Julius Caesar Act II Notes

Julius Caesar Act II Notes


Act II
 Vocabulary
 Adder (16)
 The common venomous viper
 Augmented (30)
 Made one half step greater than major or perfect
 Whet (61)
 To make sharper or stronger
 Interim (64)
 Period of time between events
 Phantasma (65)
 Hallucinations or nightmare
 Insurrection (69)
 Violent attempt to take control of a government
 Affability (82)
 Friendly, easy to talk to
 Erebus (84)
 Place of darkness on the way to Hades
 Interpose (98)
 To place between two or more things or people
 Palter (125)
 Act insincerely or deceitfully
 Cautelous (128)
 Crafty, deceitful
 Carrions (129)
 Flesh of dead animals
 Portents (80.2)
 Sign or warning that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen
 Manipulation
 Letters believed to be from Roman citizens to Brutus
 Written by Cassius
 Persuade Brutus to help redress Rome
• “O Rome, I make thee promise, if the redress will follow, thou receivest thy full petition at the hand of Brutus.” (56-58)
 Flattery
• “No man here but honors you… wish you had that opinion of yourself which every noble Roman bears of you.” (90-93)
• “Your statue spouting blood…dream is signified.” (85.2-90.2)
• Decius appeals to Caesar’s idealized image
 Metellus plans to use Cicero as a scapegoat if it goes wrong
 “It will be said his judgment ruled our hands.” (146)
 Brutus against this
 Guilt trip
 “If it be no more, Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife.” (285-286)
• Tries to make Brutus feel guilty for not opening up to her
 “If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper ‘Lo, Caesar is afraid’?” (100.2-101.2)
• Displays Caesar’s despised image
 Superstitions
 Calpurnia dreams of Caesar’s death
 When a royal dies, the heavens tremble
 “When beggars die there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” (30.2-31.2)
• Caesar → royalty → comets mean Caesar is in danger → death
 Omen → Gods would not take sacrifice to dismiss...

Similar Essays