Question

Step 1: As you progress through Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, you'll track the use of literary elements as they're used to create meaning in the play. Be sure to include:

• the scene number in which the literary element appears (i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, etc.)
• an explanation of the literary element in the context of the scene

Answer 1

Answer:Scene ii: Foreshadowing - In this scene, Cassius is trying to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar by saying "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries" (Act 1, Scene 2, lines 31-33). This line foreshadows the future events of the play where the conspirators' actions will lead to Caesar's death and the fall of the Roman Republic.

Scene iii: Irony - In this scene, Caesar is offered the crown three times but refuses it, saying "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" (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 65-67). This is ironic because later in the play, Caesar's ambition and desire for power will ultimately lead to his downfall.

Scene iv: Symbolism - In this scene, Caesar's wife Calpurnia has a dream that Caesar will be harmed if he goes to the Senate. Caesar dismisses her dream, saying "Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once" (Act 1, Scene 2, lines 32-33). This line symbolizes the idea that Caesar's ambition and desire for power will ultimately lead to his death, which he will not be able to avoid by dismissing Calpurnia's warning.

Scene v: Imagery - In this scene, the conspirators are discussing their plan to kill Caesar. They use vivid imagery to describe their actions, such as "As soon as he shall stand, so many hours shall I take him by the hand and weep for him" (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 75-76). This imagery creates a powerful visual of the conspirators' remorse for their actions and the tragic consequences of their plot.

Scene vi: Allusion - In this scene, Julius Caesar makes reference to the Roman god Jupiter, saying "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" (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 65-67). This allusion adds depth to the scene by referencing a powerful figure in Roman mythology and emphasizing Caesar's perceived invincibility and power.