(Q.)What Are the Arguments Put Forward by Decius Brutus to Convince Caesar to Go to the Capital?

JULIUS CAESAR

(Q.)What are the arguments put forward by Decius Brutus to convince Caesar to go to the capital?

(Ans)To convince Caesar to go to the Capital Decius Brutus tells him that the people would think of him as a coward because he hadeasily been convinced to stay at home by his wife because of her strange dream. He also told Caesar that the peopleare willing to offer him the crown but they might change their minds if he stays back. He thus tempted Caesar to go to the Capital.

(Q.)What is the petition put before Caesar by the conspirators? How does Caesar respond to it? Do the conspirators achieve their purpose?

(Ans)The conspirators put forward a petition to recall PubliusCimber. This is put forth by MetallusCimber. Caesar refuses and asserts that he would not change the laws. He declared that heis as constant as the North Star. The conspirators wanted to surround Caesar under the pretext of appealing for PubliusCimber’s case. They were successful and Casca stabbed Caesar first.

(Q.)Character sketch of Julius Caesar.

(Ans)Caesar is worried about Calpurnia’s dream but shows he is fearless. He is ambitious to have the crown and is prone to flattery. So he is won over by Decius. As a private person he is courteous and offers wine to the conspirators. Later in the scene, Caesar makes exaggerated statements regarding his superiority to other men. He feels he is not an ordinary man and thus he would not be moved by ‘lowly courtesies’. He boasts of being ‘as constant as the North Star’. So he arrogantly refuses to alter his decisions.

(Q.)Character Sketch of Calpurnia.

(Ans)Calpurnia is a loving wife. She is frightenedabout Caesar’s safety and is concerned about his life. She foresees dangerto Caesar’s life and cries out in her sleep that Caesar is being murdered. She urges Caesar not to venture forth that morning even if it were by telling lies and risking his high reputation. She is anxious and frightened and interprets the signs and her dream as prophetic of her husband’s death. She is dejected that he does not pay heedtoher warning.

(Q.)Character sketch of Decius Brutus.

(Ans)Decius is intellectually alert and confident of what he says. He uses Calpurnia’s dream and turns it to his own advantage. He flatters Caesar when he hints that senators are likely to offer Caesar the crown. He appeals to Caesar’s ambition to be king. Finally, he asserts that if Caesar did not go, he would be seen as a hen-pecked husband. Caesar is convinced and decides to go to the Senate House.

(Q.)Character sketch of Marcus Brutus.

(Ans)Brutus is noble and patriotic. He is an idealist and in this role he commits mistakes in the play. His error of judgment is the main cause of his failure. In spite of Cassius’s warnings, he permits Antony to speak. He is straightforward in his approach. He speaks to the mob as if they were senators. Brutus’ prose speech is orderly, rational and logical. He appeals to the citizen’s civic pride but Antony works upon the mob and turn them against Brutus.

(Q.)Character sketch of Antony.

(Ans)Antony was a dear friend of Caesar and Cassius was justified in being wary of him. He was a great orator and a shrewd contriver. He cleverly masks his hostility beneath the sorrow of Caesar’s death. Headdressesthe citizens as friends and creates the feeling that he and the crowd were all friends. He uses reasons, emotions, rhetoric to provoke the mob. He panders to their greed that the conspirators are forced to flee.

(Q.)Character sketch of the mob.

(Ans)The mob is fickle without any notions at all. They are incapable of rational thought when the crowd cheers ‘Let him be Caesar’, Brutus should have realised that they are momentarily swayed. Brutus fails because he appeals to their mind. Antony succeeds as he appeals to their heart. He also appeals to their greed by referring to Caesar’s Will and insinuates that Brutus and Cassius would cheat them out of their inheritances. In this way the mob is stirred into rebellion.

(Q.)What are the conditions imposed by the conspirators before allowing Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral?

(Ans)The conditions imposed by the conspirators before allowing Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral were that he would speak on the same pulpit as Brutus and speak after Brutus had spoken. Antony was not to blame the conspirators in any way. He would only praise Caesar. He was also to mention that he was speaking with the permission of the conspirators.

(Q.)What did Calpurnia dream about Caesar?

(Ans)Calpurnia was disturbed and thrice called out for help as she saw Caesar being murdered in her dream. She had dreams of Caesar’s statue with a hundred spouts and blood coming out of these like a fountain. Many Romans came and ‘bathed’their hands in Caesar’s blood. They were smiling and she interpreted it as prophetic of her husband’s death.

(Q.)What unnatural scenes and sights had been reportedly seen that stormy night?

(Ans)Supernatural elements remind the audience that Caesar’s assassination was more than just an individual’s murder. The watchman saw that a lioness had given birth to her cubson the streets. The dead rose from their graves and walked about. Warriors fought upon the clouds in ‘ranks and squadrons’. Their blood fell upon the Capital. Horses started neighing and dying men groaned. Horses and dying men could perceive supernatural beings according to a belief in Shakespeare’s time. Horrible noises made by ghosts and evil spirits could be heard on the street.

(Q.)Why does Calpurnia tell Caesar not to stir out of the house?

(Ans)Calpurnia has seen many unnatural things happen. Her own "inner self" haswarned her that something horribleis going to take place. She has a dream in which she sees Caesar's statue pouring forth blood and Romans dipping their hands into it, so she advises Caesar to remain indoors

(Q.)What was the purpose of Antony’s speech?

(Ans)The purpose of Antony’s speech was to make the citizens realise that Caesar was not ambitious. He brought many glories to Rome. He wished to emphasise Caesar’s greatness and establish the conspirator’s jealousy. His aim was to rouse the sentiments of the Roman people.