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ANSWER GUIDE FOR PRELIM PAPER 2 2016
ESSAY QUESTIONS
(a) Whose actions do you consider more villainous – Cassius’s or Antony’s?
Key ideas in the question:
- “Whose…more…or”
The question words indicate that we must make a choice. An argumentative approach seems suitable
here.
Points we could raise:
There are a few possible approaches or arguments here.
i) Cassius’s action are more villainous by far, because his petty desire for revenge and manipulations
were the catalyst that started everything. He turned others against Caesar, even Brutus, whose
“honourable mettle” he “wrought from that it is disposed”. Although Antony proved cold and merciless
later in the play, his actions can be seen to be brought about by the circumstances of Caesar’s death,
which was engineered by Cassius.
Important details to include in our argument
- Shakespeare reveals Cassius’s spiteful nature and less than honourable reasons to kill Caesar
- Cassius uses various means involving deceit and manipulation to convince Brutus to join the
conspiracy, including flattery and outright deceit by forging letters of support
- Cassius is the initial founder of the conspirators, allowing Brutus to assume leadership eventually. He
brought in the other conspirators using various persuasive methods, questioning Casca’s honour and
courage, for example.
- Brutus’s description of the conspirators is revealing, as he says they possess a “monstrous visage”, and
he questions why “Shams’t thou to show they dangerous brow by night / When evils are most free?”.
Subconsciously, he realizes the evil nature of this enterprise which Cassius has started, yet he still joins
the enterprise, making the first of many bad decisions throughout the play. Such is Cassius’s corrupting
influence that he leads the conspirators towards their deaths. Most are dead by the end of the play,
defeated and dispirited.
- If Cassius had his way, Antony would have been murdered along with Caesar, as he astutely reasoned
that the love Antony bore for Caesar made him dangerous. This shows his ruthless side. Later events
though would prove his fears valid.
- In the later half the play, Cassius’s shrewd tactical wisdom is continually undermined by Brutus, whose
influence remains formidable but whose decisions are questionable. The scene when Brutus and Cassius
resolve their differences is quite touching, and reveals a softer side to Cassius, especially when he
grieves the death of Portia, Brutus’s death. Shakespeare brilliantly, and frustratingly perhaps, refuses to
portray any of the characters here, including Cassius and Antony, as outright heroic or villainous.
- Cassius’s death, on his birthday no less, is moving. For him, everything comes full circle as he kills
himself with the same blade that murdered Caesar, and he dies with Caesar’s name on his lips, crying
“Thou art revenged”. The sympathetic ending to Cassius’s role in the play softens the blow of his earlier
actions. The emerging Triumvirate that has replaced Caesar and which seems cruel and merciless also
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make us more sympathetic towards Brutus and Cassius from Act 4 onwards, who display a more human
and humane aspect in these later scenes.
ii) Antony’s actions are the more villainous, because the scale of the consequences of his actions is much
larger and plunges Rome into civil war. He is irresponsible and allows his grief and fury to determine his
actions, letting loose the “dogs of war”, knowing full well the chaos that would ensue. Shakespeare’s
portrayal of Antony from Act 4 onwards shifts from that of a reveler turned revenger to a merciless and
unscrupulous politician/general who stains the legacy of Caesar through his actions. Furthermore,
Shakespeare depicts Cassius in a more sympathetic light towards the end of the play. The play ends with
a new triumvirate, of which Antony is an integral part, which seems more dangerous and threatening to
Rome than Caesar ever was.
Important details to include in our argument
- Our initial impression of Antony as a reveler and a harmless supporter of Caesar (this is Brutus’s
account of him) is changed when he masterfully turns the tables on the conspirators by delivering a
cunning speech at Caesar’s funeral.
- At this point at the end of the first half of the play, we may find Antony a sympathetic or even heroic
figure. His grief at Caesar’s death is genuine, and his fury at the conspirators for their brutal murder of
Caesar seems righteous and justified.
- there is a sinister element though to his manipulation of the crowd. He incites them to riot and wreak
havoc through the streets of Rome, calling for the conspirator’s heads
- In comparison, after Caesar is murdered, Cassius appears to show concern for Publius, worried that the
“people, / Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.” Cassius seems to not desire anyone else to
be hurt now that his hunger for revenge against Caesar has been satisfied.
