Background to Julius Caesar and William Shakespeare

Mr. Hershey

What do you know about Shakespeare?

About William Shakespeare…

• born in Stratford-upon-Avon on or about April 23, 1564

• the third of eight children, three of whom died in childhood, born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden.

• never went on to university.

About William Shakespeare…• married Anne Hathaway on

November 28, 1582. • three children: a daughter,

Susanna, and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11.

• Globe theater was built in 1599

• Shakespeare wrote 37 plays (History, Tragedy, Comedy)

• Also wrote sonnets and poems

About William Shakespeare…

• Works offered something for everyone; rich and poor; educated and uneducated

• Shakespeare wanted to explore human behavior

• To understand how different people deal with life’s universal problems

Elizabethan Age…

• Queen Elizabeth I ruled England from 1558-1603

• Elizabeth I strongly supports the arts

• Artists of all types were held in high esteem

• Elizabethan Age produced some of the greatest works that England has ever seen.

Blank Verse

• Shakespeare wrote in blank verse – poetry with lines that do not rhyme

• Lines written in a pattern called iambic pentameter

• iamb: pair of syllables; unstressed, stressed

• Pentameter: five measures• Ten syllables in each line• Sometimes changed the

words to fit the pattern

“I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king.”

William Shakespeare

History of Government in Rome

• Monarchy until 509 BC• Brutus family drives king from power and

Rome becomes a republic• Moderate democracy by 100 BC ruled by

Senate• Triumvirate was formed in 60 BC– Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey

Historical Context: Julius Caesar

• Roman general and politician• Lived from 100 to 44 BC• Greatest military leader in Roman history• Gained much support from the people – Spent money on entertainment– Freed farmers from heavy taxes

Historical Context: Julius Caesar

• Senate ordered Caesar to disband his army around 50 BC

• Caesar refused• Led his forces in a civil war against the forces

of Pompey.• Caesar defeats Pompey in 45 BC and returns

to Rome