AFTER YOU READ
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act II
1. Evaluate: Are Brutus’ reasons for joining the conspiracy convincing or flawed?
Explain.
2. Draw Conclusions: In the chart below, write Caesar’s reactions to the events
listed. In the third column, explain what each reaction reveals about Caesar’s
character and values.
Event
Caesar’s Reaction
What It Reveals
Augurer’s sacrifice
Decius’ flattery
3. Literary Analysis: Copy lines 42–43 of Scene ii and mark them to indicate the
stressed (´) and unstressed (~) syllables. Which line of blank verse illustrates
perfect iambic pentameter?
4. Reading Skill: Paraphrase Brutus’ words in lines 234–236 of Scene i. Make
your new sentences sound like modern English.
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352 Reader’s Notebook
SUPPORT FOR WRITING AND EXTEND YOUR LEARNING
Writing: Character Analysis
Write a brief character analysis of Brutus. Explain his motivations, strengths, and
weaknesses. Use the questions below to help you write your character analysis.
• What decisions does Brutus make in Act II?
• Why does he make each decision you listed?
Research and Technology: Women’s History Report
Use the following chart to record information as you research your women’s history
report on ancient Rome.
Character/Woman
Relationship to Husband
Role in Politics
Portia
Calpurnia
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Typical Upper-class
Roman Woman
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar 353