- For Mark Antony however, his grief and anger are not abated so easily, and he is willing to see Rome
torn asunder – “Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, / take thou what course thou wilt.”
- his behavior in Act 4 Scene 1 is particularly sinister. He coldly discusses the list of those who should die
with Octavius and Lepidus. The manner in which they do this, negotiating who should die if one of their
own kinsman is to be executed, is very disturbing, as they seem to treat the lives of these men so
trivially.
- he also discusses using part of Caesar’s legacies to cover their expenses, indicating a slide into
corruption and greed / excess.
- His dismissal of Lepidus and his plans to use him then discard him give us a very negative impression of
him. The loyalty of Brutus and Cassius and their men as portrayed in the later half of the play paints
them in a much more sympathetic light compared to the calculating and seemingly heartless nature of
the Triumvirate leaders.
- Antony may have started out as a heroic figure but he starts to emerge as a villainous character in the
later half of the play.
Approach:
An argumentative approach could be the stronger choice here compared to a discursive approach. It
would of course be wise to point out the villainous aspects of both characters, but the question invites
us to commit to a choice, and we should. We could use a combination of the details listed above in our
answer. The strength and conviction of our reasoning, supported with close reference to the text, will
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determine how effective our argument is. The more nuanced our analysis the better, for it is clear that
Shakespeare means neither character to be seen as outright heroic or villainous. As often is the case,
there is no clear right or wrong answer here, and candidates have to weigh the two characters’ different
contributions to villainy and decide who deserves more condemnation. For a question like this, a
passionate conclusion supporting either choice is possible, but be careful not to overdo it, as we want to
come across as objective. Having said that, emotional responses can be very powerful, especially for our
unseen questions. But balance is important. We want to be objective and offer a critical, nuanced
response, yet also one delivered with conviction. A possible pithy (sharp, concise and profound)
conclusion could be that whoever we find more villainous, both men are eminently human.
(b) Explore two moments in the play that make us question if the end always justifies the means.
Key ideas in the question:
- “explore”
We need to identify two specific moments and discuss how they explore this idea that the end may or
may not justify the means by which we come by it. We need to refer closely to the moments we have
chosen.
- “two moments”
This gives us a reasonable range to work with, otherwise the scope of the content we would have to use
is too much, and depth would be sacrificed for breadth. Because we only have to focus on two incidents,
we can afford to be more detailed in our analysis of those incidents. For this theme, 3 incidents or
moments stand out.
1) Brutus’s soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 1 where he debates with himself whether or not he should kill Caesar
and if it is indeed justified. Look carefully at Brutus’s attempts to justify killing Caesar. Upon close
analysis, we may conclude that his reasoning is flawed, and that he knows full well the true nature of the
conspiracy. No beautification of their means can mask their ‘monstrous visage’.
2) Brutus’s meeting with the other conspirators also explores this idea, as Brutus insists on doing things
a certain way otherwise their “course will seem too bloody”. We may note that no matter how he tries
to ‘ennoble’ the act of killing Caesar and make them seem like ‘sacrificers’ rather than ‘butchers’, there
is no escaping the brutal, murderous nature of their plan.
3) Mark Antony’s manipulation of the conspirators and his subsequent soliloquy at the end of Act 3
Scene 1 also explores this theme, in making us question if he is justified in employing such bloody means
to avenge Caesar. The means he employs to avenge Caesar are arguably more vicious and with more
dire consequences than the original act of killing Caesar itself.
4) The meeting of the Triumvirate (Act 4 Scene 1) where they coldly discuss which of their enemies
should be executed and how they can skim money off Caesar’s legacies emphasizes how far from noble
ideals the characters have gone, and Antony’s seemingly righteous anger at the murder of his friend is
replaced by a calculative, callous attitude towards achieving their objective through ruthlessness and
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corruption. This shows how easily noble intentions or ends are distorted through the means employed
to achieve them.
5) The quarrel between Brutus and Cassius (Act 4 Scene 3) highlights the corruption and disunity
amongst the conspirators too. Brutus accuses Cassius of being corrupt, while Cassius maintains that in
war, one has to do what one has to do. It is clear here that Brutus regards the means (how they conduct
themselves) as crucial in their pursuit of their ultimate objective.
