Julius Caesar

 

Q19. Why is Antony’s speech more effective ?

Ans. Brutus appeals to the logic and reasoning of the mob. His speech is straightforward, boring and unappealing to the crowd. He is also repetitive.

On the other hand, Antony who is a clever politician and an excellent orator understands the psychology of the crowd very well. He appeals to the sentiments and emotions of the people. He reminds them of caesars’   greatness and  the glorious wars fought by him. He proves that Caesar was not ambitious by revealing to them that the ransom got from the prisoners of war filled the public treasury. When the poor had cried Caesar also cried with them. Three times Caesar had refused to accept the crown from him. He then aroused the curiosity of the mob by telling them about  Caesar’s will. He fills the hearts of the people with pity and sympathy by showing them the wounds inflicted by the conspirators on Caesar. Lastly he gives each Roman a personal motive for revenge by telling them what Caesar had left for each one of them  in his will. Through the use of irony, wit, sarcasm, pathos and satire, he manages to instigate the mob into rage and violence.

Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1)      “O Judgement ! thou art fled to ……………………………………………….. bear with me.”

a)      Who is the speaker ? Whom is he speaking to /

Ans. Mark Antony is the speaker. He is speaking to the crowd at Caesar’s funeral.

b)      Explain ‘ Brutish beasts’.

Ans. Antony calls the conspirators – Brutus, Casca, Cassius and others who murdered Caesar ‘brutish beasts’ because they had killed Caesar in a cruel and brutal manner  befitting only animals.

c)       What is the speaker trying to do ? Is he successful ?

Ans. Antony is trying to instigate the mob into rage and violence. He wants to take revenge from the conspirators for Caesar’s murder. He is successful  as the mob revolts.

2)      “ I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,

Now whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,

Fulfill your pleasure.

a)      Who is the speaker of the above lines ? to whom is he speaking ?

  Ans. Mark Antony is the speaker of the above lines. He is speaking to the conspirators – Brutus, Cassius, Casca and the others.

b)      How were their hands purpled ? How did they reek ?

Ans. The hands of the conspirators were purpled as they were covered with the royal blood of Caesar. As they had just murdered him their hands smelt of fresh and warm  blood which was on their hands.

c)       What pleasure does the speaker mean ?

Ans. Antony means to say that if the conspirators wanted to have the pleasure of killing him also, they could do so.

 

3. ‘ My credit now stands on such slippery ground…………………………………………………That I did love thee, Caesar, O ‘ tis true.

a) What is meant by the word ‘credit’ ? Whose credit stands on slippery grounds ?

Ans. Credit refers to reputation. Antony’s reputation is at stake.

b) Why does his credit stand on slippery ground ?

Ans. Antony’s reputation is at stake because the people would regard Antony either as a coward or as a flatterer.

c)Why would he be considered either a coward or a flatterer ?

Ans. Antony would be considered  a coward because he was unable to challenge the conspirators who had murdered Caesars or a flatterer because he had not really loved Caesar and he simply flattered hem when he was alive.

4. Antony : “ O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth ……………………………….woe to the hand that shed this costly blood “.

a) Where is Antony at this time ?

Ans. Antony is at the Capitol, where Caesar has been murdered.

b) Why does he call Caesar’s body ‘thou bleeding piece of earth’ ?

Ans. He does so because Caesar’s dead body bearing the stab wounds with blood running out of them is lying on the ground.

    C ) Whom does ‘butchers’ refer to ?

Ans. ‘Butchers’ refer  to the conspirators Brutus, Cassius, Casca and others who mercilessly murdered Caesar.

d)      How had Antony been ‘meek and gentle’ with the butchers ?

Ans. He had shaken hands with the conspirators who had murdered Caesar. He had been forced to hide his anger.

 

5. “ But I am as constant as a northern  star ………………………………………….there is no fellow in the firmament”.

a) Who is the speaker ? Whom is he speaking to ?

Ans, Julius Caesar is the speaker. He is speaking to Mettelus Cimber , Brutus and the other conspirators.

b) What qualities of the speaker are revealed in these lines ?

Ans. Caesar is arrogant, stubborn, conceited and over confident.

C ) Explain the irony in these lines.

 Ans. Julius Caesar claims to be firm like the North Star but he is not firm in his decisions. He first agrees to stay at home but soon changes his own decision and goes to the Capitol.

6. “ Shall Caesar send a lie ?

       Have I ……………………………………………………. To tell grey beards the truth ?

a)      Who is the speaker and whom is he talking to /

Ans. Julius Caesar is the speaker and he is speaking to his wife calpurnia.

b)      Explain ‘ Have I in conquest stretch’d mine arm so far ‘.

Ans. He claims to be a great conqueror who had fought many battles and emerged victorious.

c)       Who are the greybeards ?

Ans. Caesar disrespectfully and arrogantly refers to the older  senators as greybeards.

d)      What truth is the speaker talking about ?

Ans. The true reason as to why Caesar will not go to the Senate.