Understanding Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

the long version

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar reflects perennial cultural concerns about order and freedom, particularly as they clash in the figures of Caesar and Brutus. This innovative experiment in Shakespeare literacy provides materials to provoke interpretations of the cultural meanings of Julius Caesar based on historical reactions to the play, allusions to its language, and often unconscious echoes of its symbols. Most of the materials presented here are available in no other printed form. Study questions, project ideas, and bibliographies provide additional sources for examining the cultural and historical context of the play.