Act 3 Scene 3
“I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet”
If ever there was a man
At the wrong time
At the wrong place
With the wrong name!
What happens in this scene?
• Cinna the Poet wanders the streets of Rome. He has had a dream
where he ate with Caesar, and feels uneasy, yet something compels
him to go out.
• he is confronted by a group of plebians, who have been incited to
fury by Antony’s fiery speech
• when they find out his name is Cinna, they assume he is Cinna the
conspirator. Even when he protests and cries out that he is Cinna the
Poet, they do not care and tear him to pieces
• the scene ends with Cinna’s body being dragged off stage.
Important Ideas in this scene:
• Significance of these events in the play:
escalating violence, innocent victims, Caesar’s assassination has made
things worse, consequences of Antony’s unleashing of the ‘dogs of
war’
• Portrayal of the Commoners / Plebians:
how violent the mob can be, how they behave irrationally and are
blinded by hatred, their important role in the play (in determining
who rules over Rome)
This scene/moment/passage is so
dramatically effective / disturbing /
powerful because:
• Cinna has had a dream where he did ‘feast with
Caesar’. This is ominous as we know that Caesar is
dead and the dream seems to foretell that Cinna too
will soon die and meet Caesar in the afterlife.
• A dark mood is created when Cinna says that ‘things
unluckily charge my fantasy’, and that although he has
‘no will to wander forth’, something ‘leads me forth’,
as if he is compelled by some agent of fate, leading
him to a tragic end.
INSIGHT
• This is a reminder that the fate of the characters
seems to be determined by forces beyond their
control. The soothsayer’s warning, the terrifying
omens and Calphurnia’s nightmare indicate that
something terrible is about to happen, and now that
Caesar has been assassinated, Cinna’s ill feeling is a
grim reminder that more things of ‘monstrous
quality’ are to come.
• When the plebians spot him, they converge on him and
bombard him with questions. This creates tension, as we
the audience feel anxious for Cinna as we fear for his
safety. The plebians are questioning him in a hostile
manner, throwing one question after another at him. When
the third plebian asks the final question, “Ay, and truly, you
were best.”, there is threat and danger in his tone, implying
that there will be unpleasant consequences if he gave the
‘wrong’ answers.
• Cinna, probably intimidated by their
questioning, is understandably nervous, and
replies wittily, perhaps hoping to defuse the
tension. Unfortunately, he seems to offend the
second plebian, who interprets his words as
suggesting that ‘they are fools that marry’
(Cinna’s little joke implies that it is wise to be a
bachelor). It could be argued that it does not
matter what Cinna said in reply – the mood of
the plebians is dangerous and volatile, and
anything could set the plebians off.
INSIGHT
• is it significant that Cinna is a poet? A poet is a
master of words and knows how to wield them
to move and stir listeners. Here, Cinna’s witty
answer backfires, indicating perhaps that after
listening to two speeches by Brutus and Antony,
the plebians are wary of more clever use of
words and Cinna’s wordplay only serves to annoy
and infuriate.
• The barrage of questions continue, and Cinna’s
answers this time are more subdued and
cautious. We the audience can see and hear
the terror in his eyes and voice as the mob
closes in on him with every question. When he
reveals that his name is Cinna however, the
plebians erupt in anger and cry out, ‘Tear him
to pieces!’, immediately assuming that he is a
conspirator.
• Poor Cinna’s cries of “I am Cinna the poet”, protesting
that he is not Cinna the conspirator, fall on deaf ears.
The crowd is incensed and now that they have found a
reason to vent their anger on Cinna, no matter how
weak a reason, they let loose.
• It is significant that the fourth plebian pushes aside
Cinna’s pleas, saying “Tear him for his bad verses”,
suggesting that by this point, it does not matter to the
mob whether Cinna is guilty or not. Chillingly, the fourth
plebian says, “It is no matter, his name’s Cinna.” They
have found a victim, and they unleash their wrath on
him.
INSIGHT
• It is clearly shown here that the mob cannot be
reasoned with. In the previous scene, we see how
fickle and easily swayed the crowd can be. In this
scene, we see how dangerous they can be.
• How Cinna is torn apart on stage will surely convey
the horror of this moment, as an innocent man pays
the price of having the same name as a conspirator.
The line ‘pluck but his name out of his heart’ is
chilling, and conveys the unrestrained violence of the
mob. The repetition of ‘Tear him, tear him!’ shows
how frenzied the mob is, giving in to the hatred that
Antony unleashed when he let loose the ‘dogs of
war’.
• We witness the full extent of their crazed bloodlust
when they continue to cry out for further violence
and destruction, ‘burn all!’, aiming to set fire to the
houses of Brutus, Cassius and the other conspirator’s
homes.
INSIGHT
• The audience may feel great concern for noble
Portia here, as the crowd seems resolved to burn
down the conspirator’s houses. We may feel
anxious as we wonder if she will be yet another
innocent victim of the newly fledged civil war. Her
fear and trepidation about her husband’s
involvement in the conspiracy now seems wholly
justified as we see the fallout of Antony’s speech,
forcing the conspirators to flee.
• The scene ends horrifyingly as the mob drag Cinna off
the stage, as indicated by the stage directions. His
likely lifeless body may leave a trail of blood as he is
dragged off, and this gruesome image would leave
the audience in shock.
INSIGHT
• The ensuing chaos on stage gives the audience a
glimpse of the violence and bloodshed about to engulf
Rome. We may be alarmed at how ‘easily’ even a
‘civilised’ society like Rome can descend into anarchy.
This scene establishes Antony as an increasingly
sinister and villainous figure even though he does not
appear in it, as it is he who has unleashed this tide of
hatred and vengeance over Rome.
• His words in Act 3 Scene 1 appear to be coming true:
“Domestic fury and fierce civil strife / Shall cumber all
parts of Italy; Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
/ And dreadful objects so familiar, / That mothers shall
but smile when they behold / Their infants quartered
with the hands of war, / All pity choked with custom of
fell deeds;”
Response Writing Tips
• Add your own observations and insights too. Think of
different ways to phrase the ideas here, adding your
personal touch to the points and expressions.
• Remember, it is always important to analyse Shakespeare’s
use of words and images closely, elaborating on the effect
and significance. Offer close analysis and sharp insights.
• It is also essential to analyse the scene from the perspective
of an audience member watching the play occur on the
stage.