Act+II,+Scene+i

Summary • Brutus debates whether or not to join the conspiracy against Caesar. • Cassius expresses his desire to kill Antony, as well. Brutus refutes this, and he shares his wish that even though Caesar must die, he should be able to do so with dignity. • Portia demonstrates her devotion and her strength to Brutus by stabbing herself in the thigh. • Brutus conclusively joins the conspirators in their quest to usurp Caesar. He becomes a leader of the conspiracy immediately.

Literary Information • Significant Quotes: o “…I know no personal cause to spurn at him,/But for the general.” Brutus, 11-12 o “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg,/Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow/mischievous,/And kill him in the shell.” Brutus, 33-36 o “I think it is not meet/Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,/Should outlive Caesar.” Cassius, 168-170 o “Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,/To cut the head off and then hack the limbs…” Brutus, 175-176 o “I have made strong proof of my constancy,/Giving myself a voluntary wound/here, in the thigh.” Portia, 322-324 • Literary Terms o Anachronism – an element in a story that is from a different time period • Page 63 stage direction: Clock strikes • Striking clocks were not present in Caesar’s time. Shakespeare added this to the play for dramatic effect. o Foreshadowing – hints of what is to come later in the story • “Is not tomorrow, boy, the ides of March?” – The audience has clearly been shown the significance of March 15, the date historically linked to Caesar’s death. • Character Development Brutus – He claims that he has no reason to kill Caesar other than for the benefit of the country. His actions support this assertion when he 1. argues against Cassius that it is not necessary to kill Antony 2. that Caesar’s death should be carried out with dignity Brutus also shows that, once he becomes committed to a cause, his devotion will be unyielding. The most significant part of this scene is his decision to help lead the conspiracy because the remainder of the play will center on his actions, his justification, and the outcome of them.

Cassius – He proves his own malice against Caesar when he voices a desire to carry out the murder brutally. Additionally, he demonstrates either savvy or viciousness by expressing the desire to murder Antony, as well.

Portia – She shows tremendous devotion to her husband, so much so that her actions become irrational and dangerous. Portia exemplifies some common negative “female” attributes such as the desire to know secrets and being driven by her emotions rather than logic.