HIRANANDANI FOUNDATION SCHOOL, THANE

ENGLISH LITERATURE

Act 1 Scene 3

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

Casca: Are you all not moved when all the sway of the earth
Shakes like a thing infirm? O Cicero,
I have seen tempest when the scolding winds
Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam
To be exhalated with the threatening clouds
But never till to-night, never till now
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.

i) Where is Casca at the time? In what state has he come there? To whom is he
speaking?

Ans: Casca is in a public place in Rome at this time. He has come there in a
state of breathlessness and anxiety. The unnatural events that he has seen and
the storm that has broken out have unnerved him and driven him out of his wits.
He is speaking to Cicero, a prominent Roman politician and an orator.

ii) Give the meaning of the following:

a) all the sway of earth/Shakes like a thing infirm?

b) The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, To be exalted with the
threatening clouds.

Ans: a. The phrase “all the sway of earth/Shakes like a thing infirm” means that
the entire earth is shaking as if it is unstable and unreliable. Here, Casa says that
the entire realm of the earth shakes like an unsteady unsettled object.
Ans:b. The phrase “To ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, / To be
exalted with the threatening clouds” means that the ocean is rising and
becoming agitated, as if it is trying to match the fury of the storm clouds.

iii)What are the “scolding winds”? What did they do?

Ans: The “scolding winds” are strong, harsh winds of the storm. The scolding
winds were so strong that they tore apart the large oak tree and raised the sea up
to the cloud.

iv) What did Casca see which he had never seen in his life earlier? What does
he conclude immediately after the extract about the calamities?

Ans: What Casca saw that night, never seen in his life earlier, was a tempest
dropping fire; that is, a storm raining down lightning and thunderbolts.
Casca gives two probable reasons for such an unnatural event. Either there is a
civil strife in heaven, or else the world too rude to the gods has made them
angry enough to send destruction.

v) What is the next day supposed to be? Why will it be a fatal day? Who had
warned about that day?

Ans: The next day is the Ides of March the day when Caesar is to be crowned
king. It is the day Caesar is assassinated. It will be a fatal day because that is the
day on which the conspirators, led by Brutus and Cassius, will assassinate
Caesar in order to prevent him from being crowned king of Rome. In Act I,
Scene ii, when Caesar is on his way to the games on the Feast of Lupercal, a
soothsayer warns Caesar about that day, telling him: Beware the ides of March."

II. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

Cicero: Why, saw you anything more wonderful?

Casca: A common slave (you know him well by sight)
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches joined; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remained unscorch’d.

i) Narrate in your own words the “wonderful” sight seen by Casca as given in
the extract.
Ans: A slave held up his left hand which caught fire and burned as bright as
twenty torches, despite that his hand not feeling the fire, remained unburnt by
the fire. This was the “wonderful” sight seen by Casca.

ii) Besides the sight referred to in (i) above describe three unnatural sights that
Casca narrates after this extract.

Ans. Casca narrates three unnatural sights:

• He narrates that a lion arrogantly stares at him and passes by in “surely”

without injuring him.
• There were hundreds of terrible-looking women, who were petrified,
huddled in fear swearing they saw men in fire walking the streets.
• The previous day the owl hooted at marketplace at noon.

iii) What does Casca believe of the unnatural events? How is his belief used by
Cassius to make him join the conspirators?

Ans: Casca believes that these unnatural events are a sign of something terrible
about to happen. He interprets them as a message from the gods. He thinks that
the gods are angry and are trying to warn the people of Rome. Cassius uses
Casca’s belief to his advantage, convincing him that these events are a sign that
Caesar must be stopped before he becomes too powerful.

iv) In what way is Casca’s belief a contrast to the one expressed by Cicero
about these events?

Ans: For Casca, these unnatural events are a sign from the gods. He is
breathless and staring, frightened by what he has seen. But for Cicero, they are
marvellous things, he is not scared. It is nothing more than bad weather. He
remains uncommitted over this issue, just as he is to remain uncommitted over
the conspiracy to kill.

(v) What impact do these strange things have on Caesar as well as the audience?

Ans: Caesar was unaffected by the strange things, and continues on with his
plans for the future. Only his sleep was disturbed. The audience would be at the
edge of their seats, frightened waiting for something terrible to happen.

III. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
I know where I will wear this dagger then;
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius.
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong;
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat.
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron,
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;

i)What were a group of people planning on the following day, which makes
Cassius say that he would “wear this dagger, then”? How does Cassius try to
prevent that plan from being put into operation?

Ans: The Roman senate, are planning to crown Caesar as king on the following
day. Caesar will wear his crown everywhere, on sea and on land except in Italy.
Cassius has hatched the conspiracy. He tries to prevent this plan by convincing
Brutus to join the conspiracy and to assassinate Caesar before he can become
too powerful. This way Cassius is trying to prevent that plan for being put into
operation.

ii) Why does Cassius say earlier that the Romans now do not have manly
courage?

