Et Tu, Brute?

A stream of consciousness approach to William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

by your friendly neighborhood Sophomore English teacher

It's the end of the school year, we've administered (and didn't do that bad, might I add) the English II End of Course exam. The kids are done, we're done...what better time to introduce Julius Caesar?!

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I've always had an affinity for Brutus, thought Marc Anthony was as manipulative as Cassius and I wondered how a woman could kill herself by swallowing hot coals. Julius Caesar is not my favorite Shakespeare play. I much prefer the comedies especially Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merry Wives of Winsor, which I got to see performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican in London. Alex Jennings played Hamlet in well, Hamlet and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing at the Barbican alternating roles by the weekday...you know "Monday I'm the Prince of Denmark, Tuesday I'm sarcastic and hilarious". He still one of the top 10 Hamlets of all time, and, it's not just me that says that! I learned the word 'cuckhold' from The Merry Wives of Winsor. I learned the word 'anachronism' from Julius Caesar...why does a clock strike? Julius Caesar is not my favorite history, I much prefer any play that has the character Falstaff.

"The better part of valor is discretion"

Why is the play called Julius Caesar, he dies right in the middle...maybe it should be called Brutus. Or Pushover Women, I still can't get over the whole hot coal thing...Portia also stabs herself in the thigh, to show her loyalty to her husband, of course! NOT my favorite female character!

I really need to go to London, I saw that there are guidebooks made for visiting London with your kids, I don't think my kid is old enough to enjoy it yet, though.

If I got to teach Romeo and Juliet, I'd show the DiCaprio movie as it makes my heart sing! When I was student teaching we read Julius Caesar and did a review game for the test called "Et Tu, Shoote?" It was a basketball game. We also read Antigone. Now Antigone, that's some female character!

And, there's a fun acting project at the end, it's going to be a blast.

"I absolutely LOVE this cover!"