- “make us question if”
The question seems to suggest that the matter is complex and not so straightforward, hence we need to
explore how this issue is presented. For example, our response should reflect the dilemma that Brutus
faces in deciding whether or not to kill Caesar, as well as how we might even be sympathetic to Cassius’s
practical suggestions compared to Brutus’s idealism.
- “the end always justifies the means”
We must quickly identify this as a theme in the play and run through possible moments to explore. The
main idea, as defined in our textbook, is how “the play explores the age-old question of whether it is
acceptable to do something wrong in order to achieve a greater good”.
In the context of the play, we can also question what the conspirators perceive as “the greater good”, as
in if killing Caesar is even necessary in the first place.
PASSAGE-BASED QUESTION
(c) (i) How does Shakespeare make this passage so moving?
- We may feel sympathy for Cassius here despite our unfavourable impression of him earlier in the play.
His quarrel with Brutus and their reconciliation has perhaps softened our attitudes towards both men by
this point.
- The passage begins with Cassius’s armies seemingly in disarray. The battle is ongoing, and the
characters’ accounts as well as possibly the sounds of battle off stage help us imagine what is going on
on the battlefield.
- We can hear the despair in Cassius’s voice as he observes how the ‘villains’ fly. These ‘villains’ are
Cassius’s own men, who are fleeing the battle. Cassius even had to slay his own ensign, who has the
important role of holding the army’s flag aloft, as he was ‘turning back’.
- Titinius affirms the sad state of affairs for their forces when he assesses that Brutus ‘gave the word too
early’, and instead of supporting Cassius’s forces, his men ‘fell to spoil’, looting the enemy instead,
which allowed Antony’s forces to overwhelm Cassius’s.
- It is significant here that Brutus’s name and tactical mistake are mentioned, as we are reminded of the
numerous times Brutus has overruled Cassius in making decisions. We may be moved by Cassius’s
situation here, being a result of one of many strategic mistakes his dear friend has made and which he
has frequently let slide in deference to Brutus.
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- The friendship and loyalty displayed by the men here is also very touching. Pindarus, Cassius’s slave,
urges him to fly further off as Antony’s forces have taken his tents, and Titinius responds without
question to Cassius’s request for him to ride ahead and determine if ‘yonder troops are friend or
enemy’.
- Cassius’s mention of his eyesight, which was ‘ever thick’, is also significant and ironic, as we recall how
he scorned Caesar for his physical ailments and weakness. Cassius’s ‘sight’ here could also be seen in a
figurative light, referring to his judgement and foresight. Shakespeare could be suggesting that Cassius
has made many errors in judgement too, in the forming of the conspiracy, in allowing Brutus to overrule
him as well as in the handling of this war. This is a moving moment as it can be seen as a culmination of
all his actions throughout the play, leading to his tragic end.
- When Cassius notes that this day is his birthday and that ‘where I did begin, there shall I end’, there is
an air of resignation and defeat about him. Gone is the brash, almost cocky Cassius who bared his
bosom to the sky for the gods to smite. Here is a man who knows his end is come, whose ‘life is run his
compass’. Although we may have had little sympathy for him in Acts 1 to 3, the passionate, courageous
soldier we saw in Act 4 and 5, who is depicted as vulnerable in his human failings and loyal to a fault,
moves us with his despair and helplessness as his final moment approaches.
- Pindarus’s commentary add suspense and dramatic tension to the scene. We can imagine Cassius’s
heart sinking further as he realizes that his ‘best friend’ Titinius is ‘ta’en before my face’. When we
realise later that Pindarus has misinterpreted what has happened and that Titinius too was celebrating
instead of being captured, there is a great sense of tragedy as we realise Cassius killed himself
unnecessarily, having ‘misconstrued everything’ as Titinius laments later.
- Cassius is also very upset because he believes that he has sent his friend Titinius to his death. Whatever
his politics, Cassius has been depicted as a loyal friend who cares deeply about his friendships, and his
pained reaction to Titinius’s capture evokes our sympathy. He laments that he has been a ‘coward’ to
‘live so long’, and we see from his earlier action of slaying his cowardly ensign as well as his decision to
take his life here that Cassius is indeed a soldier of courage and a noble Roman.
