The post provides students with answers and solutions to the Chapter End Exercises for the chapter ‘Julius Caesar’ in the Class 8 English book Wind Chimes.
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Word meanings of Scene 2 Act 3 (Julius Caeser)
English & Hindi Explanation (Scene 2 Act 3)
Julius Caesar Q&A: Class 8 Wind Chimes Book
COMPREHENSION: Practice
A. Answer these questions briefly.
- Who enters the scene first, and who follows shortly after?
Ans. Brutus and Cassius enter first. Mark Antony and others follow later with Caesar’s body. - What does Brutus ask Cassius to do?
Ans. Brutus asks Cassius to go into the other street and divide the crowd. - Why does Brutus claim he killed Caesar?
Ans. Brutus claims he killed Caesar not because he loved Caesar less, but because he loved Rome more. He says he killed Caesar because Caesar was ambitious. - How do the citizens react to Brutus’s speech?
Ans. The citizens are convinced by Brutus’s speech. They cheer for him, saying “Live, Brutus! live! live!” and want to crown him in Caesar’s place. - Who enters with Caesar’s body, and what does Antony say about Caesar?
Ans. Antony and others enter with Caesar’s body. Antony first tells the citizens that Brutus says Caesar was ambitious, but then he points out that Caesar was his friend, was faithful and just, filled the public money with ransoms from captives, and wept when the poor cried. - What does Antony claim he found in Caesar’s closet?
Ans. Antony claims he found a parchment with Caesar’s seal, which is his will, in his closet. - How do the citizens react to Antony’s speech about Caesar’s will?
Ans. When Antony mentions the will, the citizens demand to hear it. After they hear the details of the will (seventy-five drachmas to every Roman citizen and his walks, arbours, and orchards to the public), they become very angry. They want to mutiny, seek the conspirators, burn Brutus’s house, and burn Caesar’s body in the holy place. - Why do the citizens want to hear Brutus and Cassius speak?
The citizens want to be satisfied. The Second Citizen says he wants to hear Cassius and then compare his reasons with Brutus’s reasons.
Click to see One more set of answers
- Who enters the scene first, and who follows shortly after?
Ans. Brutus and Cassius enter the scene first, along with a throng of Citizens. Antony and Others enter later with Caesar’s body. - What does Brutus ask Cassius to do?
Ans. Brutus asks Cassius to go into the other street and “part the numbers” (divide the crowd). - Why does Brutus claim he killed Caesar?
Ans. Brutus claims he killed Caesar not because he loved Caesar less, but because he loved Rome more. He says he slew Caesar because he was ambitious. - How do the citizens react to Brutus’s speech?
Ans. The citizens react positively to Brutus’s speech, proclaiming “None, Brutus, none” when he asks who he has offended. They shout “Live, Brutus! live! live!” and want to bring him home with triumph, give him a statue, and even “Let him be Cæsar”. - Who enters with Caesar’s body, and what does Antony say about Caesar?
Ans. Antony and Others enter with Caesar’s body. Antony refers to Caesar as his “friend, faithful and just” to him, notes that Caesar wept when the poor cried, and recalls that Caesar thrice refused a kingly crown on the Lupercal. - What does Antony claim he found in Caesar’s closet?
Ans. Antony claims he found a parchment with Caesar’s seal, which is his will, in his closet. - How do the citizens react to Antony’s speech about Caesar’s will?
Ans. Upon hearing that Antony found Caesar’s will, the citizens demand, “We’ll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony” and “The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar’s will”. After Antony reveals that Caesar left every Roman citizen seventy-five drachmas, the citizens call Caesar “Most noble Cæsar!” and vow to “revenge his death”. - Why do the citizens want to hear Brutus and Cassius speak?
Ans. The citizens demand to be satisfied. The Second Citizen states, “I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them rendered”. The First Citizen says, “I will hear Brutus speak”.
B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
1. Hear me for my cause; and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe
a. Who is the speaker of these lines?
A. The speaker is Brutus.
b. What cause does the speaker refer to?
