What’s it all about?
Julius Caesar returns victorious from war, but power has made him
ruthless and cold-hearted. A group of noblemen, led by the
scheming Cassius and the naïve Brutus, conspire and plot to
murder Caesar and bring peace to the land. Shakespeare’s
political thriller is an exciting tale of power, ambition and murder.
Before reading…
Ask the children to look at the front cover. What do you think the
book will be about? What things can you see on the front cover?
What sort of story will it be? Who might enjoy it?

Look carefully at the cast list. Draw lines to match the name of the character to their role in the story.

Julius Caesar                        Caesar’s close friend
Mark Antony                        Victorious Roman general and senator
Brutus                                    General and conspirator against Julius Caesar
Cassius                                  A noble-man who is well-respected
Octavius                                Conspirator and Roman nobleman
Dessius                                 Julius Caesar’s adopted son
Strato                                    Servant

Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look:
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous
(Caesar, Act 1 Scene 2)

Who is Caesar talking about? What is a ‘lean and hungry look’?
How can thinking too much be dangerous? What impression do you get of Cassius?

Do you think Caesar trusts him? What role might Cassius play in the play?

Pages 7 – 16

Vocabulary 

What is a ‘Consul’ (pg 8)?
Replace the words in bold with synonyms: Caesar glared coldly at the old
man, scowled and then said, “I fear nothing!”
Find and copy a word on page 12 that means the same as ‘jealousy’.
Write a definition of the word ‘tyrant’ (pg 14).

Infer 

What might Caesar be thinking and feeling on page 9 as the crowds cheer?
What might Caesar be thinking and feeling when the old man warns him?
How do you know the crowd is shocked on page 10?
What are your first impressions of Caesar?
Read page 13. Why do you think Brutus is concerned about what sort of
king Caesar will be?

Predict

Read to the end of page 11. What might happen to Caesar on the Ides of
March?
Read to the end of page 14. What do you think Cassius will suggest to stop
Caesar?

Explain 

What makes Caesar a brilliant general?
Why is Caesar likened to an eagle?
What does the old man mean when he says, “Beware the Ides of March!”
(The Ides of March refer to a day in the Roman calendar linked to March
15th)
Explain why the noblemen will follow Brutus.

Retrieve

Why are the streets lined with bustling crowds?

How do the crowds show their gratitude towards Caesar?
Who are the nobles who will join Brutus in killing Caesar?

Summarise 

Write a summary of the story so far in five sentences.
Summarise the character of Cassius using three words. Compare your ideas
with a partner.
Re-write pages 7-16 from Brutus’s point of view.

Pages 17 – 22

Vocabulary 

Find and copy a word on page 17 that is similar in meaning to ‘thought’.
What is a ‘Senate’?
Write a definition of the following words: banished, forgiveness, spite,conspirators.

Infer 

What might Brutus be thinking and feeling when he hears that Caesar has
been offered the royal crown?
Why is Brutus’s face ‘deathly pale’ on page 18?
What might Brutus be thinking and feeling when Metellus suggests they kill Mark Anthony as well?
What might Cassius be thinking and feeling on page 22 when he says, “As you wish, Brutus”?

Predict 

Read to the end of page 17. What might the alarming news be?
Read to the end of page 22. Do you think the conspirators will go ahead
with their plan?

Explain 

Explain how power has changed Caesar.
When Cassius is persuading Brutus to kill Caesar he says:
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (I,ii)
Is it fate that makes people do things? How are Brutus and Cassius
‘underlings’ to Caesar? Are all people born free? Are Cassius and Brutus
right to consider killing Caesar if he is becoming a ruthless tyrant?
How is Caesar like a ‘deadly snake’ (pg 17)?
Do you agree with Brutus that they are acting for the good of Rome?

Retrieve 

What alarming news does Brutus receive?
Why do the conspirators meet in Brutus’s garden?
Metellus asks if Mark Anthony will be killed too. Why?
Complete the missing words: The conspirators meet in Brutus’s ___________
and plan to _______ Caesar at the __________ House, while ____________
begs forgiveness for his ___________ who has been banished.

Summarise 

Re-read pages 19-22 and write a summary of the plan to kill Caesar.
Re-write the events on these pages as if you were Cassius.

Pages 22 – 27

Vocabulary 

Find and copy a word on page 23 that means the same as ‘asked’.
What is a ‘prophecy’?
Write a definition of the following words: declared, mock, coward, accept

Infer 

Why is Decius ‘bewildered and dismayed’ (pg 22)?
What might Caesar be thinking and feeling when Decius suggests he will be
called a coward (pg 26)?
What might Decius be thinking and feeling when Caesar agrees to visit the
Senate?

Predict

Read to the end of page 24, do you think Caesar will stay at home or be
persuaded by Decius to visit the Senate?
Read to the end of page 27. Do you think Caesar will accept the offer of
the crown?
What do you think Calpurnia will do when she hears Caesar has left to go to
the Senate?

Explain 

When re-telling her dream, Calpurnia says to Caesar:
“The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.”
What terrible things does Calpurnia see in her dream?
What does Caesar mean when he says, “Brave men only die once” (pg27)?

Retrieve 

Who is Decius?
What is the name of Caesar’s wife?
Why does Caesar intend to cancel the visit to the Senate?
How does Decius re-interpret Calpurnia’s dream?

Summarise 

Write a summary of Calpurnia’s dream.
Write a summary of how Decius convinces Caesar to visit the Senate.

Pages 28 – 37

Vocabulary 

Replace the words in bold with synonyms: Metellus sprang to his feet, and
thrust his blade into Caesar’s body. Caesar staggered back, then fell dead.
What does ‘held his tongue’ (pg 37) mean?

Infer 

Underline a word or phrase on page 28 that tells us Caesar is popular.
What might Caesar be thinking and feeling when he sees the nobles
blocking the doorway?
What might Caesar be thinking and feeling when Brutus stabs him?
What are your first impressions of Mark Antony?

Predict 

Read to the end of page 29. What do you think Caesar will say to Metellus?
Read to the end of page 33. Do you think Caesar’s death will bring peace
and freedom?
What do you think Mark Antony will say in his speech?
How do you think the people will react when they hear Caesar has been
killed?

Explain 

In the play, when Brutus stabs Caesar, Caesar says: “Et tu, Brute?” (III, i). How
might an actor say this line? Trying saying it in a number of different ways –
shocked, scared, angry, resigned.
Look at page 33. Why do you think Brutus presses his hands into Caesar’s
blood and holds his hands high?
Who do you think is to blame for Caesar’s death? Use evidence from the
text to support your answer.
What makes a great public speaker?

Retrieve 

What is the name of Metellus’s brother?

Who stabs Caesar first?
What does Brutus do after he stabs Caesar?
Complete the missing words: Mark Anthony asks to take ________ body to
the _____________ and say something in his ______________.

Summarise 

Re-write this part of the story from Mark Anthony’s point of view.
Summarise the story so far in five sentences.

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