3 Ways to Unlock Characterization in Julius Caesar [Free PDF]

First performed in 1599, Julius Caesar is often dubbed Shakespeare's most rhetorical play, making it ripe for literary and theatrical analysis.

But the many complex characters in this five-act play can also confuse students, making it harder to engage (and excite) them in the material.

Here are three ways you can approach character analysis with your ELA or Theatre students...

(Find a free resource to support character analysis in Julius Caesar at the end of this blog!)

Reframe Julius Caesar in the 21st Century

At the heart of Julius Caesar is the plot to kill Caesar on the Ides of March, inspiring the iconic line, "Et tu, Brute?" in Act 3, Scene 1.

While students might not relate to an assassination plot, or having the fate of the Roman Empire on their shoulders, you can introduce these same plot points in modern terms to support their comprehension.

As ELA teacher Laura Sheridan explained in our Teaching Tragic Heroes Professional Development course:

"If you can get students to understand that they already 'get' the personal choices these characters are making, then the story becomes accessible."

Ask your students:

• Raise your hand if you've ever felt betrayed
• Raise your hand if you've ever felt self-conscious
• Raise your hand if you've ever felt misjudged

Starting with these common emotions helps students see the similarities (or differences) between themselves and the characters. This helps them to understand the traits of key characters like Caesar, Brutus, and Mark Antony.

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Encourage participation with a Shakespeare Circle

Another way to remove any fear or uncertainty is with a Shakespeare Circle:

• Have your students form a circle in the center of the room
• Go around the circle and ask each student to say any word or phrase that comes to mind when they think of the statement, 'Julius Caesar is...'
• Repeat this exercise with specific characters, or groups of secondary roles (i.e. The Conspirators, The Tribunes, or The People of Rome)

You might choose to contribute words or traits that you want students to start thinking about for future lessons. For example, does Shakespeare write Caesar as a 'God', or a 'Man'?

Encourage students to think about Julius Caesar's character traits. What does it mean that he is superstitious, but still ignores the Soothsayer's warning to "Beware the Ides"?

Remember, there are no wrong answers in this activity. Even simple descriptions can help us understand characters better in future lessons!

You can see this exercise in action in the Shakespeare In Your Space Workshop

Support Active Recall with Character Cards

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar contains a varied cast of characters, and it can be tricky to remember the individual traits of each character.

Research shows that character cards support active recall and improve comprehension, and there are plenty of ways to incorporate them into your lessons:

1. Guess the Character: In pairs, ask one student to read out key facts, while their partner tries to guess the character being described.
2. Character Hot Seat: Use these cards as a jumping-off point for in-character improv games (this works well as a Class Starter!)
3. Character Profiles: Assign each student a character from the play. Ask them to rewrite the information on their card as a Julius Caesar 'Character Profile', diving into the inner motivations of each character.

• Explore the Julius Caesar Collection on DT+, including four unique productions, 'Unlocked' Julius Caesar Study Guides, and much more...
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