Thursday, February 18, 2010

Julius Caesar duet

Act 1.3 pages 48-50 lines 1-40
The passage we chose to do is significant because it is the storm, and it creates tension in the scene, and it shows how things are changing, nothing is going to be the same. Also it is a bit of forshadowing of the war and despair that will come after Caesar's death.
Casca had been explaining to Cassius and Brutus what had happened when Caesar returned, how he had fainted on stage from the falling sickness. Once Casca leaves, Brutus and Cassius discuss Casca, and decide to meet again later.

"A street. Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero.

Cicero: Good even, Casca:brought you Caesar home?
Why are you breathless? and why stare you so?

Casca: Are you not mov'd, when all the sway of earth
Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen
Th' ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,
To be axalted with the threat'ning clouds:
But never till tonight, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Inceses them to send destruction.

Cicero: Why, saw you any thing more wonderful?

Casca: A common slave, you know him well by sight,
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorched.
Besides (I ha' not since put up my sword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glazed upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me. And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformed with their fear, who swore they saw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.
And yesterday the bird of night did sit,
Even at noonday, upon the market place,
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say,
'These are their reasons, they are natural';
For I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate they point upon.

Cicero: Indeed, it is a strange-sidposed time:
But men may consture things, after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Comes Caesarto the Capitol tomorrow?

Casca: He doth; for he did bid Antonius
Send word to you he would be there tomorrow.

Cicero: Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky
Is not to walk in.

Casca: Farewell, Cicero.
[Exit Cicero]"
This will be done by myself and Ann-Mari.