ACT 3 SCENE 1
Question 1.
Caesar(To the Soothsayer) The ides of March
are come.
SoothsayerAy, Caesar; but not gone.
Artemidorus Hail, Caesar! read this schedule
Decius-Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read, At your best leisure, this his humble suit.
(i)
Where does this
conversation take place? Why did Caesar tell the Soothsayer: "The ide of
March are come?" When had he met the soothsayer before?
Ans. This conversation takes place in a street
on the way to the Capitol where Caesar wa going to meet the senators. The
Soothsayer had earlier warned Caesar of this day whe Caesar was going to attend
the Holy race on the day of the celebrations of the festival Lupercal. Caesar
scornfully says that the Ides of March had come but no danger ha threatened
Caesar as prophesised by the soothsayer earlier. Caesar had met the soothsay
earlier on the day of the Lupercal Festival celebrations.
(ii) Who is Artemidorus? Whom does he
represent in the play? What is the importance of "schedule"?
Ans. Artemidorous is a teacher of
rhetoric. He represents the common people in the play. In h schedule, he warns
Caesar of the conspiracy and asks him to beware of his friends as the mean harm
to him. He warns Caesar not to feel secure when surrounded by his trust friends
and in other words is warning Caesar of the conspiracy.
(iii) Why does Artemidorus request
Caesar to read his "schedule" first? With reference to previous
scene, show how 'Artemidorus' fears are justified.
Ans. Artemidorous requests Caesar to
read his schedule first as it concerned Caesar personal Artemidorous prepares
his suit to warn Caesar of the conspiracy. And in the scene earli the
conspirators had gathered in Brutus' house and planned that they would kill
Caes in the Capitol when he came to meet the senators. Hence, Artemidorus'
fears were justifie Later in the play, Caesar is assassinated by the
conspirators.
(iv) Mention the two reasons given by
Caesar for not reading the schedule handed over
Artemidorus. Which trait of his
personality is revealed by his act?
Ans. Caesar said that petitions that
concerned him personally would be considered last an Artemidorous was
presenting his petition in the street which was improper as he was his way to
meet the senators in the Capitol. This reveals Caesar's arrogance as he does n
want to read the "schedule" of a common man and gives more importance
to his meeti with the senators. Caesar's wisdom is consumed by his arrogance
and over confiden He is arrogant and overconfident in this scene.
(v) Name two people in the scene who
are trying to warn Caesar. Name two other peop who defeat their efforts to do
so. Which theme of the play is highlighted here? Explain briefly.
Ans. The Soothsayer and Artemidorous
were trying to warn Caesar. Decius and Publi defeated their efforts to do so.
The theme of betrayal is highlighted here and also t theme of power and
arrogance due to which the common people were not giv importance. Decius and
Publius represented the conspirators who betrayed Caesar an wanted him to
disregard the warnings of the soothsayer and Artemidorus wh represented the
commoners and hence the senators used their power to silence them.
Question 2.
Cassius
Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be know,
(i)
Where does this
conversation take place? Why did Caesar tell the Soothsayer: "The ides of
March are come?" When had he met the soothsayer before?
Ans. This conversation takes place in
a street on the way to the Capitol where Caesar was going to meet the senators.
The Soothsayer had earlier warned Caesar of this day when Caesar was going to
attend the Holy race on the day of the celebrations of the festival of
Lupercal. Caesar scornfully says that the Ides of March had come but no danger
had threatened Caesar as prophesised by the soothsayer earlier. Caesar had met
the soothsayer earlier on the day of the Lupercal Festival celebrations
(ii) Who is Artemidorus? Whom does he
represent in the play? What is the importance of his "schedule"?
Ans. Artemidorous is a teacher of
rhetoric. He represents the common people in the play. In his schedule, he
warns Caesar of the conspiracy and asks him to beware of his friends as they
mean harm to him. He warns Caesar not to feel secure when surrounded by his
trusted friends and in other words is warning Caesar of the conspiracy.
(iii) Why does Artemidorus request
Caesar to read his "schedule" first? With reference to a
previous scene, show how 'Artemidorus'
fears are justified.
Ans. Artemidorous requests Caesar to read his
schedule first as it concerned Caesar personally. Artemidorous prepares his
suit to warn Caesar of the conspiracy. And in the scene earlier the
conspirators had gathered in Brutus' house and planned that they would kill
Caesar in the Capitol when he came to meet the senators. Hence, Artemidorus'
fears were justified. Later in the play, Caesar is assassinated by the
conspirators.
(iv) Mention the two reasons given by
Caesar for not reading the schedule handed over by
Artemidorus. Which trait of his personality is revealed by his act?
