Lecture: Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Overview

• Setting: February 15th, Feast of Lupercal in Rome
• Characters Introduced: Flavius and Murellus (Tribunes), unnamed commoners
• Event: Julius Caesar's triumphant return to Rome after defeating Pompey's sons

Key Points

Reactions and Themes

• Commoners' Reaction: Celebrating Caesar's victory
• Tribunes' Reaction: Anger and displeasure towards commoners' hypocrisy
  • Reason: Commoners once cheered for Pompey, now celebrating his defeat by Caesar
• Action Taken by Tribunes: Disperse commoners, remove decorations from public statues to avoid honoring Caesar

Themes Introduced

• Authority and Power: Central theme of the play
  • Caesar's Dual Image
    • Honored for military success & personal divinity (Pontifex Maximus)
    • Feared for potential political tyranny
• Fear of Tyranny: Tribunes worry that Caesar will rule by fear if unchecked
• Foreshadowing: Flavius and Murellus' defiance hints at the larger conspiracy to come in the play

Characters' Perspectives

• Commoners: Revering Caesar as a hero
• Tribunes: Concerned about Caesar's growing power and potential to become a tyrant

Important Quotes

• Flavius on tyranny: "If no one checks Caesar's power, he will rule by fear."

Dramatic Tension

• Conflict: Between the public's adulation of Caesar and the tribunes' fear of his rising power