Class 9 - Julius Caesar Act II Scene 2
Julius Caesar
Act II Scene 2
Multiple Choice Questions
1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (a) 4. (d)
5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (a) 8. (c)
9. (c) 10. (a) 11. (c) 12. (b)
13. (c) 14. (d) 15. (b) 16. (c)
17. (a) 18. (a) 19. (d) 20. (a)
Contextual Questions
Extract 1
Ans 1: This scene takes place in Brutus’ orchard in his house in Rome. Lucius is his servant. He has been asked to light a candle and bring it to Brutus in his study.
Ans 2: Brutus is in a confused and thoughtful mood. 'It' refers to Rome. The death of Julius Caesar is suggested. Brutus and the other conspirators are of the opinion that only the death of Caesar can save the freedom of Rome.
Ans 3: Cassius has convinced Brutus to take such a step. Brutus' motive was to protect the people of Rome from the tyranny Caesar. It reveals that Brutus is a patriot and idealist. He believed in democracy and liberty. He was ready to go to any length to the freedom of the Romans.
Ans 4: The danger that Brutus foresees if Caesar crowned king is that it would change Caesar's character. He thinks that Caesar would become a tyrant and take away the freedom of the Romans. Brutus expresses this danger by saying that just as a warm bright day brings out the snake — similarly the crown would bring out the tyrant.
Ans 5: I feel angry at his justification for a gruesome murder. Brutus has made up his mind to kill Caesar. Brutus does not have a particular personal grievance against Caesar. His argument points to the fact that Caesar has to be assassinated not for what he is at present but for what he could become in future. Brutus argues that, once crowned, Caesar will be beyond the power of anyone else to check him. Finally, Brutus seems to distort his view of Caesar: “therefore think him as a serpent’s egg.”
Ans 1: Caesar may become an arrogant tyrant. Brutus says that humility serves as a ladder for an ambitious man to rise to a powerful position. When he rises high, the climber pays attention upwards. He forgets the ladder which helped him to climb. Similarly, Caesar may forget the Romans who helped him to achieve his ambition. Brutus intends to stop Caesar by killing him.
Ans 2: Brutus means: 'Put it this way that there is no cause to quarrel with him for what he is now.' Brutus is justifying his decision to assassinate Caesar by arguing that Caesar will pose huge danger in the future.
Ans 3: 'Augmented' means that power is increased. Caesar can be augmented by being crowned the king of Rome. There had already been an attempt to augment when the crown was offered to him at the celebration of the Feast of Lupercalia.
Ans 4: 'Serpent's egg' is compared to Caesar’s rise to become a powerful man. By using this comparison Brutus wants to convey the danger of Caesar becoming a tyrant.
Ans 5: Brutus’ tragedy is both a public one and a private one. In effect, he destroys the thing he is trying to preserve, as the republican freedom of Rome falls to the tyranny of three men. His wife Portia dies due to sorrow and he loses his happiness. In fact, he destroys his personal life as well as the republic which he hopes to protect.
Ans 1: Lucius comes back with one of the anonymous letters, actually written by Cassius, which he has found on the windowsill of Brutus’ study. By the light of the meteors, Brutus reads the message urging him to save Rome. He promises to take action. The person knocking at the gate is Cassius. He has come with other conspirators to discuss the plan of action to ensure success in their conspiracy.
Ans 2: Cassius manages to convince Brutus to join him in the conspiracy to murder Caesar. Brutus believes that the growing power of Caesar is a threat to Rome’s liberty. Brutus is convinced by the letters that it is his duty to relieve Rome of Caesar’s tyranny.
Ans 3: Brutus is troubled. He has nothing against Caesar but believes that Caesar’s death would be good for Rome. He compares his mental condition to a nightmare/horrid dream. Like a person's mind is disturbed by a nightmare, similarly Brutus' mind is disturbed by plans of Caesar's assassination.