This takes place on a street in ancient Rome. Flavius and Marullus, two tribunes of Rome, stop a group of workmen and ask them to name their trades. The first commoner answers straightforwardly, but the second commoner answers that he is a cobbler and that they all have gathered to see Caesar and rejoice in his triumph over Pompey. Marullus reminds the workmen of the great Pompey, whose triumphs they once cheered. He then commands them to return to their homes to ask forgiveness to the gods for their offensive ingratitude. Then Flavius asked Marullus to help him remove the ceremonial decorations that have been placed on public statues in honor of Caesar's triumph. Marullus had doubts about that because the Feast of Lupercal is being celebrated. Yet Flavius said that all the decorations must be removed so to prevent Caesar from being a godlike tyrant.

Caesar calls his wife, Calpurnia, and tells her to stand where Mark Antony can touch her as he passes while he is running in the traditional footrace of the Lupercal. Caesar believes that if a childless woman is touched by one of the runners, she will lose her sterility. A soothsayer appears from the crowd warning Caesar to "Beware of the Ides of March," but Caesar ignores him and leaves.

Cassius and Brutus are left behind. Cassius begins to probe Brutus about his feeling towards Caesar and the fact that Caesar can possibly be a dictator in Rome. It has been obvious that Brutus has been disturbed by this. Cassius reminds him that Caesar is a mortal like them with ordinary human weaknesses. He also says that he'd rather die than see Caesar rule. He also reminds Brutus about his ancestors. He tells Brutus to serve the country the same way his ancestors did. During this conversation, they hear shouts and sounds of trumpets. Caesar passes by and tells Mark Antony that he is very suspicious of Cassius. "Such men are dangerous."

Cassius and Brutus stop Casca to talk to him. He tells them that Mark Antony offered the crown to Caesar three times, but Caesar rejected it each time and then fell down in a seizure. They then all agree to think about the situation further. Everyone leaves excepts Cassius and he gives a brief soliloquy indicating his plans to have Brutus join the conspiracy against Caesar.

Cicero and Casca meet on a street in Rome that evening. There has been a terrible storm and Casca describes to Cicero the different unusual phenomena such as an owl hooting at noon at the marketplace, and many more. Cicero leaves and Cassius enters. He claims that these phenomena are warnings that Caesar threatens to destroy the republic. He gets Casca to join in the conspiracy by telling Casca that he is a slave of Caesar and he's not man enough to join in. This intimidated Casca to participate in the conspiracy. Cinna enters and Cassius asks him to put several pieces of paper with messages in different places where Brutus will discover it. The messages are supposed to be from the citizens stating their negative feelings about Caesar and that they love Brutus. The three conspirators then decide to meet with others of their party (Decius Brutus, Trebonius, and Metellus Cimber) at Pompey's Porch.

This scene takes place in the night and Brutus is in his orchard. He impatiently calls his servant, Lucius, and sends him to light a candle in his study. When Lucius is gone, Brutus recites a soliloquy. He says that he has "no personal cause to spurn at " Caesar, except "for the general." He is trying to say that he has no personal reasons to clash swords with Caesar, its solely for the welfare of the people. He is afraid the after he is "augmented" (crowned), his character will change, for it is in the nature of things that power produces tyranny. This is when he decides to join the conspiracy because he says, "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, Which hatch'd would, as his kind, grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell. Lucius re-enters and gives Brutus a letter which he has found. Then all the conspirators arrive. All of them are disguised except for Cassius and this is when Brutus recites another soliloquy about "Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free?" Cassius decides that they should seal their compact with an oath, but Brutus feels that honorable men acting in a just cause need no such bond. Brutus also persuades the conspirators to exclude Cicero. Cassius then suggests that they kill Mark Antony along with Caesar, but Brutus objects to this as being to bloody and he urges that they be "sacrificers, but not butchers."

The conspirators leave and Lucius has fallen asleep. Portia, his wife, enters. She has been disturbed and concerned by her husband's strange behavior. She demands to know what is troubling him. She reminds Brutus that she is Cato's daughter which raises her quality of mind above ordinary women and that she is his wife, not his harlot. Brutus was very impressed by her speech and he promised to tell her what's been going on.

Portia exits and Lucius is awakened. He brings in Caius Ligarius who has been sick, but Ligarius says that he wants to follow Brutus in his noble endeavor. They then leave together.

