📘 Julius Caesar – Act 1, Scene 1: Important Questions
Important Q/A (Simple Language)
1. Who are Flavius and Marullus, and what role do they
play in the scene?
Answer:
Flavius and Marullus are Roman tribunes—officials meant to protect the rights of
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the people. In this scene, they scold the commoners for celebrating Caesar’s
triumph, displaying their disapproval of Caesar’s rising influence and the people's
fickle loyalty.
2. What is the occasion for public celebration, and why
does it upset the tribunes?
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Answer:
The citizens are celebrating Julius Caesar's return after defeating Pompey’s sons.
The tribunes are upset because the same people once celebrated Pompey, and now
they cheer for the man who defeated him. This reveals their concern over Rome’s
changing political values.
3. How does Marullus criticize the commoners, and what
does it reveal about Roman society?
Answer:
Marullus sharply rebukes the crowd as "blocks" and "stones," accusing them of
being ungrateful and emotionally shallow. This illustrates the theme of political
instability and the easily swayed nature of public opinion in Rome.
4. What literary device does Shakespeare use when the
cobbler says he is a "mender of bad soles"?
Answer:
Shakespeare uses a pun — a play on words — in the cobbler’s line. “Soles” refers
to both shoe soles and human souls, adding comic relief while subtly mocking the
tribunes.
5. What tone do the tribunes adopt when speaking to the
crowd?
Answer:
Their tone is stern, contemptuous, and accusatory. They feel betrayed by the
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people’s celebration of Caesar and seek to reassert republican values over rising
personal power.
6. What does the cobbler’s witty dialogue suggest about
commoners in the play?
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Answer:
The cobbler’s clever responses show that the common people are not entirely
ignorant. Though they appear foolish, they possess wit and the ability to challenge
authority through wordplay.
7. How does Marullus remind the people of their former
love for Pompey?
Answer:
He describes how they once ran to see Pompey’s chariot, climbing walls and
rooftops, showing how deeply they once revered him. This contrast is used to
shame the crowd for their current behavior.
8. What instruction does Flavius give to Marullus at the
end of the scene?
Answer:
Flavius tells Marullus to go along the streets and strip off any decorations placed on
Caesar’s statues, emphasizing their intention to reduce the aura of Caesar’s
dominance.
9. Why do the tribunes want to remove decorations from
Caesar’s statues?
Answer:
They fear that unchecked public praise will make Caesar arrogant and lead him
toward tyranny. Removing the decorations is symbolic of resisting his growing
power.
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10. How does this scene reflect the theme of political
manipulation and loyalty?
Answer:
The people’s quick shift in loyalty from Pompey to Caesar reflects their
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manipulability. This sets the tone for later political betrayal and manipulation by the
conspirators.
11. Explain the quote: “You blocks, you stones, you worse
than senseless things!”
Answer:
Marullus uses this metaphor to insult the citizens, implying they are as emotionally
and intellectually lifeless as rocks. It criticizes their blind admiration for power.
12. What does this scene reveal about Caesar’s status in
Rome at this point?
Answer:
Caesar is extremely popular and powerful, with the masses celebrating his return.
This rising status concerns the tribunes, who fear he may become a dictator.
13. How does Shakespeare portray the Roman crowd in
this scene?
Answer:
He presents them as easily swayed, lacking firm principles. They follow public
figures blindly, cheering the victor regardless of past loyalties.
14. Why is this opening scene important to the play’s
structure?
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Answer:
It sets up the political conflict of the play: Caesar’s growing dominance vs.
republican resistance. It also introduces the fickleness of the public, a key factor in
the later tragedy.
15. What is the mood and atmosphere created in this
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scene?
Answer:
The mood is tense and confrontational. While the commoners appear festive, the
tribunes bring a tone of political unrest and foreshadow conflict.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Who are Flavius and Marullus?
a) Soldiers
b) Tribunes
c) Merchants
d) Poets
2. Why are the people in the streets?
a) A holiday
b) A festival
c) To celebrate Caesar’s victory
d) A funeral
3. Whom did Caesar defeat?
a) Cassius
b) Brutus
c) Antony
d) Pompey
4. What is the cobbler’s profession?
a) Carpenter
b) Doctor
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c) Shoemaker
d) Barber
5. What joke does the cobbler make?
a) About nails
b) About soles
c) About Caesar
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d) About stones
6. Why are the tribunes upset?
a) People are fighting
b) People support Caesar
c) Shops are closed
d) Rome is under attack
7. What does Marullus call the crowd?
a) Noble Romans
b) Gentlemen
c) Blocks and stones
d) Heroes
8. How do the tribunes treat the crowd?
a) Kindly
b) Rudely
c) Fearfully
d) Politely
9. What do they plan to do to Caesar’s statues?
a) Worship them
b) Light candles
c) Break them
d) Remove decorations
10.What does this scene show about the common people?
a) Brave
b) Loyal
c) Fickle
d) Honest
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11.What is the setting of this scene?
a) A battlefield
b) A forest
c) A Roman street
d) A temple
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12.What did the people used to do for Pompey?
a) Curse him
b) Ignore him
c) Cheer for him
d) Fight him
13.Who says: “You blocks, you stones”?
a) Flavius
b) Caesar
c) Marullus
d) Brutus
14.What is one theme shown in this scene?
a) Nature
b) Love
c) Betrayal
d) Peace
15.What do Flavius and Marullus want to stop?
a) A war
b) A festival
c) Caesar’s rise in power
d) The market
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