A. The speaker refers to the cause for killing Julius Caesar.
c. What would the speaker like the audience to believe?
A. The speaker wants the audience to believe that he acted honourably and that Caesar had to be killed for the good of Rome.
2. Then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,
Which all the while ran blood
a. Whose heart is being referred to in these lines?
A. Julius Caesar’s heart is being referred to.
b. What ‘burst his mighty heart’?
A. Ingratitude, which was stronger than the traitors’ arms, burst his mighty heart. This happened when he saw Brutus stab him.
c. What happens immediately after this incident?
A. Immediately after this, Caesar covered his face with his cloak and fell at the base of Pompey’s statue.
3. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable
a. Who is the speaker?
A. The speaker is Mark Antony.
b. Who is being referred to as ‘good friends’?
A. The Roman citizens are being referred to as ‘good friends’.
c. In what way is the last line ironic?
A. The last line is ironic because Antony keeps calling the killers “honourable men”, but his whole speech is designed to show the citizens that they are actually villains and traitors.
C. Answer these questions.
- What can you infer about the citizens’ attitudes towards Caesar based on their responses to Brutus and Antony?
- Why do you think Antony is hesitant to read Caesar’s will initially?
- What might be Antony’s motive behind showing Caesar’s body to the citizens?
- Why do the citizens become enraged and seek revenge after hearing about Caesar’s will?
- Compare Brutus’s speech and Antony’s speech to the citizens. How do they differ in their rhetorical strategies and messages?
- What role does rhetoric or the art of speaking in a convincing manner play in influencing the citizens’ emotions and opinions in this scene?
- Analyse the conflicting perspectives on Caesar presented by Brutus and Antony. How do they portray him differently?
- How does Antony manipulate the emotions of the citizens to turn them against the conspirators?
Answers:
1. What can you infer about the citizens’ attitudes towards Caesar based on their responses to Brutus and Antony?
Ans. It can be inferred that the citizens’ attitudes toward Caesar are highly volatile and easily swayed by persuasive public speaking. Initially, after Brutus’s speech explaining his reasons for the assassination, the citizens are convinced that Caesar was a tyrant and celebrate Brutus, proclaiming, “Live, Brutus! live! live!”. However, after Antony’s speech, which highlights Caesar’s kindness, lack of ambition, and generous will, their opinion completely reverses. They become enraged at the conspirators, call them “traitors,” “villains, murderers,” and vow to seek revenge.
2. Why do you think Antony is hesitant to read Caesar’s will initially?
Ans. Antony is hesitant to read Caesar’s will initially because he knows its contents will “inflame” the citizens and “make you mad”. He claims that he fears he would “wrong the honourable men Whose daggers have stabb’d Cæsar” by reading it. This hesitation is a rhetorical device used to heighten the crowd’s curiosity and desire to hear the will, thus making the eventual revelation of the will’s contents more impactful.
3. What might be Antony’s motive behind showing Caesar’s body to the citizens?
Ans. Antony’s motive behind showing Caesar’s body is to provoke a strong emotional reaction—pity, grief, and rage—in the citizens against the conspirators. By pointing out the specific wounds and naming the conspirators who inflicted them (Cassius, Casca, and especially Brutus), he visually demonstrates the violence and “unkindest cut of all” against a man he portrays as their beloved benefactor. This spectacle is intended to “stir men’s blood” and incite the crowd to “mutiny and rage”.
4. Why do the citizens become enraged and seek revenge after hearing about Caesar’s will?
Ans. The citizens become enraged and seek revenge after hearing about Caesar’s will because it proves Caesar’s deep love and generosity toward the Roman people. Caesar bequeathed seventy-five drachmas to every Roman citizen, along with his private walks, arbours, and new-planted orchards on the Tiber side to be common pleasures for them and their heirs forever. This final act of benevolence contradicts Brutus’s assertion that Caesar was ambitious and thus solidifies the citizens’ belief that Caesar was wronged by “traitors, villains, murderers”.
5. Compare Brutus’s speech and Antony’s speech to the citizens. How do they differ in their rhetorical strategies and messages?
