Question

Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar during a time of great political upheaval. Indeed, the queen who reigned when he crafted the play, Elizabeth I, was the daughter of a queen whose life ended, like that of so many political figures from the English Reformation, on the execution block.In Julius Caesar, the character Cassius asks, after the assassination of Caesar, "How many ages hence / Shall this our lofty scene be acted over / In states unborn and accents yet unknown!" He is clearly anticipating Shakespeare's own time.

Which statement most accurately describes the inference the author is making and the historical context on which the inference is based?
A. The inference is that Cassius is referencing Shakespeare's time, and the historical context is the English Reformation.
B. The inference is the execution of Queen Elizabeth's mother, and the historical context is Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
C. The inference is Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, and the historical context is the quote by the character Cassius.
D. The inference is the personality and motives of Cassius, and the historical context is the execution of Queen Elizabeth I.

Answer 1

The author is inferring that Cassius is referencing Shakespeare's time, and the historical context is the political upheaval when Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar.

Step-by-step explanation:

The inference made by the author is that Cassius is referencing Shakespeare's own time, and the historical context on which the inference is based is the political upheaval during which Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar. Shakespeare wrote the play during a time of great political upheaval, and the character Cassius's quote suggests that the events in the play would be relevant and acted out in future generations. This connects to the historical context of Shakespeare's time and the anticipation of the play being performed in states and languages yet unknown.