Ans. Caesar said that petitions that concerned him personally would be considered last and Artemidorous was presenting his petition in the street which was improper as he was on his way to meet the senators in the Capitol. This reveals Caesar's arrogance as he does not want to read the "schedule" of a common man and gives more importance to his meeting with the senators. Caesar's wisdom is consumed by his arrogance and over confidence. He is arrogant and overconfident in this scene.
(v) Name two people in the scene who
are trying to warn Caesar. Name two other people who defeat their efforts to do
so. Which theme of the play is highlighted here? Explain it briefly.
Ans, The Soothsayer and Artemidorous
were trying to warn Caesar. Decius and Publius defeated their efforts to do so.
The theme of betrayal is highlighted here and also the theme of power and
arrogance due to which the common people were not given importance. Decius and
Publius represented the conspirators who betrayed Caesar and wanted him to
disregard the warnings of the soothsayer and Artemidorus who represented the
commoners and hence the senators used their power to silence them.
Question 3.
Caesar
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality There
is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks,
They are all fire and every one doth shine;
(ii)
What is meant by
the "Fates"? State in your own words what the Fates were responsible
for. According to the extract, what do men know and what do they fear?
Ans.
Fates are the goddesses of destiny. The fates were responsible for the
conspiracy and the death of Caesar. Men know for certain that they will die but
they do not know when they will die. That is what they fear.
(iii)
(iii) What
positive note does Casca strike in the death of Caesar? What does Brutus feel
about it?
Ans. Casca says that they have helped
Caesar by taking of twenty years of his life, years which he would have spent
fearing death. Hence, they are friends of Caesar as they have shortened his
time of fearing death. Brutus says that they will soon know what the fates have
decided for them. He says that all know that they will die one day. It's just a
matter of when. Men try to control that by prolonging the time they have left
to live as long as possible.
(iv)
After the
extract, what does Brutus ask the Romans to do? In what way does this seem to
be a fulfillment of Calphurnia's dream?
Ans. Brutus asks the Romans to bathe
their hands and swords with the blood of Caesar A
similar thing happened in Calpurnia's
dream in which she saw Romans bathing their hands in the blood spouting from
Caesar's statue. Hence, her dream was fulfilled.
(v) State briefly the role played by the
assassination of Caesar in the story-line of Julius Caesar.
Ans. The assassination of Caesar forms
the crux and climax of the play. In the story line of Julius Caesar, all the
incidents till now have been centred on Julius Caesar as the main protagonist.
After the assassination of Caesar, the play shifts it's emphasis to Brutus and
his tragedy.
Question 5.
Cassius
Stoop then, and wash. How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,
In states unborn and accents yet unknown.
Brutus
How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
That now on Pompey's basis lies along.
No worthier than the dust. Cassius So oft as
that shall be,
So often shall the knot of us be call'd The
men that gave their country liberty.
Decius What, shall we forth? CassiusAy, every
man away.
Brutus Shall' lead, and we will grace his
heelsWith the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. (Enter a Servant)Brutus
Soft, who comes here?
6) When Cassius says "Stoop then,
and wash", to whom is he speaking? What exactly does he mean? Who had just
suggested washing?
Ans. Cassius says these words to the
assassins of Caesar. He tells the others to wash their hands upto their elbow
in order to turn the assassination into a ritual. Brutus had suggested this
washing
(ii) Explain the meaning of 'states
unborn', 'accents' and 'Pompey's basis'.
Ans. The term "States
unborn" refers to the states that are not founded yet. The word
"accents"
means languages. "Pompey's
basis" is a reference to the base of the statue of Pompey.
(ii) What does Brutus want to express
when he says "how many times shall Caesar bleed in sport? Ans. Brutus
considers the assassination of Caesar as a historical event which would be
repeatedly enacted on stage showing that Brutus and his men were the heroes who
liberated Rome of the tyranny of Caesar who was then lying dead beneath
Pompey's statue as worthless as dust.
(v)
What does Cassius
believe "the knot of us" will be called and why?
Ans. Cassius thinks that this noble scene
would be enacted many times in the coming ages and people would call the
conspirators as reformers or purgerers. It was Casca who first stabbed Caesar
and was followed by all the conspirators and lastly by Brutus.
(v) The entry of the servant of Mark Antony
may be said to mark the turning point of the
whole play. Narrate, very briefly, in
what way this is so.
Ans. The climax of the play takes place in
this scene. All the previous scenes led to the assassination of Caesar. The
entry of Antony's servant is the hinge of the play as he announces the counter
stroke, the reaction against the main action of the play. Antony, kept
deliberately in the background
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