NAME CLASS DATE

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR ACTIVE READING

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act HIWilliam Shakespeare Pupil's Edition page 820

Who Is Mark Antony?

Mark Antony has only a minor role in the play until Act III, when he becomes the major forcemoving the action. In the busts below, record lines from the play that contrast how Mark Antony ispresented before Act III, and how he is revealed in Act III. Then in the lines provided below thebusts, summarize your own view of Antony's character. You might consider these lines from Acts Iand D: Act I, Scene 2, lines 9-10, 28-29, and 235-236; Act II, Scene 1, lines 155-184; and Scene 2,lines 52-53.

Before Act III In Act III

The Real Antony:

1. Do you consider Antony a hero or a villain, or something in between? Explain.

2. Make a prediction: What will happen as a result of Antony's having turned the crowd against theconspirators?

Elements of Literature Graphic Organizer for Active Reading: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act HI 9 1

NAME CLASS DATE

BECOMING A STRATEGIC READER

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act HIWilliam Shakespeare Pupil's Edition page 844

Paraphrasing Elizabethan English

As you try to understand Shakespeare's language, you may find paraphrasing a useful technique. Toparaphrase a passage, write the same ideas as in the passage but express them in your own words.Translate figurative language into non-figurative terms. Include details as well as the main idea inyour rewording. Putting another's ideas into your own words often makes it easier for you tounderstand and remember what you have read or heard.

Consider the following passage spoken by Metellus in Act III.

EXAMPLE: "Is there no voice more worthy than my own,To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's earFor the repealing of my banished brother?" —Scene 1, lines 49-51

Work through the passage phrase by phrase, putting the ideas in your own words. Here is apossible paraphrase of Metellus's speech.

Is there no one as worthy as I amTo speak eloquently to youIn favor of returning my banished brother?

Then if you wish, you may tighten the paraphrase even further.Can no one else speak as well as I to convince you to free my brother?

EXERCISE A Paraphrasing ShakespeareParaphrase the following passages from Act III.

1. Caesar: I could be well moved, if I were as you;If I could pray to move, prayers would move me;But I am constant as the Northern Star,Of whose true-fixed and resting qualityThere is no fellow in the firmament. —Scene 1, lines 58-62

2. Servant: If Brutus will vouchsafe that AntonyMay safely come to him and be resolvedHow Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,Mark Antony shall not love Caesar deadSo well as Brutus living .. . —Scene 1, lines 130-134

1

1

E

9 2 Becoming a Strategic Reader; The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act HI Elements of Literature

NAME CLASS DATE

3. Cassius: Brutus, a word with you.You know not what you do; do not consentThat Antony speak in his funeral.Know you how much the people may be movedBy that which he will utter? —Scene 1, lines 231-235

4. Antony: Over thy wounds now do I prophesy(Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lipsTo beg the voice and utterance of my tongue),A curse shall light upon the limbs of men—Scene 1, lines 259-262

EXERCISE B Revising a ParaphraseRead the following lines from Act III. Then read the faulty paraphrase of those lines that follows.Consider how the writer has failed to paraphrase the speech correctly. Then on the lines provided,rewrite the paraphrase, correcting any errors to make the ideas as clear as possible.

ANTONY: I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,But here I am to speak what I do know.You all did love him once, not without cause;What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,And men have lost their reason! Bear with me;My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,And I must pause till it come back to me. —Scene 2, lines 102-109

Faulty Paraphrase: I'm not here to argue with Brutus, I'm here to say what I know. There was atime when you loved Caesar, for no reason; why do you now mourn? Judgment has flown off withthe animals and men have lost their reason. Hold me up; my heart is in Caesar's coffin and I have towait until it comes back.

1

Elements of Literature Becoming a Strategic Reader: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III 93

NAME CLASS DATE

WORDS TO OWN

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act HIWilliam Shakespeare Pupil's Edition page 820

Developing VocabularyCarefully read each word's definition, explanation, and sample sentence. Then write a sentence ofyour own using that word.

1. firmament (form's «ni9nt) n. the sky; theheavens. A This word comes from a Latinword meaning "a strengthening support."

• Juan's poem began, "Alone in thefirmament / a star twinkles for me." (page823, Scene 1, line 62)

Original sentence:

2. valiant (val'yant) adj. brave; courageous.A Valiant is derived from the Latin wordvalere meaning "to be strong."

• hi Shauna's daydreams, she always foughtalongside valiant knights, (page 826, Scene1, line 138)~

Original sentence:

3. fetch (fech) v. get; bring; elicit. A Thisword comes from the German wordfessen,meaning "to grasp."

Original sentence:

• I taught my dog to fetch a stick, (page 826,Scene 1, line 142)

4. beseech (be«sechO v. to beg. A Beseechand beg are synonyms, but beseech alsoimplies anxiety over the outcome.

• The woman dropped to her knees tobeseech the king to spare her husband's life,(page 826, Scene 1, line 157)

Original sentence:

5- plebeians (ple'be'anz) n. pL commonpeople. A In ancient Rome, the plebeianswere the lower class and the patricians werethe upper class.

Original sentence:

• When food supplies were short, theplebeians would often assemble in thesquare and demand that the wealthiercitizens provide them with assistance,(page 831, Scene 2)

9** Words to Own: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III Elements of Literature

NAME CLASS DATE

6. censure (sen'shsr) v. to express strongdissapproval of. A In modern times thisword has taken on the meaning "to blame orcriticize."

Original sentence:

• The state legislature passed a resolution tocensure the governor for her misconduct,(page 831, Scene 2, line 16)

7. interred (in«terd') adj. a form of the verbinter, which means "to bury." A This wordcombines the prefix in-, here meaning "into,'and the Latin word terra-, meaning "earth."

• The dog quickly located the interred beefbone and dug it up. (page 834, Scene 2,line 78)

Original sentence:

8. bequeathing (be • kwetih'irj) v. A form ofbequeath, which means "to give by will" or"to hand down." A This word is from theOld English word becwethan, having the

same definition. • The king declared, "WhenI die, I am bequeathing my gold to my oldestdaughter." (page 836, Scene 2, line 138)

Original sentence:

9- legacy (leg's *se) n. an inheritance; anythinghanded down from an ancestor.A This word derives from a Latin wordmeaning "to send as an ambassador."

• Sharon's only legacy from her father was agold watch, (page 836, Scene 2, line 138)

Original sentence:

10. orator (6r/9t»9r) n. a skilled public speaker.A This word is based on a Latinword meaning "to speak."

• Winston Churchill was awarded the NobelPrize in Literature, as much for hisaccomplishments as an orator as for hiswriting, (page 838, Scene 2, line 219)

Original sentence:

Elements of Literature Words to Own: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act III 95

NAME CLASS DATE

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR ACTIVE READING

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act IVWilliam Shakespeare Pupil's Edition page 845

Who Is Cassius?At the beginning of Act IV, Scene 3, Brutus is angry 'with Cassius and makes several accusationsagainst him. What are they? Create a "Wanted" poster for Cassius by filling in the lines below.

CatssixxsPViysical Description;

Crimes:

JBriejf History:

Personality Traits:

Attitxj.de "Toward. Government:

..,,• • . • . .

1. How have Brutus's feelings changed by the end of Scene 3?

2. How have your feelings about Cassius changed through the play so far?

96 Graphic Organizer for Active Reading: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act IV Elements of Literature