Brutus remind Cassius of? (Recalling)
3. How does Brutus connect the act of murdering Caesar to corruption? (Understanding)
4. How is Brutus wrong in his assessment? Was Brutus being fair to Cassius? Give reasons for your answer. (Analysis & Evaluation)
5. What change of behaviour do you see in Brutus? (Understanding & Analysis)

Answer 1

1. The missing words are ‘Ides of March’. They signify the day on which Julius Caesar was assassinated. By saying, ‘Did not great Julius Caesar bleed for justice sake’, Brutus reminds Cassius that Caesar was killed in the name of justice and not for personal gain.
2. Brutus reminds Cassius of the Ides of March and of the reason for which they killed Caesar. He wants Cassius to remember that their act was supposed to be for the freedom and welfare of Rome.
3. Brutus connects Caesar’s murder with corruption by saying that if they killed Caesar for justice but now accept bribes and sell offices for money, their action becomes meaningless and dishonourable.
4. Brutus is partly wrong because he judges Cassius very harshly and assumes the worst about him. He is not entirely fair, as Cassius had also shown loyalty to their cause. Brutus’ anger makes him less balanced in his judgement.
5. Brutus, who is usually calm and self-controlled, becomes angry, severe and accusing in this scene. His grief, pressure and frustration make him behave more harshly than usual.