Ans.
Brutus’s Speech: Brutus uses a concise, logical, and formal prose style. His rhetorical strategy is to appeal to the citizens’ reason and patriotism. His core message is that Caesar was slain for his ambition to prevent the Romans from living as slaves, asserting, “Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more”. He relies on his reputation as an honourable man to validate his actions.4
Antony’s Speech: Antony uses an emotive, dramatic, and persuasive verse style, claiming he is “no orator” but a “plain blunt man”. His strategy is to appeal to the citizens’ emotions. He begins by repeatedly calling the conspirators “honourable men” to highlight the irony, and his message subtly undercuts Brutus’s claims of ambition by citing Caesar’s acts of faithfulness, filling the general coffers with ransoms, weeping for the poor, and refusing the crown. He climaxes by showing Caesar’s body and reading the will to stir them to “mutiny and rage”.
6. What role does rhetoric or the art of speaking in a convincing manner play in influencing the citizens’ emotions and opinions in this scene?
Ans. Rhetoric plays a decisive role in this scene, demonstrating the power of persuasive speaking to drastically influence public opinion and emotion. Brutus’s logical appeal initially convinces the citizens that Caesar was a tyrant and his murder was justified for the good of Rome. However, Antony’s masterful use of pathos (emotional appeal), including dramatic pauses (“My heart is in the coffin there with Cæsar”), irony (calling the conspirators “honourable men”), and tangible evidence (the body and the will), completely overturns the crowd’s verdict, transforming their admiration for Brutus into murderous rage against the conspirators.
7. Analyse the conflicting perspectives on Caesar presented by Brutus and Antony. How do they portray him differently?
Ans.
Brutus’s Perspective: Brutus portrays Caesar as a figure who was, in parts, loved, fortunate, and valiant, but ultimately ambitious. This ambition, in Brutus’s view, made Caesar a threat to Roman liberty, leading to his death. He argues that killing Caesar was a necessary political act to prevent Rome from falling into slavery.
Antony’s Perspective: Antony portrays Caesar as a faithful and just friend to him and a sympathetic benefactor to the poor and to Rome. He offers evidence that contradicts the charge of ambition: Caesar wept for the poor, his ransoms filled the public coffers, and he refused the kingly crown thrice. Antony uses the will and Caesar’s body to prove that Caesar was loving and generous, not ambitious, making his death an “unkindest cut” and an act of treason.
8. How does Antony manipulate the emotions of the citizens to turn them against the conspirators
Ans. Antony manipulates the citizens’ emotions through several key rhetorical strategies:
Irony: He repeatedly refers to the murderers as “honourable men” until the crowd itself denounces them as traitors.
Pity and Grief (Pathos): He shows Caesar’s body, detailing each stab wound and emphasizing Brutus’s betrayal as “the most unkindest cut of all”. He then pauses, claiming his heart is “in the coffin there with Cæsar” to model grief for the crowd.
Suspense: He tantalizes the crowd with the existence of Caesar’s will, initially refusing to read it, which increases their desperate demand to hear it.
Greed/Gratitude: The final revelation of the will, which grants 75 drachmas and public parks to every citizen, transforms their abstract grief into personal outrage at the men who killed their benefactor.
Click to view another set of answers
Here is another set of answers for the Comprehension Part C questions.
1. What can you infer about the citizens’ attitudes towards Caesar based on their responses to Brutus and Antony?
Ans. The citizens’ attitudes are highly volatile and easily swayed by the speaker of the moment. When Brutus speaks, they believe Caesar was ambitious and call to “Live, Brutus! live! live!”. After Antony speaks about Caesar’s acts of refusing the crown and weeping when the poor cried, their minds are changed, and they consider Brutus’s co-conspirators “traitors,” “villains, murderers”.
2. Why do you think Antony is hesitant to read Caesar’s will initially?
Ans. Antony claims he is hesitant to read Caesar’s will because he knows it will “inflame” the citizens and “make you mad”. He also says he fears he would “wrong the honourable men Whose daggers have stabb’d Cæsar” if he were to read it.
