JULIUS CAESARAct III

Literary Elements Stage Direction- the manner in which the author arranges the players on

the stage Inverted Word Order-author flips the usual conversational order of words

for emphasis Example: “you know not what you do”

Simile- comparison using “like” or “as” Prose- in Shakespeare, the speech of commoners Irony- an unexpected outcome Mob mentality- when a group acts in a manner in which an individual

normally would not act

Props- physical objects on the stage which enhance the plot of the play

Comic Relief- a break in the emotional tension of the play

Act III is the climax of the play…

The Act opens on the Ides of March with Caesar and the senators at the Capitol. Artemidorus and the Soothsayer still hope to warn Caesar, but he simply will not listen.

Soon…The conspiracy moves into action. Trebonius

pulls Marc Antony aside. Metellus Cimber pleads his suit with Caesar. Brutus moves in with support. Caesar remains unmoved.

As fate has it…As each member of the conspiracy gets

close enough to strike, Caesar remains unaware of his fate. Casca strikes first; Brutus strikes last. “Et tu Brute?”– and you also, Brutus? are Caesar’s final words.

Chaos aboundsThe general public is confused and fears for

their safety. Brutus tells the conspirators to bathe their hands in Caesar’s blood and declare that “tyranny is dead!” Antony sends a servant to see if he can safely speak with the conspirators.

The funeral…Antony shakes hands with each of the

conspirators and makes two requests. He wants to know why they killed Caesar, and he wants to bring Caesar’s body to the Forum for a funeral.

Brutus is in charge…

Brutus agrees to the funeral with the following rules: Brutus will speak first. Antony will speak second and will tell the crowd he is speaking with the conspiracy’s permission. He will speak only good of the conspirators.

First BrutusBrutus speaks in prose and explains that

the assassination was only for the good of Rome. He says that he loved Caesar, but he loved Rome more.

Next, AntonyAntony took the pulpit after Brutus. He

cleverly followed the rules while managing to stir the crowd in favor of Caesar. He happens to mention the will of Caesar, and the crowd goes wild.

Revenge?Antony plays the crowd perfectly. He

mentions that Caesar left them all 75 drachmas and public recreation lands for their enjoyment. By the end of the scene, they are ready to take down the conspiracy. Meanwhile, Octavius Caesar has arrived in Rome.

At the end of Act III…Shakespeare adds a scene of comic relief to

break the tension in the play. The city is in chaos. Cinna, the poet, is mistaken for Cinna, the conspirator, and he is attacked for “his bad verses.” Order must be restored.