Julius Caesar !

Julius Caesar !

1. ACT 1

   • SCENE 1: SERIES OF EVENTS
     • Commoners are celebrating in the streets for Caesar's return.
       • Murellus and Flavius (Members of the Aristocracy) question the plebs about not working and are met with riddling replies by a witty cobbler
         • Murellus then asks them the reason for their rejoicing and if they were not supporters of Pompey before (who was not an enemy but a fellow senator Like Caesar.)
           • Flavius then forces them to go back to their jobs and also to ask for forgiveness for being disloyal to Pompey.
             • Flavius convinces Murellus to disrobe all of Caesars statues and images that have been put up in his honour.
   • SCENE 1 : ANAYSIS
     • Importance of this SCENE: This scene is the INTRODUCTION to the play. The social structure is seen; there is the Noble and the Commoners NO MIDDLE CLASS.
     • THE ATTITUDES OF THE NOBLE MEN TOWARD CAESAR
       • Trouble is brewing among the noble; as Flavius and Murellus , senators, are jealous are of Caesar and are against Caesar's impending rise to royalty. This is seen when Murellus asks the commoners: "Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home." This shows that he is jealous as he asks the commoners why they are rejoicing,which shows his disregard for Caesars "victory". Naturally one would think i fellow patriot would share in the joy of winning a battle for their country
         • Their resentment for Caesars political advancement is also seen when Flavius says"These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's will make him fly an ordinary pitch." This meant that if the commoners stopped supporting Caesar he would be a normal nobleman just like them.
           • Ultimately, Flavius and Murellus proceed to take down the images and adornments on Caesar's statue ,even though it is the feast of Luprecal.This shows that these noblemen were so resentful of Caesar that they went against a sacred Festival in Honour of one of their gods because if their own hatred for Caesar's power.
     • THE FICKLENESS AND DISLOYALTY OF THE COMMONERS ARE SEEN
       • They rejoice for Caesars victory over Pompey who was a senator they once supported and "Loved"
         • This is seen when Murellus says "Knew you not Pompey?.....And when you saw his chariot but appear Have you not made an universal shout?"
     • THE DISRESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMONERS AND NOBLE
       • The disrespectful relationships between these two groups is established as they both refer to each other using disrespectful names
         • Example: Flavius refers to the commoners as" Idle creatures, you worse than senseless things , you blocks ,you stones."
           • The commoners disrespect to the noble men is seen when the cobbler answers Flavius in an insolent tone saying he is out in the streets in an attempt to get more work by wearing out the shoes of thee other commoners