3. What might be Antony’s motive behind showing Caesar’s body to the citizens?
Ans. Antony’s motive for showing the body is to manipulate the citizens’ emotions to provoke “mutiny and rage”. By showing the mantle and pointing out the wounds made by Cassius, Casca, and especially the “most unkindest cut of all” by Brutus, he incites their pity and grief. He tells them to prepare to “shed their tears” and shows them the body, which he calls “marr’d, as you see, with traitors”.
4. Why do the citizens become enraged and seek revenge after hearing about Caesar’s will?
Ans. The citizens become enraged because the will proves Caesar was generous and loved them, contradicting the justification for his murder. The will bequeaths “seventy-five drachmas” to every Roman citizen, and his private “walks, His private arbours, and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber” for them and their heirs forever. This generosity makes them instantly call him “Most noble Cæsar!” and vow, “we’ll revenge his death”.
5. Compare Brutus’s speech and Antony’s speech to the citizens. How do they differ in their rhetorical strategies and messages?
Ans. Brutus’s speech uses a logical and formal appeal to the citizens’ reason, focusing on Caesar’s ambition and stating, “Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more”. Antony’s speech uses an emotional and manipulative strategy (pathos), claiming he is “no orator, as Brutus is; But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man”. His message focuses on proving Caesar’s lack of ambition and his generosity by citing his refusal of the crown, filling the coffers with ransoms, and showing the wounds.
6. What role does rhetoric or the art of speaking in a convincing manner play in influencing the citizens’ emotions and opinions in this scene?
Ans. Rhetoric is crucial in this scene, demonstrating the power to dramatically sway public opinion. Brutus’s appeal to reason convinces the citizens to celebrate him (“Live, Brutus! live! live!”). Antony’s emotional rhetoric, including his feigned honesty, strategic display of Caesar’s body, and the contents of the will, causes the citizens to reverse course entirely, leading them to mutiny and seek to “burn the house of Brutus”.
7. Analyse the conflicting perspectives on Caesar presented by Brutus and Antony. How do they portray him differently?
Ans. Brutus portrays Caesar as a threat to liberty who was killed solely because “he was ambitious”. He concedes Caesar was valiant and fortunate, but his ambition necessitated his death. Antony, conversely, portrays Caesar as a “friend, faithful and just” to him, who was sympathetic (“Cæsar hath wept” for the poor), selfless (refused the crown thrice), and ultimately generous to the Roman people in his will.
8. How does Antony manipulate the emotions of the citizens to turn them against the conspirators?
Ans. Antony manipulates the citizens by:
Using irony by repeatedly calling the conspirators “honourable men”.
Appealing to their pity by showing Caesar’s body and detailing the wounds, especially Brutus’s “most unkindest cut of all”.
Creating suspense and desire by delaying the reading of the will, calling it a secret that would “make you mad”.
PERFECT: Vocabulary
A. There are some formal expressions in the box. Against each sentence, write the formal expression that can be used. One has been done for you.
| contact commence locate resolve ensure assist verify arrive purchase demonstrate |
| 1. My brother was busy sorting out the problem with the computer. | …………………. |
| 2. I could finally get in touch with my client. | …………………. |
| 3. The officer is checking the documents. | …………………. |
| 4. Please make sure that all the arrangements are made. | …………………. |
| 5. The concert will begin in ten minutes. | …………………. |
| 6. The boss told him to find the key for the office immediately. | …………………. |
| 7. This is Dr Anju. She will help me in this surgery. | …………………. |
| 8. The train from Chennai will come on platform number 2. | …………………. |
| 9. When did you buy this new cricket kit? | …………………. |
| 10. Now we will show you how to make water alkaline. | …………………. |
Answer:
