Quotes For Analysis Notes Julius Caesar Overview Use as Evidence Significance Point/Topic is the focus of the metaphor question crowd=feathers The reader history is clear Flavius: on the fact-- that The thick crowd are “growing Caesar is They disperse the crowd and “…let no images/Be feathers” or adding to the wings of assassinated. remove banners and signs hung with Caesar’s Caesar and the height to which Shakespeare makes use of this honoring Caesar. trophies. I’ll Caesar can soar. foreknowledge of the about/And drive audience to promote away the vulgar metaphor a sense of urgency Flavius and Marullus from the streets./ Caesar=bird / wing=army and fate that Caesar will be slain. Rather want to limit the power So do you too, Question: than being a hunting of Caesar. where you perceive Caesar is compared to a bird. Why do the characters talk of bird, or perhaps even them thick./ These Consider him like an eagle or a a god, he will be limiting the power of Caesar? growing feathers falcon that flies high and hunts reduced to a more How does that foreshadow the plucked from other prey below. normal state--that of action in the play? Explain how an average bird, or of Caesar’s wing/ Will a mortal man--one the mentioning of this in the make him fly an He makes others below afraid, like who can, and must, introduction focuses the reader ordinary pitch,/ a falcon hunting pigeons or other die. His death will be Who else would birds. on one of its main themes. the freedom from soar above the fear and from being only servants. The view of men/ And Foreshadowing Answer (this is your Topic or theme of power and keep us all in Caesar-limiting his power Point): its limits is expressed servile fearfulness” in these actions, and (Julius Caesar Effect of foreshadowing and Shakespeare expresses well that 1.1.67-74). metaphor: power must have The effect of these lines and these limits, though literary elements is to make eager seeking to control the audience’s appetite for the that power does have its assassination of Caesar, and to consequences. create in the audience an anticipation of the violence.
Julius Caesar Overview Point/Topic is the focus of the question They disperse the crowd and remove banners and signs honoring Caesar. Question: Why do the characters talk of limiting the power of Caesar? How does that foreshadow the action in the play? Explain how the mentioning of this in the introduction focuses the reader on one of its main themes. Answer (this is your Topic or Point): Flavius and Marullus want to limit the power of Caesar. Quotes Use as Evidence Flavius: “…let no images/Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about/And drive away the vulgar from the streets./ So do you too, where you perceive them thick./ These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing/ Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,/ Who else would soar above the view of men/ And keep us all in servile fearfulness” (Julius Caesar 1.1.67-74). For Analysis metaphor crowd=feathers The thick crowd are “growing feathers” or adding to the wings of Caesar and the height to which Caesar can soar. metaphor Caesar=bird / wing=army Caesar is compared to a bird. Consider him like an eagle or a falcon that flies high and hunts other prey below. He makes others below afraid, like a falcon hunting pigeons or other birds. Foreshadowing Caesar-limiting his power Effect of foreshadowing and metaphor: The effect of these lines and these literary elements is to make eager the audience’s appetite for the assassination of Caesar, and to create in the audience an anticipation of the violence. Notes Significance The reader history is clear on the fact-- that Caesar is assassinated. Shakespeare makes use of this foreknowledge of the audience to promote a sense of urgency and fate that Caesar will be slain. Rather than being a hunting bird, or perhaps even a god, he will be reduced to a more normal state--that of an average bird, or of a mortal man--one who can, and must, die. His death will be the freedom from fear and from being only servants. The theme of power and its limits is expressed in these actions, and Shakespeare expresses well that power must have limits, though seeking to control that power does have its consequences.