STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Analyze the structure of the main plot of the play and compare it to the subplot.

2. Describe Julius Caesar and compare and contrast him to the characters of Brutus, Antony, and Cassius.

3. Which character in the play seems to have the most balance and why? Which seems to have the least balance and why?

4. Whose tragedy do you feel is greater - that of Caesar or that of Brutus? Fully explain your answer, using details from the play.

5. Compare and contrast the motives of Brutus and Cassius in killing Caesar.

6. Compare and contrast the funeral speeches of Antony and Brutus. Which is more successful and why?

7. What is the major theme of the play and how is it developed?

8. Discuss Caesar as a character or force in the play even after his assassination.

9. Comment on Shakespeare's use of the supernatural element in the play.

10. Comment on the element of suspense in the play. List some specific examples of suspense and how it affects the dramatic structure of the play.

11. Who are the key female characters in the play? Do they play an important part in the action of the play or do they exist merely to highlight the traits of their male partners? Explain your response.

12. What are all the reasons that the play ends in tragedy? What is the one ray of hope exists in the play and why is it important?

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