Background for Julius Caesar
Shakespeare’s play begins after Julius Caesar is already in power. Yet in order to understand the motives and beliefs of the characters, you need to delve into the historical background of the place and time. How did Caesar come to power? Who supported him and who did not? What kind of a man was Caesar? What kind of a man was Brutus? The answers to all of these questions will bring a new depth to Shakespeare's masterpiece.
Your task is to research the background history for this specific time and place. Use the internet links below to help you answer the questions about Caesar, Brutus, and Caesars’ rise to power. Please be as thorough and complete in your answers as possible.
Links:
Biography of Caius Julius Caesar
http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/section/Caesar-J_RisetoPower.asp
Biography of Marcus Junius Brutus
http://heraklia.fws1.com/contemporaries/brutus/index.html
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/First-Triumvirate
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/empire1a.html
Questions:
1. How did Julius Caesar gain both power and popularity in
2. What was the First Triumvirate? Who was a part of it?
3. What became of the First Triumvirate and how did this lead to Caesar’s acquisition of power?
3. Describe the history between Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus? How did they know each other and what was the nature of their relationship?
4. What were some of the problems Brutus had with Caesar’s leadership? Give some reasons as to why he would not have supported what he thought was Caesar’s outlook for the Republic.