Julius Caesar Act 1 Scene 2
Julius Caesar
Act I Scene 2
MCQs:
1. (a) 2. (c) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (a ) 6. (c) 7. (a) 8. (b) 9.(c) 10. (d) 11. (b) 12. (a) 13. (b) 14. (d) 15. (b) 16. (c) 17. (b) 18. (a) 19. (c) 20. (b) 21. (c)
Contextual Questions
Extract 1
Ans 1: The scene takes place at a public place in Rome. The characters have gone there to celebrate the feast of Lupercal.
Ans 2: ‘The Holy Chase’ refers to a race in which young men ran through the city touching spectators with leather straps. Antony was assigned to take the ‘Holy Chase’. It was believed that barren women, who were touched by the runners during the race, would be cured of infertility.
Ans 3: Caesar asks Calpurnia to stand directly in Antony’s path so that he could touch her and cure her of her infertility. It reveals Caesar’s superstitious nature.
Ans 4:
(a) Cure the curse of infertility
(b) Whatever Caesar says must be done
Ans 5: Antony is Caesar’s nephew and a close friend. The extract shows the affection between the both of them. Caesar trusts Antony and asks him to touch Calpurnia during the race. Antony shows his loyalty by replying that whatever Caesar says must be done.
Extract 2
Ans 1: It is warning given by a soothsayer to Caesar. He warned Caesar of an impending danger to him on 15th of March (Ides of March). It is significant as it foreshadows the assassination of Caesar. It shows that events are predetermined by fate.
Ans 2: Caesar asks him to step out from the crowd. He calls him a ‘dreamer’ and walks off. This shows his arrogance and disregard for the warning from a common man.
Ans 3: The soothsayer wanted to prevent a tragedy and the bloodshed that would occur because of it. The theme of Sense of Fate is presented through the soothsayer’s warning and Caesar’s denial of it.
Ans 4: Caesar wanted the soothsayer to look at him to check if he had the powers to foresee the future. Caesar called him a dreamer who need not be taken seriously.
Ans 5: Later in the play Calpurnia dreams of strange things and warns Caesar that some trouble is approaching. Artemidorus, a well-wisher of Caesar, presents a letter to Caesar warning him of the conspiracy. Caesar doesn’t listen to Calpurnia and doesn’t read the letter either.
Extract 3
Ans 1: Brutus and Cassius are at a public place in Rome. Cassius observed Brutus had been exhibiting unfriendly cold behaviour towards Cassius.
Ans 2: Brutus doesn’t go along with Caesar because he is troubled by conflicting emotions regarding the Roman state. He compares himself with Antony saying he (Brutus) is not interested in sports nor does he have active energy like Antony.
Ans 3: Cassius accuses Brutus of being cold and unfriendly towards Cassius. Brutus replies that his mind has been occupied with his own conflicting emotions so he forgets to show affection towards others.
Ans 4:
(a) You are like a rider who is unfamiliar (strange) with his horse but is strict (stubborn) in handling it.
(b) I am troubled lately with conflicting emotions.
Ans 5: The motive of Cassius was to gain the support of Brutus in the plot to assassinate Caesar because Brutus is highly respected and honoured in Rome. It reveals that Cassius is a clever manipulator who is practical in nature.
Extract 4
Ans 1: Brutus and Cassius are at a public place in Rome at a distance from Caesar’s group. They separated from Caesar’s group to discuss some matters. The crowd, that came to see the race, is shouting.
Ans 2: Brutus believed that the crowd had crowned Caesar the king. The real reason for the shouting was that Caesar had refused the crown.
Ans 3: Brutus was afraid that Caesar might become king because of the shouting of the crowd. He did not want Caesar to become the king because he thought that Caesar would become a tyrant once he became the king.
Ans 4: The emotions undergone by Brutus are his love for Caesar and his duty to Rome.
Ans 5: Cassius is a clever manipulator. He incites Brutus under the excuse of honour, and freedom - especially freedom from Caesar. In order to convince Brutus, Cassius shows that Caesar is a weak and vulnerable human being. Furthermore, Brutus is reminded how his ancestor defended the freedom of Rome by driving away Tarquin kings.
Extract 5
Ans 1: Aeneas was the founder of Rome. He was a brave soldier. The incident referred to here is when Troy was captured, Aeneas escaped from the burning city of Troy carrying his father, Anchises, on his back
Ans 2: Cassius compares himself with Aeneas because like Aeneas saved Anchises, Cassius saved Caesar from drowning in the river Tiber.
Ans 3: “This man” is Julius Caesar. The grudge that Cassius holds against Caesar is that Caesar was very powerful even though Caesar did not have all the abilities and talents of Cassius.
Ans 4: The three aspects in which Cassius states that he is equal to Caesar are:
- He was born as free a man as Caesar.
- The food that he ate was as good as the food that Caesar ate.
- He could bear the cold of winter as well as Caesar could bear it.
Ans 5: This incident refers to the time when Caesar challenged Cassius to swim across the flooding river Tiber. While Cassius was able to swim across Caesar could not make it across the river and was going to drown. Cassius had to help Caesar to get across. In the absence of help from Cassius Caesar would have drowned.
Ans 1: According to classical mythology, Zeus was determined to destroy the world because of the sins of men. He saved only one couple — Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, because of their devotion. This expression is used in the text to convey that never in the history of Rome has one man dominated so much as Caesar was dominating.
Ans 2: It refers to Caesar. He is called so because he is so powerful that it appears he is the only man in Rome.
Ans 3: According to Cassius their names sound the same. He says that if one uses their names to call (conjure) spirits, one name is as good as the other (a) to raise devils; and (b) to rouse men of courage.
Ans 4: This Brutus is a reference to Junius Brutus who was responsible for expelling the Tarquins from Rome in 510 B.C. The Brutus in the play is claimed to have descended from him. He would have preferred to be ruled by a devil rather than being ruled by a king.
Ans 5: When Brutus heard the shouting of the people, he said that he was afraid that the people were going to make Caesar their king. This reaction from Brutus gives Cassius an opportunity to question him directly. As a result, Brutus openly states his opposition to Caesar being crowned king. This incident shows that Cassius was a shrewd manipulator.
Extract 7
Ans 1: Caesar is speaking of Cassius. Two traits of Cassius are
(i) He is a great observer
(ii) He judges of motives of men in their action.
Ans 2: Yes, Caesar has judged the character of Cassius correctly. It is proved when Cassius observed Brutus’ reaction to the sound of crowds cheering and manipulated Brutus to join in his plot of assassinating Caesar.
Ans 3: Caesar said that he prefers men that are fat and sleep soundly at night. The man referred to in the extract is Cassius. He is different as he has a lean and hungry look and thinks too much.
Ans 4: Caesar's personal weakness was that he was deaf in left ear. The contrast is that although Caesar himself has a physical weakness, still he is dismissive of weaknesses in other man e.g. Cassius has a lean and hungry look and he could be fatter.
Ans 5: Two examples of Caesar's physical weakness are:
- Caesar nearly drowned in the river Tiber
- Caesar has epilepsy and is prone to seizures