NOTE: Sorry for the delay--I meant to post this on Tuesday but somehow never did! But you still have plenty of time to read and respond!
Answer TWO of the following:
Q1: In Caesar's famous death scene, he suddenly turns to Brutus and utters the famous words, "et tu, Brute?" (And thou, Brutus?). This is the only Latin in the play and stands out, almost jarringly so. Why do you think Shakespeare does this? Doesn't it break the suspension of disbelief for the audience, since all the characters are supposed to be speaking Latin all along? Why do you think Shakespeare found this effect irresistible?
Q2: In his famous speech in 3.2, Antony protests that "I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,/Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech/To stir men's blood" (131). Does Antony persuade the crowd because he is more a "man of the people," who speaks a common, emotional language? Or is there another reason his speech proves so persuasive?
Q3: Related somewhat to the above, why does Antony decide to go against Brutus and stir up the people against him? What is his 'end game' in rousing them to a bloody frenzy? Is he tragically ignorant of the consequences of his actions? Or is he even more manipulative than Cassius?
Q4: How does Brutus began acting and/or speaking more like Caesar in Acts 3 and 4? Why might he do this? Does anyone notice his change of character?
Q5: Where do our loyalties lie by Act 4 of the play? Are we supposed to sympathize with the slain Caesar now, and his surrogate, Antony? Or are we firmly in the camp of Brutus and Cassius? Or no one at all? How does Shakespeare artfully manipulate--or alienate--our sympathies?
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