This scene takes place in Caesar's house during a night of thunder and lightning. Caesar is talking about the weather and his wife, Calpurnia, having nightmares of him being murdered. He sends a servant to go to a priest to perform a sacrifice. Calpurnia enters and tells Caesar not to leave home today. She describes the unnatural phenomena that has caused her to believe in omens. Caesar explains that what the gods have destined cannot be avoided and he will go out. Caesar said that fear of death is senseless since men cannot avoid its inevitability. The servant comes back to tell Caesar that the priests could not find a heart in the sacrificed beast and that he should stay home today. Caesar rejects their interpretation and decides to go anyway, but Calpurnia finally does persuade him to stay at home and have Antony tell the senators that he is sick. This is when Decius enters, and Caesar decided to send the message with him. Decius asks about Caesar failure to attend today's session, and Caesar simply says to tell them that he will not come. That is enough to satisfy the senate. He then privately tells Decius the truth about Calpurnia's dreams in which many smiling Romans dipped their hands in blood flowing from a statue of him. Decius, knowing that Caesar is susceptible to flattery, re-interprets the dream as symbolic of Caesar's blood reviving Rome. The smiling Romans are seeking distinctive vitality from the great Caesar. Decius also claimed that the senate will ridicule Caesar for being governed by his wife's dreams. The shamed Caesar decides to go.

All the conspirators, except Cassius, enter and Brutus reminds Caesar that it is after eight o'clock. They leave to go to the capitol together. Brutus grieves when he realizes that all of Caesar's apparent friends are not true friends.

Artemidorus enters a street near the Capitol reading from a paper which warns Caesar of danger and which names each of the conspirators. He intends to give the letter to Caesar, and he reasons that Caesar may survive if the fates do not ally themselves with the conspirators.

Portia and Lucius enter the street in front of Brutus's house and Portia is extremely excited. She suggests that Brutus has told her his plans (which he hasn't), and she keeps giving Lucius incomplete instructions to run errands to the Capitol. She tries to maintain self-control, and she reacts violently to imagined noises that seem to emanate from the Capitol. A Soothsayer enters and says that he is on his way to Caesar enter the Senate House. He tells Portia what may happen to Caesar. He then leaves to try to find a place where he can speak to Caesar. Portia sends Lucius to give her greetings to Brutus and to tell him that she is in good spirits, then to report back immediately to her.

This means exactly what it is stating, who is more important, America or a friend? I feel that one should be more loyal to your friend than your country because to me your friend will always be there for you and sometimes you don't always agree for what your country stands for or represents. Just because I'm an American that doesn't mean that I am completely loyal to my country. For instance, I don't believe in war, especially the reasons why this country enters war, so I would rather visit a friend in another country than stay in the country and fight. As you can see I'm not very patriotic.

In Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the firefighter who is the main character, would rather have his books and listen to his friends than listen to the government who has censored books. The setting of this literary work is a time where books are censored and the only people who have books are hiding them, such as scholars and old professors. These people loved books when they were still permitted to own them, now something that can enlighten people are banned by the government. The main character was more loyal to his friend, the books.

To me this means that some people have their own personal goals and that is their priority. Government officials, for instance, have their own goals and ambitions in mind. These ambitions need to be controlled before it gets out of hand. This is not always so for government officials. This statement can be related to those who run a company, or run an organization. If they don't control their ambitions it can disrupt the way they run the state, company, or organization.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare can help me prove this statement. In this play, MacBeth had his own goals to be king. He would do anything for the throne, even kill King Duncan. By uncontrollably acting in this manner, he became king, which caused a series of events to happen. This caused unhappiness within him and his wife and at the end his head was cut off his body and this was all because of his tragic flaw.

This means that if you have many aspirations and strong objectives, it will eventually lead to misfortune and calamity. I disagree with this statement because you need to have many goals in life to succeed. To me there is no such thing as too much ambition, only too little effort. The only way that it inevitably leads to disaster is if the person has unrealistic or unpure goals. What I mean by unrealistic is things that can only be accomplished by a miracle. And when I say unpure, I mean bad deeds.

I can prove this through Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. Milkman, the main character, had ambitions to find out about his past. Some would have told him not to, it was too risky and dangerous. Learning about his past was very important to him. He needed to do what he did no matter what. He accomplished what he needed.

This means that politicians are phony and couldn't care less about the issues they speak about. The only thing they care for is the power they receive when they gain that seat in office. Generally this is true. But I, who aspire to become a politician, feel that this statement is unjust. I am a truthful person and I believe that everyone is different. People should never be prejudged and categorized because of what they are.

This can be proved in The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Malcolm X is a politician in my definition of a politician. He was not concerned with power. That was something he earned easily. He was concerned about America, religion, African Americans, and racism. He was a great man, yet that was not realized by much of the public when he was still around. They thought that he just wanted power and trouble. He was searching for the opposite, he was searching for peace. Malcolm X was a politician searching for rights for the African American population.

This statement means that once violence strikes, and if it is continued it can continue for a long time. I agree with this statement. I am against violence. If someone hits me, I will be the mature one to just walk away because I know that if I continue, so will the other person and so on. I am actually speaking from experience

This can be proven in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In this play, there is hostility and violence between two families. But when a member of one family falls in love with a member of the opposing family, that caused problems. These problems caused hostility and violence and that caused more violence and so on. The ending was not where they lived happily ever after.