- His act of freeing Pindarus can be seen as a generous final gesture. This humanizes Cassius and reveals
a measure of the man who inspired such loyalty from his friend Titinius and his slave Pindarus. We may
also interpret his action though as ensuring that he does not die at the hands of a slave, but a more
generous assessment of Cassius here would make this scene seem more moving.
- The audience may also feel that there is poetic justice in Cassius’s death. After all, he dies by the same
sword that he used to kill Caesar, and he dies with Caesar’s name on his lips, ‘Caesar, thou art revenged’.
While this may not quite be an admission of guilt or remorse over killing Caesar, it is still moving because
it gives us a sense of everything coming full circle for Cassius. He has made his decisions and now faces
the consequences of his actions. It is enough for Cassius perhaps that at least he dies on his own terms.
(c) (ii) How does Shakespeare make Brutus’s death later equally moving?
- At the beginning of Act 5, Brutus gathers with his ‘poor remains of friends’, a clear indication of how
the battle is going, with the conspirators’ forces on the retreat. With their forces dwindling, the loss of
yet another comrade, Statilius, adds to the misery of the survivors.
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- Brutus has an air of resignation about him, remarking wryly that ‘slaying’ is a ‘deed in fashion’, given
how brutal the battle has been. He whispers something to Clitus, and then to Dardanus. We the
audience do not know what he is saying, but we can infer from the reactions of both men that it is
something terrible that alarms them. We begin to guess Brutus’s ‘ill request’ when both Clitus and
Dardanus refuse to obey him, crying out “I’ll rather kill myself” and “Shall I do such a deed?”.
- Even Volumnius, whose conversation with Brutus we are at least privy too, refuses, despite Brutus
appealing to ‘our love of old’. Volumnoius replies that “That’s not an office for a friend, my lord.” It is
tragic to see Brutus have to go from one man to the other to ask them to kill him, and it is moving to see
how each man refuses, out of love and respect for Brutus.
- The body, and character, of Brutus seem inviolable to his friends, and none feel they have the right to
end the life of so noble a Roman and so dear a friend. It is extremely moving therefore to see noble
Brutus have to move from one friend to another, begging for his death, which none can bear to give
him.
- The sight of Brutus crying is very moving indeed, as he has always strived to maintain his composure in
line with his stoic philosophy. Here, Clitus observes that Brutus, ‘that noble vessel’, is so ‘full of grief’
that ‘it runs over even at his eyes’. The sight of Brutus overcome with emotion, desiring death in the
throes of despair, is a stirring one for the audience as much as it is for the characters who witness it.
- When Brutus says that the enemy has beaten them to the pit and it is ‘more worthy to leap in
ourselves’, his proves Lucilius’s words true, that he will never be taken alive. His courage is evident, yet
so too is the compromise he has to make – he is after all a stoic and finds suicide ‘cowardly and vile’ as
he shared with Cassius in Act 5 Scene 1. At the end of the play, we are moved by how the characters
reflect on their past decisions and how they have had their previously unshakeable beliefs challenged.
Although Brutus dies a noble death by Roman standards, he dies, like Cassius, a broken man.
- Just as Cassius dies with Caesar’s name on his lips, so does Brutus. The revelation that Brutus has seen
Caesar’s ghost a second time is shocking, and drives home the idea that although Caesar is dead, his
influence and presence is far from gone. Just as things come full circle for Cassius, they do so too for
Brutus here, who says with his dying beath, “Caesar now be still. / I killed not thee with half so good a
will”. Brutus is saying here that he kills himself more willingly than he killed Caesar. This reminds us of
how he was at ‘war with himself’ trying to decide if he should kill Caesar, and his tone here may suggest
a hint of remorse. We the audience are moved that even at their deaths and long after Caesar’s death,
they cannot escape the man who tormented their hearts and thoughts while he was alive.
- After all their effort and sacrifice, Brutus and Cassius die tragic deaths in a classical sense, with their
honour and courage and other good qualities overshadowed by their betrayal of Caesar and their brutal
act of murder and their all too human failings.
set by: Ahmad Hashikin