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Summary of Julius Caesar Act 1 and 2

In Acts 1 and 2 of Julius Caesar, tension rises as commoners celebrate Caesar's victory while tribunes express concern over his power. Cassius plots against Caesar, convincing Brutus to join the conspiracy despite Brutus's internal conflict. Despite warnings from a soothsayer, his wife Calpurnia, and a warning letter, Caesar decides to go to the Senate, setting the stage for his impending assassination.

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10 views3 pages

Summary of Julius Caesar Act 1 and 2

In Acts 1 and 2 of Julius Caesar, tension rises as commoners celebrate Caesar's victory while tribunes express concern over his power. Cassius plots against Caesar, convincing Brutus to join the conspiracy despite Brutus's internal conflict. Despite warnings from a soothsayer, his wife Calpurnia, and a warning letter, Caesar decides to go to the Senate, setting the stage for his impending assassination.

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rishysubhish22
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Summary of Julius Caesar Act 1 & Act 2

Act 1: The Rising Tension

Scene 1: The Commoners Celebrate Caesar

 The play begins on the streets of Rome, where commoners


celebrate Julius Caesar’s victory over Pompey.
 Two tribunes, Marullus and Flavius, disapprove of Caesar’s
growing power and scold the people for their fickleness.
 They remove decorations from Caesar’s statues to prevent his
growing influence.

Scene 2: Cassius Begins His Plot

 During the Feast of Lupercal, Caesar enters with his followers. A


soothsayer warns him, "Beware the Ides of March" (March 15), but
Caesar ignores it.
 Cassius, a senator, speaks to Brutus and tries to convince him that
Caesar is becoming too powerful and dangerous for Rome.
 Brutus, who loves Rome, is hesitant but agrees to consider Cassius’s
words.
 Meanwhile, Caesar notices Cassius’s ambition and tells his
friend Antony that Cassius has a “lean and hungry look,” meaning
he is dangerous.

Scene 3: The Conspiracy Grows

 A storm rages in Rome, and people see strange omens (fire falling
from the sky, a lion roaming the streets, etc.), which are believed to
warn of something terrible.
 Cassius uses the fear of bad omens to further convince Casca and
other conspirators that Caesar must be stopped.
 They decide to recruit Brutus into their conspiracy because he is
respected by the people

Act 2: The Conspiracy Takes Shape

Scene 1: Brutus Joins the Conspirators


 Brutus is troubled and debates whether killing Caesar is the right
thing to do. He finally decides that Caesar must die to prevent him
from becoming a tyrant.
 Cassius and the other conspirators arrive at Brutus’s house and
finalize their plan.
 They debate whether they should kill Antony too, but Brutus
refuses, saying Antony is harmless without Caesar.
 Brutus’s wife Portia notices his stress and demands to know what is
troubling him.

Scene 2: Caesar Ignores Warnings

 Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, has a nightmare about his death and


begs him not to go to the Senate.
 The priests also warn Caesar not to go because they find bad omens
in their sacrifice.
 At first, Caesar listens to Calpurnia, but Decius, one of the
conspirators, flatters him and convinces him that the dream was a
good sign.
 Caesar decides to go to the Senate, ignoring all warnings.

Scene 3: The Warning Letter

 Artemidorus, a Roman teacher, writes a letter warning Caesar


about the conspiracy.
 He plans to give it to Caesar on his way to the Senate.

Scene 4: Portia’s Anxiety

 Portia is extremely worried about Brutus and sends their servant,


Lucius, to check on him.
 She also meets the soothsayer, who says he fears something bad
will happen to Caesar.

Conclusion of Acts 1 & 2

 The conspirators are ready to kill Caesar, and Brutus has joined
them.
 Despite multiple warnings (the soothsayer, Calpurnia’s dream,
Artemidorus’s letter), Caesar ignores them all and prepares to go to
the Senate.
 The assassination is about to take place in Act 3.

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