Ib English Ioc
ACT 2 SCENE 2
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon. I'm going to tell you about the disposition of Julius Caesar’s wife Calpurnia, during the early morning hours on the Ides of March which was also the day Caesar was to be crowned king but, was assassinated instead.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The scene opens with thunder and lightning accompanied by torrential rain since the night before when Calpurnia is deeply disturbed by horrid nightmares of Caesar being slaughtered by sadistic murderers (sadistic because they were smiling when stabbing him which depicts that they were enjoying in killing him). Distraught by his wife’s premonitions, Caesar calls upon his servant to go and ask the priests to make an animal sacrifice to pacify the gods. As soon as the servant departs, Calpurnia enters the scene and orders Caesar not to step out of the house.
However, Caesar was determined to go since, he felt that all the dangers face his back but, shall disappear once they see his face. Never having believed in omens ever before, Calpurnia is highly distressed due to her nightmares and also due to the watchmen’s report of ghastly scenes sighted occurring on the street such as a lioness giving birth in the street; graves have reopened and dead people have been seen lurking around; ferocious, resolute warriors waging battle in the sky above leading to bloodshed upon the Capitol in the form of rain. They could also hear the sounds that are common to the battlefield such as the neighing of horses, the moaning of dying people and the yelping and howling of the souls of already dead men. Thus, she is trying to persuade Caesar that these happenings are quite abnormal and that she fears for him. Caesar retorts that whatever plans devised by God cannot be altered and that all the devastating effects of the portents affect not only himself but, commoners as well and hence, is firm on his decision to go to the Capitol. Calpurnia counter-retorts that these ill-fated occurrings affect only royalty and not the
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon. I'm going to tell you about the disposition of Julius Caesar’s wife Calpurnia, during the early morning hours on the Ides of March which was also the day Caesar was to be crowned king but, was assassinated instead.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The scene opens with thunder and lightning accompanied by torrential rain since the night before when Calpurnia is deeply disturbed by horrid nightmares of Caesar being slaughtered by sadistic murderers (sadistic because they were smiling when stabbing him which depicts that they were enjoying in killing him). Distraught by his wife’s premonitions, Caesar calls upon his servant to go and ask the priests to make an animal sacrifice to pacify the gods. As soon as the servant departs, Calpurnia enters the scene and orders Caesar not to step out of the house.
However, Caesar was determined to go since, he felt that all the dangers face his back but, shall disappear once they see his face. Never having believed in omens ever before, Calpurnia is highly distressed due to her nightmares and also due to the watchmen’s report of ghastly scenes sighted occurring on the street such as a lioness giving birth in the street; graves have reopened and dead people have been seen lurking around; ferocious, resolute warriors waging battle in the sky above leading to bloodshed upon the Capitol in the form of rain. They could also hear the sounds that are common to the battlefield such as the neighing of horses, the moaning of dying people and the yelping and howling of the souls of already dead men. Thus, she is trying to persuade Caesar that these happenings are quite abnormal and that she fears for him. Caesar retorts that whatever plans devised by God cannot be altered and that all the devastating effects of the portents affect not only himself but, commoners as well and hence, is firm on his decision to go to the Capitol. Calpurnia counter-retorts that these ill-fated occurrings affect only royalty and not the