| Sentence | Formal Expression |
|---|---|
| 1. My brother was busy sorting out the problem with the computer. | resolve |
| 2. I could finally get in touch with my client. | contact |
| 3. The officer is checking the documents. | verify |
| 4. Please make sure that all the arrangements are made. | ensure |
| 5. The concert will begin in ten minutes. | commence |
| 6. The boss told him to find the key for the office immediately. | locate |
| 7. This is Dr Anju. She will help me in this surgery. | assist |
| 8. The train from Chennai will come on platform number 2. | arrive |
| 9. When did you buy this new cricket kit? | purchase |
| 10. Now we will show you how to make water alkaline. | demonstrate |
B. Match the informal expressions on the left with the appropriate formal expressions on the right.
| Informal | Formal |
|---|---|
|
1. What do you need? 2. I’m sorry to tell you… 3. See you soon. 4. Just drop a line. 5. You haven’t been signing the register. 6. Sorry, I will not be able to… 7. Shall I… |
a. I regret to inform you… b. I would be grateful if you could… c. I would like to remind you that … d. I am afraid I won’t be able to… e. Look forward to seeing you soon. f. Would you like me to… g. Please let me know your requirements… |
Answer:
| informal | formal |
|---|---|
| 1. What do you need? | g. Please let me know your requirements… |
| 2. I’m sorry to tell you… | a. I regret to inform you… |
| 3. See you soon. | e. Look forward to seeing you soon. |
| 4. Just drop a line. | f. Would you like me to… |
| 5. You haven’t been signing the register. | c. I would like to remind you that |
| 6. Sorry, I will not be able to… | d. I am afraid I won’t be able to… |
| 7. Shall I… | b. I would be grateful if you could… |
Grammar
A. Underline transitive verbs in this poem.
The black cat yawns
Opens her jaws
Stretches her legs,
And shows her claws.
Then she gets up
And stands on four
Long stiff legs
And yawns some more.
She shows her sharp teeth
She stretches her lip,
Her slice of a tongue
Turns up at the tip,
Answers: The transitive verbs are highlighted in bold.
The black cat yawns
Opens her jaws (Opens what? Jaws)
Stretches her legs (Stretches what? Legs)
And shows her claws (Shows what? Claws)
Then she gets up
And stands on four
Long stiff legs
And yawns some more.
She shows her sharp teeth (Shows what? Teeth)
She stretches her lip (Stretches what? Lip)
Her slice of a tongue
Turns up at the tip (No object; Turns is used intransitively here)
Transitive verbs underlined:
- Opens
- Stretches
- Shows
B. Convert these sentences into passive voice in both ways.
- They asked him several questions.
- He offered a chair to his guest.
- The grandmother told the children lots of stories.
- My mother gave me a gold bangle.
- She sent a message to her brother.
Answer:
The two ways for passive voice apply only when the active sentence has both a direct object (the thing) and an indirect object (the person who receives the benefit).
- They asked him several questions.
- Direct Object: several questions
- Indirect Object: him (He)
- Passive Way 1 (starting with Indirect Object):
He was asked several questions by them. - Passive Way 2 (starting with Direct Object):
Several questions were asked to him by them.
- He offered a chair to his guest.
- Direct Object: a chair
- Indirect Object: his guest
- Passive Way 1 (starting with Indirect Object):
His guest was offered a chair by him. - Passive Way 2 (starting with Direct Object):
A chair was offered to his guest by him.
- The grandmother told the children lots of stories.
- Direct Object: lots of stories
- Indirect Object: the children
- Passive Way 1 (starting with Indirect Object):
The children were told lots of stories by the grandmother. - Passive Way 2 (starting with Direct Object):
Lots of stories were told to the children by the grandmother.
- My mother gave me a gold bangle.
- Direct Object: a gold bangle
- Indirect Object: me (I)
- Passive Way 1 (starting with Indirect Object):
I was given a gold bangle by my mother. - Passive Way 2 (starting with Direct Object):
A gold bangle was given to me by my mother.
- She sent a message to her brother.
- Direct Object: a message
- Indirect Object: her brother
- Passive Way 1 (starting with Indirect Object):
Her brother was sent a message by her. - Passive Way 2 (starting with Direct Object):
A message was sent to her brother by her.
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