Julius Caesar • 2013 - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

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This Is My Birthday
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
In the heat of battle, Cassius turns to one of the soldiers and tells him that it’s his birthday. It’s an odd, rather
personal bit of information, given the circumstances. Birthdays are important days loaded with meaning—and
apparently that’s not a new phenomenon unique to us in modern times. So why does Shakespeare put these
words in Cassius’s mouth? What’s the character feeling? What is the playwright saying about the character?
Why Cassius and not, say, Brutus? (No fair taking into account historical accuracy into this discussion!) If you’re
the actor playing Cassius, what might this one small statement tell you about the way you might approach your
character from the very start? CONSIDER COMMON CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS R3, W9
Sound It Out
Antony’s and Octavius’s speeches close the play and, true to form, they each say pretty much what you’d expect
from each of them. But what exactly gives us that impression? Partly it’s what they say, but partly it’s the
sound of what they say, the words they choose and the way they come together in a sentence. In pairs, work
on speaking the last fourteen lines of the play. Emphasize the vowel sounds. Emphasize the consonants, and
emphasize one-syllable words when they appear together by slowing down and speaking in staccato. What do
you discover about Antony’s speech versus Octavius’s? And knowing the two characters as you do now, how
does the speech pattern that Shakespeare gives each of them reflect their personalities? CONSIDER COMMON
CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS L5, R4, R6
Stage Battle
How can a battle be portrayed on stage? The stage direction ‘Alarum’ means a loud battle noise of drums, trumpets,
voices, and clashing weapons. In groups of 8-10, use all resources available to make the sound effects
between Scenes 1 and 2. While some work out sound, others work on the staging. Restrict yourselves to the four
named characters, or bring on a host of soldiers. Have the whole field of battle in mind when you plot entrances
and exits. Show their contrasting moods as you feel appropriate. All this will take careful organization, but it will
tell you a great deal about Shakespeare’s stagecraft. You could plan it in the classroom and then act it out in a
larger space. CONSIDER COMMON CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS R1, R7, SL1
Is Mercy the Way to Go?
Octavius shows mercy to all of Brutus’s followers when he spares their lives. Julius Caesar also showed clemency
to the followers of Pompey after he had defeated them, including Brutus and Cassius. Is Octavius making
a mistake? In groups of four, two take the part of Octavius. The others play advisers who are not happy with
Octavius’s decision. Debate who is right. CONSIDER COMMON CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS SL3, SL4
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