Friday, June 11, 2010

Tragedy and the Common Man

Here is the link for the essay you'll need for your exam.

http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/milleressay.htm

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

vocab for Friday, 5/21

Word Wealth
Part III: unit 8

Distinctive Nouns

1. Amenity- a pleasing way or custom
2. Criterion- a basis or standard for judgment
3. Hyperbole- exaggeration for effect
4. Integrity- moral soundness, uprightness
5. Intuition- instinctive knowledge
6. Nonchalance- indifference, unconcern
7. Optimism- tendency to take the most hopeful view
8. Pertinacity- stubborn perseverance
9. Pessimism- tendency to expect the worst
10. Rapacity- violence or greed, eagerness for plunder

Precise Adjectives

11. Clandestine- secret, stealthy
12. Coherent- sticking together, connected
13. Compatible- capable of being harmonized
14. Concomitant- an attendant condition, varying at the same rate
15. Crucial- supremely important or decisive, severe
16. Deleterious- harmful to health, injurious
17. Impervious- impenetrable, unaffected by
18. Iridescent- glistening with colors, glittering
19. Peremptory- imperative, positive, dictatorial
20. Specious- fair-seeming, deceptive, plausible but not genuine

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Julius Caesar Paper

Julius Caesar paper assignment
Ms. Ware
English 10

1. The conspirators convince Brutus to kill Caesar because he might become power hungry. Using both the play and modern society as examples, explain how this idea is relevant today.

a. SAMPLE: People often take action based on assumptions. This is true in modern society as well as Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar.

2. The plebeians first agree with everything that Brutus says at Caesar’s funeral. However, when Antony speaks he convinces them of the exact opposite. Using both the play and modern society as examples, explain how people can be naïve and easily persuaded.

a. SAMPLE: People can be easily persuaded by people who they believe hold authority. The plebeians in Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar quickly change alliances at Caesar’s funeral while people in modern society are easily persuaded by politicians and the media.

3. The conspirators assume that Caesar will not be a good leader. What are the characteristics of a good leader?
a. Political leaders need to strong but sensitive to the needs of their people, stern with their enemies but forgiving and flexible. These qualities are necessary both in modern society as well as Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar.

4. A tragic hero has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a situation where he cannot win. He has some sort of tragic flaw, a serious error in judgment and this causes his fall from greatness. Even though he is a fallen hero, he still wins a moral victory and the audience is sympathetic. In what way is Brutus a tragic hero?
a. SAMPLE: Brutus is a tragic hero because the audience realizes that he does what he thinks is right, realizes that he’s done wrong once it is too late and his life ends tragically.

Reading GSEs
10-5.1-3 14.2
Writing GSEs
10-1.1-4 2.1,3 3.1a2-4 4.1-3,6 9.1-3,5 Student learning expectations
A2- response to literature

P.S. Sorry this took so long to post

Friday, May 7, 2010

Julius Caesar Act III Reading Questions

Scene 1:
1. What reason does Caesar give for not reading Artemidorus’s letter?
2. What Roles do the following characters play in the conspiracy?
Trebonius:
Metellus Cimber:
Casca:
3. What is Caesar’s opinion of himself?
4. What does “Et tu, Brute?” mean? How do these words relate to the theme of friendship in the play?
5. Where does Caesar’s dead body lie? How is this ironic?
6. What does Brutus tell the conspirators to do after killing Caesar?
7. After being assured he is in no danger, what favor does Antony ask of the conspirators?
8. What does Cassius think about granting Antony this favor?

Scene 2:
1. According to Brutus’s speech to the commoners, what reasons does he give for Caesar’s death?
2. What is the mood of the crowd as Brutus finishes his speech?
3. What does Brutus offer at the end of his speech?
4. List three points of Antony’s speech that work to persuade the crowd to turn on the conspirators.
5. What reason does Antony give for why he cannot read Caesar’s will?
6. How does the crowd react to Antony’s speech?

Scene 3:
1. What happens to Cinna the Poet? Why?

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Julius Caeser Act II Reading Questions

Scene 1:
1. According to Brutus, why is it is necessary that Caesar be killed?
2. What is Brutus’s internal conflict?
3. Why does Metellus think it would be a good idea to ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
4. Why does Brutus say they should not ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
5. What does Brutus say about killing Marc Antony?
6. Why is Portia, Brutus’s wife, worried about Brutus?
7. How does she prove her strength to Brutus?
Scene 2:
1. Why does Calpurnia want Caesar to stay home?
2. How does Decius interpret the interpret Calpurnia’s dream?
3. What arguments does Decius use to change Caesar’s mind about going to the Capitol?
Scene 3:
1. What does Artemidorus plan to do?
Scene 4:
1. Why is Portia so nervous?
2. What does Portia want Lucius to do?
3. What does the soothsayer tell Portia?

Thursday, April 29, 2010

vocab unit 6

Word Wealth
Part III unit 6

Verbs
1. Adumbrate- to outline in a vague way; to foreshadow
2. Aggravate- to make worse or more severe
3. Annihilate- destroy utterly
4. Capitulate- surrender on certain terms
5. Extenuate- make less serious, diminish
6. Fulminate- to explode, erupt, shout violently
7. Instigate- provoke, incite
8. Mitigate- lessen or make milder
9. Procrastinate- to delay, put off
10. Propitiate- appease, conciliate

Adjectives
11. Auspicious- promising, favorable
12. Egregious- remarkably bad, flagrant
13. Equivocal- vague, ambiguous, questionable
14. Expedient- suitable, advantageous but not necessarily right
15. Fortuitous- occurring by chance or accident
16. Intrinsic- actual, essential or inherent
17. Mystical- participating in mysterious spiritual experience or knowledge
18. Sacrilegious- irreverent, blasphemous
19. Salubrious- healthful, promoting health
20. Synthetic- artificial, manufactured

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

online text

Hi folks,
I know a few of you have books in really rough shape. Here is a link to the full text of the play. http://www.william-shakespeare.info/script-text-julius-caesar.htm
Have fun!
M. Ware