Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CALPURNIA

in Julius Caesar — Shakespeare, William

Metadata

PlayJulius Caesar
AuthorShakespeare, William
Year (catalogued)1623
First performance1599
Decade1620s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyLord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
Speech prefix(es)Calp. | Cal.
Words207
Characters1082
Typicality0.30 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.30
BritDrama no.1198
ClusterCluster 22 — Ghosts, curses & horror voices

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Here my Lord. Caesar, I never stood on Ceremonies, Yet now they fright me: There is one within, Beside the things that we have herd and seen, Recounts most horrid sights seen by the Watch. A Lionnesse hath whelped in the streets, And Graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead; Fierce fiery Warriors fight upon the Clouds In Ranks and Squadrons, and right form of War Which drizel'd blood upon the Capitol: The noise of Battle hurtled in the Air: Horses do neigh, and dying men did groan, And Ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. Oh Caesar, these things are beyond all use. And I do fear them. When Beggars die, there are no Comets seen, The Heavens themselves blaze forth the death of Princes Alas my Lord, Your wisdom is consumed in confidence: Do not go forth to day: Call it my fear, That keeps you in the house, and not your own. We'll send Mark Antony to the Senate house, And he shall say; you are not well to day: Let me upon my knee, prevail in this. Say he is sick. What mean you Caesar ? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house to day.

Plot summary

Plot — Julius Caesar
Caesar returns to Rome triumphant over Pompey. He is warned to beware the Ides of March, and later offered the crown, which he refuses. Meanwhile Cassius sounds out Brutus’ attitude to Caesar’s ambition, and determines to screw him up to conspiracy. Supernatural portents disturb the night before the Ides of March. Brutus convinces himself that Caesar must be assassinated to prevent him establishing himself as a monarch. The conspirators meet at his house, and Brutus insists on limiting the scope of the plot. Cicero is not to be taken into their confidence, Mark Antony is to be spared, and only Caesar murdered. After the conspirators have left, Portia forces Brutus to take her into his confidence. The portents and Calpurnia’s anxiety persuade Caesar to stay at home, but Decius convinces him to go to the Senate as arranged. Artemidorus tries to give him a letter warning against the conspirators, but he refuses to read it. He is stabbed to death, and confusion ensues. Against Cassius’ wishes, Brutus agrees that Antony may speak at Caesar’s funeral. Brutus’ speech justifying the assassination temporarily convinces the mob, but Antony’s rhetoric, and a bequest in Caesar’s will, turns them against the conspirators. Brutus and Cassius flee Rome. In the riots that follow, the conspirators’ houses are burned and Cinna the poet killed, mistaken for the conspirator of the same name. Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus seize power, draw up a death list, and make preparations for war with Brutus and Cassius. Portia commits suicide. Brutus and Cassius quarrel, but reconcile themselves as friends. They determine to give battle at Philippi rather than waiting for Antony and Octavius to come to them at Sardis. Brutus is visited by Caesar’s ghost, which tells him that they will meet again at Philippi. The two armies face off at Philippi, and Cassius, mistakenly thinking that his side is beaten, commits suicide. Once the day really is lost, Brutus has difficulty in finding a friend willing to help him do the same; finally Strato holds his sword while he runs on it and dies. Antony and Octavius, victorious, pay him tribute and promise him an honourable burial.