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Question
Julius Caesar and Antony reveal something about their character in their words and actions. We also learn about them from what other people say. Can you pick out the words that describe them from the box given below? Also, pick out lines from the play to illustrate your choice.
| superstitious arrogant loyal clever overconfident manipulative good orator ambitious brave great conqueror generous fearless loves flattery firm shrewd crafty |
| Person | Extract from play | What it tells us about the character |
|
Julius Caesar
|
1. the things that threaten'd me Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished. |
1. arrogant |
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ||
| 4. | ||
| 5. | ||
| 6. | ||
|
Mark Antony
|
1. | 1. Loyal |
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ||
| 4. | ||
| 5. | ||
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Solution
| Person | Extract from play | What it tells us about the character |
|
Julius Caesar
|
1. the things that threaten'd me Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished. |
1. arrogant |
| 2. Cowards die many a times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. | 2. brave | |
| 3. What can be avoided Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods? | 3. fearless | |
| 4. Shall Caesar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afraid to tell graybeards the truth? | 4. Great conqueror | |
| 5. ….from you great Rome shall suck Reviving blood, and that great men shall press For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance. | 5. loves flattery | |
| 6. Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause Will he be satisfied. | 6. overconfident | |
|
Mark Antony
|
1. Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death, To see thy thy Anthony making his peace, Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes | 1. Loyal |
| 2. I know not, gentlemen, what you intend, Who else must be let blood, who else is rank: If I myself, there is no hour so fit | 2. fearless | |
| 3. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. | 3. shrewd | |
| 4. My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me. | 4. manipulative | |
| 5. I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honourable men. | 5. crafty | |
|
6. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood |
6. oratory |
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RELATED QUESTIONS
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Now let it work. Mischief thou art afoot.
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"The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it."
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Caesar shall forth; the things that threaten'd me
Ne'er look'd on my back; when they shall see
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(b) What are the 'things' that threaten him ?
(c) What does the word 'vanished' mean ?
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Answer the following question by ticking the correct options.
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Answer the following question briefly.
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Answer the following question briefly.
What prediction does Antony make regarding the future events in Rome?
Answer the following question briefly.
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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:
| CAESAR Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard. It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come. |
a) Choose the option that is relevant to [A] Assertion and [R] Reason.
[A] A brave person dies only once.
[R] A brave person faces any difficult situation or challenges.
- Both [A] and [R] are true and [R] is the correct explanation of [A].
- Both [A] and [R] are true and [R] is not the correct explanation of [A].
- [A] is true but [R] is faise.
- [A] is false but [R] is true.
b) The strangest thing that Caesar ponders is why ______.
- cowardly people die again and again
- brave people die only once
- men are afraid of death
- death is inevitable
c) What fears has the listener expressed?
d) What is the basis for the fears expressed?
e) Why has death been called a ‘necessary’ end?
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 extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do it by our permission;
……. ……. ……. …….
(a) Identify the speaker.
(b) Who is being granted permission?
(c) What is the speaker afraid of?
(d) What opinion do you form of the speaker?
