Question

BRUTUS. It must be by his death: and for my part

I know no personal cause to spurn at him
But for the general. He would be crowned:
How that might change his nature, there’s the question.
It is the bright day that bring forth the adder,
And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,
And then I grant we put a sting in him
That at his will he may do danger with.
Th’abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power. And to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections swayed
More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrel
Will bear no colour for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities;
And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg
Which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous,
And kill him in the shell.
–The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
William Shakespeare

How does this scene contribute to the overall plot?

A.Brutus’s decision contributes to a rising action.

B.Brutus’s decision creates the climax.

C.Brutus’s decision provides the resolution.

D.Brutus’s decision strengthens the exposition.

Answer 1

A

Step-by-step explanation:

B is wrong because Brutus's decision is a further step to the climax, not the creation of it.

C It can be argued that his decision provides the resolution for him and his fellow-murderers, but the impact on the plot is another issue.

D Like C, it is in itself a correct description but it doesn´t contribute to the development and preparation of the plot, the moment of action (the murder) that is rising and coming nearer, also known as the climax.