Julius Caesar

What role do omens and prophecies play in Julius Caesar? What is the consequence of ignoring them?

Hubris, or excessive pride, is a tragic flaw exhibited by dramatic heroes dating back to antiquity. Caesar is proud to the point of arrogance and negligence. To what extent is pride responsible for his downfall?

In Act 3, Scene 2, the plebeians are presented with Brutus’s argument in defense of assassinating Caesar, followed by Mark Antony’s impassioned funerary oration. What makes Mark Antony’s speech so much more effective than Brutus’s? Why does the crowd side with Mark Antony?

Brutus and Mark Antony are not the only characters to use the power of rhetoric to persuade an audience. In what other instances do characters use speech or writing persuasively? Are they successful?

While Cassius and Brutus are the leaders of the conspiracy against Caesar, their goal of assassinating him would have been impossible without the aid of other senators. What role do the other senators play in the plot against Caesar’s life?

In classical drama dating back to the Greek playwrights such as Sophocles and Euripides, tragic heroes demonstrated a fatal flaw that undermined the greatness of their character, also known as hamartia. If Brutus can be regarded as the tragic hero of Julius Caesar, what is his tragic flaw? How does it lead to his death?

While the focus of the play is on powerful Roman men, Portia and Calpurnia feature in the few domestic scenes Shakespeare depicts. What role do women play in Julius Caesar? 

Though the action of the play focuses on Rome’s upper-class, plebeians feature as important minor characters in many scenes. What is the role of the underclasses in Julius Caesar? How do they help drive the plot and motivate the main characters?