This statement means that someone who is a coy can be easily commanded and told what to do. To dig deeper, someone who is very susceptible by others is cowardly. I disagree with this statement because everyone has been manipulated once in their life. It is not because we are dumb, but because we are humans and humans make mistakes. Some cowards are actually sly and manipulate others rather than others manipulating them.

In Antigone by Sophocles, Ismene is the coward for she did not commit the deed of burying her brothers yet she claimed she did. She was a coward who could not be easily manipulated by her sister Antigone to do a deed such as burying her own brother. She was too afraid of authority and she ended up being very depressed.

This statement, which was said by Julius Caesar himself, means that you should not fear death since it is inescapable. It will come when it will come. Those who fear death are dying while they speak. They are not living their life as it is. They are scared that if they do this or if they do that they might die. These people are cowards. Brave men only die once, and that is when they are actually dying.

This can be proven in The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Celie is actually waiting for death. She is not afraid of it because she knows that it will come. She is living a life that she does not like. She is not happy. She is brave by struggling through her whole life. She did not take the easy way out. This makes her valiant.

I agree with this statement which means that everyone, even the most highly recognized people are human which means that they are not perfect. They have weak spots just like everyone else. And just like the rest of the population these flaws that they have may threaten their success or even destroy them.

This statement is true in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The main character was born into a family where he could not inherit anything from his loser of a father. His father was known as a loser in the village. Even though everyone inherited their success, the main character worked hard to achieve his success and accomplished a lot. Many people looked up to him in the village. His only flaw was his fear of ending up like his father. This fear developed into several situations that occurred through a chain reaction of events that led him to committing suicide.

I agree with this statement which, to me, means that when authority is not given any respect and attention that it needs, the rest of society will break down. Laws are needed to keep things in order, to maintain order.

In The Catcher in The Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield never listened to what society says you are "supposed to do." He paid no mind to authority throughout the novel. He was very rebellious and at the end he almost breaks down.

I feel that I have achieved a lot during this marking period, which has only been approximately a month and a half. I see myself as a leader and this marking period I have truly felt that I have matured and grown. I had a free period this semester and I decided to put an English class in its place. Most students would not do what I did. Also, I have achieved a lot in my service towards the school and the community. I help out with the blind for approximately 12 hours a month. I am also achieving many leadership skills through DECA, student government, the Financial Women's Association, my mentor, and much more. This semester I feel that I have grown a lot. I have matured and I am molding myself into a wonderful young lady.

Calpurnia: What is wrong with thou this evening, Portia?

Portia: Why dost thou ask? Does it seemeth that I have a conflict?

Calpurnia: Thou hasn'st eaten and thou hasn'st spoke much. There is something hiding within thy's heart. I am your friend and I demand that thou tell me what is going on?

Portia: I have a secret which I swore not to tell.

Calpurnia: Is it a secret worth not telling a friend? If thy secret is something worth telling, do not keep it within for you may feel guilt. I learned that from my husband.

Portia: Dear Calpurnia, if I should tell you the story I have learned, you must swear to me that you will not reveal such to any being.

Calpurnia: That I cannot promise.

Portia: Well I must tell someone, so it shall be you. It may be too late for Brutus is probably committing the deed now as we speak. A conspiracy against Caesar was arranged for today by many of his friends, Caesar is loved, but Rome more.

Calpurnia: How could you know such yet not let me know!!! My mate is to die, yet my best friend is to leave away my knowledge of it! Then thou is not a companion! I refuse to associate with such a person. Leave immediately!

Portia: If I would have known you to take it so harshly, I would not have spoken of it...

Calpurnia: Leave at once. If my husband dies, we shall never speak again!

composite (adj.) - made up of separate parts or elements.

The composite rock is formed with cement.

deposition (noun) - an accumulation.

The organization was able to function because of the deposition of money.

exponent (noun) - a person who represents or speaks for something they believe in.

I am an exponent of Islamic beliefs.

imposter (noun) - person who disguises his/her identity.

Some people prefer to save money and buy imposter perfume.

juxtapositon (noun) - close together; side by side; contiguity.

The cup and plate should be placed juxtaposition.

proposition (noun) - a scheme or proposal, offered for consideration or acceptance.

Cassius devised a proposition to kill Caesar.

propound (verb) - to offer for consideration, solution, etc.

The conspiracy was propounded to Brutus by Cassius and he seemed very convincing.

repository (noun) - a place in which goods may be stored.

My closet is my repository for my clothing and accessories.

supposition (noun) - assumption (comes from word suppose)

His supposition that I was guilty was incorrect.

opposition (noun) - the condition of being against.

My mother's opposition of abortion has influenced me.

pancity (noun) - very small amount

I received a pancity amount of candy from my cheap friend.

proliferate (verb) - to create or reproduce rapidly.

