Julius Caesar

Background on William ShakespeareGlobe TheatreLiterary DevicesTragedyBackground on Julius Caesar

Background on William Shakespeare

Born April 23, 1564

Stratford-upon-Avon

Actor

Writer (comedies, tragedies, histories)

Owner

Poet

Stylistic Tools

Died April 23, 1616

Globe Theatre

In 1599, Shakespeare and associates built this outdoor theatre in London

2,500 seating capacity

Groundlings

Octagonal in shape and 3 stories high

Flag flew on days of plays

Other characteristics of the theatre

Literary DevicesBlank Verse

unrhymed lines all in the same meter usually in iambic pentameter

Iambic PentameterAn iamb is comprised of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable

da DUMEach line has five iamb = pentameter

AnachronismsEvents that are out of place in the time period of the pieceEx: If a play is set in Ancient Rome and a character uses a computer

Free VersePuns

Deliberate confusion of similar words or phrases for rhetorical effect

Tragedy and the Tragic Hero

Definition of tragedyprotagonist suffers a serious misfortune

Characteristics of the tragic herowill evoke both our pity and terror

he/she is usually higher than the reader in moral worth

Tragedy and the Tragic Hero

Characteristics of the tragic heroborn of noble birth

responsible for own fate

has a tragic flaw

doomed to make a serious error in judgment

meets a tragic death

realizes he/she has made an irreversible mistake

faces and accepts death with honor

falls from great heights or from high esteem

Background of Julius Caesar

Tragedy

Setting

“Real” Caesar

Key characters

Conflicts

Themes

Quotes

Epilogue

Bring literature book

Be ready to read aloud

Bring study guide and quote sheets

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!