Ans: Romans have become submissive and passive. Cassius believes that they
lost their sense of honour and their independence, hence Cassius says that the
Romans now do not have manly courage.

iii) Give the meaning of the following:

(a) Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius

(b) Therein ye gods, you tyrants do defeat

Ans: (a) “Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius” means that Cassius will
free himself from the bondage of Caesar’s tyranny by taking action and
conspiring against him.

(b) “Therein ye gods, you tyrants do defeat” means that the gods will defeat the
tyrants who seek to oppress the people and take away their freedom.

iv) What does Cassius say about the “strength of the spirit” in the extract?
Ans: Cassius says that neither towers nor brass walls nor dungeons nor strong
iron chains, can imprison a determined spirit.

(v) How does Cassius show in the extract that he is a zealous lover of freedom
and democracy?

Ans: If Caesar were to become king, it would be the signal for Cassius to take
his own life. He says neither stormy towers nor brass walls, nor dungeons nor
strong iron chains could imprison his determined spirit. He believes that the
Roman people deserve to have a say in their government and that they should
not be ruled by a single person.

IV. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?

Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep;
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
Those that with haste will make a mighty fire
Behind it with weak straws. What trash is Rome,
What rubbish and what offal, when it serves
For the base matter to illuminate
So vile a thing as Caesar!

i)Who is referred to as a “poor man”? On what condition he would not have

been a wolf or a lion?

Ans: Caesar is referred as a "poor man". He would not have been a wolf or lion
had Romans not been slaves like sheep or deer.

ii) Explain how the sentence “those that with haste will make a mighty fire,
begin it with weak straws” refers to Caesar. In what way is Caesar ‘vile’ in the
eyes of Cassius?

Ans: The sentence “those that with haste will make a mighty fire, begin it with
weak straws” refers to Caesar because Cassius is saying that despite Caesar’s
seemingly insignificant and weak appearance, he has managed to gain power
and influence. Cassius considers Caesar “vile” because he believes that Caesar
is no better than any other man and does not deserve to be in a position of
power over others.

iii) Does Cassius blame Caesar or Rome? Give three reasons given by him for
the greatness of Caesar at this time.

Ans: Cassius blames Rome for allowing Caesar to rise to power. He argues that
Caesar has become great because Rome has allowed it. Cassius gives three
reasons for Caesar’s greatness: Caesar is a great warrior; he has defeated his
enemies in battle, and he is generous.

iv) What does Casca extend to Cassius as a sign of ‘fellowship’? What does he
say he is willing to do?

Ans: Casca shakes Cassius’ hand as a sign of fellowship. He promises to get

involved as much as the boldest of all does.

v) What appointment does Cassius and Casca keep later that night? Where will
these friends meet? What will be their purpose of meeting?

Ans: Cassius and Casca must keep an appointment to meet and plan an
honourable but dangerous enterprise. These friends will meet at Pompey’s
porch, a theatre built by Pompey, and the purpose of their meeting is to finalize
their plans for the assassination of Caesar.

V. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

Cinna: I am glad on’t. What a fearful night is this!

There’s two or three of us have seen strange sights.
Cassius: Am I not stayed for? Tell me.
Cinna: Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could
But win the noble Brutus to our party —
Cassius: Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper

i) Where is Cinna and Cassius at this juncture? Who else was with them? Why?

Ans: Cinna and Cassius are at a street in Rome. Casca was with them. Casca
and Cassius were discussing the strange occurrences and Cassius had convinced
Casca to join their conglomerate.

ii) Why does Cinna say ‘I am glad on’t’? Why was he here?
Ans: Cassius informed Cinna that Casca has united with their group of
conspirators. He was there to take letters for Brutus to find, in an attempt to
persuade him to join their conspiracy.

iii) Earlier in the scene who describe the ‘fearful night’? Mention any two
‘strange sights’ this person had seen.

Ans: Casca is the person who describes the “fearful night”. For Casca, the storm
is a sign from the gods. He is breathless and staring, frightened by what he has
seen: fire falling from the sky; a slave whose hand burnt brilliantly but without
any physical effect on the hand itself; tales of men covered in fire walking in the
streets. There are other prodigies too: a lion harmlessly wandering near the
Capitol, an owl hooting and shrieking in the market-place at midday. And, all
the time, lightning is flashing and thunder crashing (any two)

iv) Explain ‘stay’d for’. Point out clearly why Cassius asks the question: ‘Am
not stay’d for?’

Ans. ‘Stay’d for’ means waited for. Cassius asks whether someone is waiting
for him. This is in reference to the meeting of the conspirators in Pompey’s
porch.

v) Why was Cinna eager for Brutus to join their party? What does Cassius have
in mind when he says, “Be you content”? What does he now instruct Cinna to
do in connection with Brutus?

Ans. Cinna is eager for Brutus to join the party because Brutus is believed to be
the noblest Roman and is highly respected. His support would make the plot to
assassinate Caesar honourable. When Cassius say, “Be you content” Cassius
believes he has convinced Brutus to join the conspiracy. He instructs Cinna to
leave letters where Brutus might find them-at his window, at Brutus’ statue, the
praetor’s chair, where Brutus will find them, in the hope that he will read them
and join them.