You must proliferate your college essay because it is due tomorrow.

appreciable (adj.) - visible, measurable, more than enough.

I was served an appreciable amount of coffee that I could not fall asleep.

breadth (noun) - measure or distance from side to side.

The breadth of the skirt was insufficient to cover her legs.

copious (adj.) - a large amount.

I inherited a copious amount of money when my uncle died.

negligible (adj.) - a small amount; unimportant.

He had a negligible amount of work done, so he failed.

inordinate (adj.) - very special.

My ring is something very inordinate to me.

innumerable (adj.) - unable to count; a lot.

The population of students who do not attend school on an everyday basis is innumerable.

brook (verb) - to allow; to put up with; to tolerate.

If I was a teacher, I would not brook students to be rude.

cogitation (noun) - the act of thinking. Consideration; reflection; thought.

Our cogitation led us to believe that we were wrong about the accusation.

infirmity (noun) - a physical disability or weakness; loss of mobility.

His infirmity caused him to be dependant on a nurse.

malady (noun) - a disease or illness.

Her mental malady was the reason why she committed suicide.

susceptible (adj) - likely to be influence by others.

Caesar is very susceptible to flattery, that was his tragic flaw.

virulent (adj.) - extremely harmful.

The virulent infection was not able to be healed.

pallor (noun) - the state of being pale.

After getting drunk and throwing up, the crowd got pallor

epidermis (noun) - the outer covering of the skin.

If your epidermis is dirty, that might cause pimples.

enervate (verb) - to deprive someone of energy; to weaken.

It is impossible to enervate someone like me.

nutrient (noun) - something that nourishes.

It is very imperative that you get enough nutrients each day.

In Ms.Wu's English Level 4 class I have learned a lot about literary concepts. Literary concepts are important when analyzing a novel, story, poem, or play. By learning about these concepts you will develop a better and deeper comprehension of what you are reading. You learn about how the author portrays a character and why certain events are occuring.

We have learned many types different of literary concepts such as: pun (double meaning), metaphor (comparison using like or as), foreshadowing (hinting the future), personification (giving something human traits), hyperbole (exaggeration), characterization (ways that an author portrays a character), soliloquy (monolouge, revealing inner thoughts), allusions (refering to the past), conflicts (problems), rhetorics (persuasion), tragic hero, tragic fault, imagery (setting), diction (language), theme, verbal irony, dramatic irony (characters are unaware yet the audience is), situational irony, and suspense (grasping the attention of the audience).

These concepts are helping me understand the play Julius Caesar more. Through the discussions in class, we analyze the story through these literary concepts and this helps us interpret who, what, where, when, why, and how.

E4-01 Farhanna Balgahoom

Ms. Wu March 20, 1998

Reading and Writing for Literary Response and Expression

In Thomas Hardy's poem, "The Man He Killed", and Mark Twain's story, The History of a Campaign That Failed, both authors expressed their feelings about war. Both Hardy and Twain felt that war is the killing of strangers whom, in other circumstances, you would help if you found them in trouble. In both selections there are several similarities and differences. Each author uses specific literary elements and techniques to help convey their feelings about war in the two selections.

As mentioned earlier, there are several similarities and several differences in both selections. Both are similar in that they speak of war on a more personal basis. Instead of a war between nations, they focused on a war between individuals and their feelings of killing a complete stranger. In Twain's selection, the narrator seemed eager about war in the beginning, whereas in Hardy's selection the narrator was in war only because he had to for financial reasons.

In "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy, the narrator speaks about the victim he shot. He says "I shot him dead because-- Because he was my foe... He thought he would sign up, perhaps Off-hand like--just as I; Was out of work... No other reason why." The narrator is stating that he merely shot him because he was supposed to, because that was what he was trained to do, paid to do. The narrator then places himself in the victim's shoes and wonders if the victim had joined the infantry because he was stuck and out of work just like he. He then wonders that if they met in a bar they would presumably be friends, not foes. They would probably even help each other out. This put a sense of guilt in the narrator.

In The History of a Campaign that Failed by Mark Twain, he wrote about his own personal experiences during the civil war. He was eager at first, but as rumors about the enemies approaching came around he felt uneasy. What was ironic was that the narrator shot at a man who was not in uniform and not armed. He was just a stranger in the country. The author's characterization of the main character showed us that he was not proud of what he has done. He shows the narrator as someone caring because at the end he defines war as "the killing of strangers against whom you feel no personal animosity. Strangers whom, in other circumstances, you would help if you found them in trouble, and would help you if you needed it."

In conclusion, both Thomas Hardy and Mark Twain share similar feelings about war. They both feel that if they knew the person under different circumstances they would probably be friends instead of foes. They dislike killing a stranger, someone who has done them no harm.