Study Questions
1. How does Brutus justify the killing of Caesar to the people of Rome?

2. What is the crowd’s reaction to Brutus’ speech?

3. What two reasons does Antony give to prove Caesar wasn’t ambitious?

4. How does Antony use irony in his funeral speech?

5. What is the pun Antony uses in line 114 of Scene 3?

6. How does Antony use Caesar’s cloak to manipulate the crowd?

7. How does Antony say that Caesar died?

8. What is the news that the messenger brings to Antony at the end of the scene?

9. Why is Cinna out on the streets?

10. What is the excuse the mob uses to kill Cinna?

Answers
1. Caesar was ambitious and Brutus says he killed him because he loved Rome more than Caesar.

2. They want to erect statues in his honor and make him king.

3. Caesar was too sensitive and cried when he saw the poor crying. “Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.” (Sc. 2, 101) Also, Caesar refused the crown three times when Antony offered it to him on the feast of Lupercal.

4. He uses the words “honorable men” repeatedly, twisting the meaning so the crowd understands that he means the exact opposite.

5. He uses the phrase “brutish beasts,” a pun on Brutus’ name and his bestial behavior in killing Caesar.

6. He points out the rips in the cloak and describes where each of the conspirators stabbed Caesar, even though he wasn’t there to witness the event.

7. He says that Caesar died of a broken heart when he was stabbed by Brutus who was Caesar’s angel (best friend).

8. Octavius is outside of Rome, and Brutus and Cassius have fled the city.

9. He is on his way to Caesar’s funeral, driven out of doors by some unknown force.

10. They kill him for writing bad poetry.