Background: For centuries, Romans debated and even fought civil wars while trying to decide whether a monarchy, a republic or a dictatorship was the best form of government. Until 509 B.C., Rome was a monarchy, but, in that year, the Brutus family evicted Trarquinius Superbus from the throne and Rome was established as a republic.
By 100 B.C., Rome was a moderate democracy in form; in actual practice, the Senate was ruling Rome. In 60 B.C., a triumvirate (a 3-man rule) of Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey was formed to govern Rome.
In 58 B.C., Caesar was made governor of part of Gaul, and at the age of 44 began his military career. During the next ten years, he proceeded to conquer all of Gaul.
After Crassus was killed in battle, trouble began to develop between Pompey and Caesar. Pompey, jealous of Caesar’s popularity, persuaded the Senate to order Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome, but Caesar invaded Rome and made himself absolute ruled of Rome. Meanwhile, Pompey fled to Greece. Caesar defeated Pompey’s army and Pompey fled to Egypt where he was later murdered.
Three years after Caesar defeated Pompey’s army, Caesar defeated Pompey’s two sons. By now, Caesar had been made dictator for life. Thus, as Shakespeare begins his play with Caesar returning in victory from Spain, Caesar was the undisputed leader of master of the entire Roman world.
Hero: “Julius Caesar,” portrays the conspiracy against the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar, his assassination and its aftermath. Just as "Romeo and Juliet" was a tragedy, so is "Julius Caesar." Romeo and Juliet were the title characters and heroes of the play, Julius Caesar is not the hero; he appears in only three scenes and dies at the beginning of the Third Act.
The hero in this play is Marcus Brutus, a noble man who truly believes his actions are for the good of his country. Brutus dominates much of the play. The central psychological drama is his struggle between the conflicting demands of honor, patriotism, and friendship.
Setting: The setting is Rome, Italy. There were two classes of people in Rome -- rich or poor. The rich were called Patricians and the poor were called Plebeians.
Politics: Julius Caesar is a political play, and political issues are the root of the tragic conflict in the play. It is a play about a general who would be king, but who, because of his own pride and ambition, meets an untimely death. Shakespeare seems to be saying that good government must be based on morality. In this respect the play has relevance to the politics of the modern world.
The play reflected the general anxiety of England due to worries over succession of leadership. At the time of its creation and first performance, Queen Elizabeth, a strong ruler, was elderly and had refused to name a successor, leading to worries that a civil war similar to that of Rome’s might break out after her death.
It contains many elements from the Elizabethan period, making it anachronistic. The characters mention objects such as hats, doublets (large, heavy jackets), and clocks - none of which existed in ancient Rome. Caesar is mentioned to be wearing an Elizabethan doublet instead of a Roman toga.
Focus: This play focuses on those men who were responsible for the assassination of Caesar and their ill-fated attempt to control Rome.
Timeline: Shakespeare compresses the actual historical time of 3 years into a period of 6 days.
Day 1: Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2. – Caesar’s Triumph and the Lupercalia being placed on the same day.
Oct. 45 B. C. – 44 B.C. Caesar’s triumph for his victory at Munda, Spain.
IntervalFeb. 15 Festival of the Lupercalia
Day 2: Act 1 Scene 2 – nighttime
March 14: Interval of 1 month during which Caesar prepares for an expedition into Illyricum and Parthia
Day 3: Acts 2 and 3
March 15 43 B.C. Assassination of Caesar. Interval of more thatn 7 months. Brutus is in Macedonia and Cassius is in Syria.
IntervalOctober 43 B.C. A 3-day conference of the Triumvirate at Bononia
Day 4 Act 4 Scene 1
Interval
42 B.C. Interval of about 3 months. Cicero and others are put to death.
Day 5 Act 4 Scenes 2 and 3
Interval
Day 6 Act 5. The two engagements at Phillipi being described as one.
January Interval of about 9 months
October Battle of Philippie – The second engagement, 20 days after the first.
"Julius Caesar" opens in 44 B.C. with Caesar, a general and ruler of the Roman Republic, celebrating a great military victory. The citizens are impressed by his success in battle and supportive of his power as dictator of Rome. Many Roman leaders, however, are troubled by his growing ambition and power, and although Caesar thinks them loyal to him, they begin to plot his assassination. Brutus, Cassius, and the conspirators eventually murder Caesar on the Senate floor. Mark Antony, who remains devoted to Caesar, vows to seek revenge for the slain leader and eventually defeats the conspirators' armies, prompting both Cassius and Brutus to commit suicide at the battle of Philippi.
