Below is a link to the radio performance of Julius Caesar.
Task:
1. Review your notes from Friday's class about tone and shifts in tone. How did your group imagine Cassius and Brutus?
2. Play the audio file. (I.i.113-220 begins at about 9 minutes into the recording). Listen to the tone of the actors.
Begin with Cassius. Describe the shifts in tone employed by the actor.
Listen again for Brutus. Describe the shifts in tone employed by the actor.
3. Write a response. Due Monday. Post your response in the Comments section.
Compare and Contrast the choices made by your group and the choices of the actors.
From the radio performance: How do the shifts in tone indicate the tactics being used?
Opening the file: When you click on the link it will open a separate page.
Radio Julius Caesar
Update: If you are having trouble playing the file, I cut an alternate mp3 to include only Act I.
Act I
Daniel Berlin March 10, 2012
ReplyDeleteShifts in tone in Brutus and Cassius
Listening to this Shakespeare play and reading it are two totally different experiences. While I was reading it, I was had the text seemed bland, and in relation to the story, it made Brutus and Cassius seem bad, and Caesar seem extremely good. While listening to the play, and trying to read along, I was able to clearly identify the bias in the play. I saw how Cassius, Flavius, and the others planed to kill Caesar out of necessity, to protect Rome from a bad ruler. In the book, Flavius, Cassius, and the others were made to look like they were going to kill Caesar out of jealousy (Act 1, Scene 2 line 96-137). I think this was due to the bias that the actors were portraying. In the radio performance, Cassius’ tone shifts drastically. When he is ranting about Caesar, his tone is loud, confident, and it has a sense of hatred in it. When he tries to convince Brutus, his voice becomes soft and gentle as he compliments Brutus, and then it becomes firm and steady as he is trying to convince Brutus that Caesar is bad. Also, when he is sure Brutus will join him in his plan; his voice is less worried and even more confident. Brutus on the other hand, also has shifts in tone. He shifts his tone drastically as he is talking about Caesar after he realizes that Caesar is bad. He begins to have a tone of resent and disgust. In the beginning though, his tone is pleading as he tries to convince Cassius that he can’t kill Caesar, and it is also reassuring as he talks about his honor and his love for Caesar. Of course, all of that changes in the end. This was my reaction to tone as I read the book and listened to the radio broadcast of Julius Caesar.
1.Although each of my group members had different ideas of Cassius and Brutus, we both came to imagine Cassius as this angry, desperate man who’s furious that Caesar should be revered. In the book, Cassius was mocking Caesar such as the time when he saved a drowning Caesar, so we also came to agree that Cassius was a sarcastic man who liked to mock others to express his view firmly. As for Brutus, my group imagined that Brutus was this calm but indecisive man (more like victim) who was brought on to see Cassius’s point of view. Throughout the whole act, the writer portrayed Brutus as a grave, solemn man who’s unable to decide whether he should betray Caesar or to kill him. Brutus had a serious tone throughout but he also sounded vexed so we wondered if he was a victim of Cassius’s persuasion.
ReplyDelete2.Cassius sounded calm when he was describing his story to Brutus but took on a mocking tone when he told about Caesar, expressing how the revered Caesar was so weak and he had to save him. When the crowd shouted “Brutus” and “Caesar,” Cassius sounded disgusted in his tone. He couldn’t believe what’s so special about Caesar. Cassius sounded jealous of Caesar. After Brutus talked to him, Cassius sounded satisfied that he managed to persuade Brutus a little.
--------------Brutus sounded solemn and grave in his tone as if this is a serious matter one should put time into thinking. Brutus also sounded reassuring to Cassius so that Cassius won’t get angry. Then, Brutus sounded like he was warning Cassius when told of the hard times upon them.
3.Each tactic being used has a specific tone to it. For example, if one is pleading (his tactic), he might sound desperate and pitiful. Listening to the radio performance made me realize how different and similar the tones of the characters were to the book. The characters seemed like they were more emotional and real in the performance.
--------When Cassius told his story to Brutus about Caesar drowning, my group thought that Cassius was angry and furious. The actor, as Cassius in the performance, portrayed Cassius as a calm person normally telling a story and then he starts taunting Caesar as a weak and puny person that the people call “God.” Cassius was degrading Brutus (tactic) to convince Brutus that Caesar’s a nothing. When the crowd shouted “Brutus” and “Caesar, my group thought that Cassius had a sweet and luring tone (when he was trying to praise and compliment Brutus). The actor took on a more disgusted tone, saying, why should Caesar’s name be more special than Brutus? The actor rises in his tone as he rages on about Caesar and Rome like a madman. Then, Brutus spoke.
---------My group determined that Brutus had a grave and solemn tone as if this was a serious matter not to be trifled with. We were successful because the actor for Brutus took on that same tone. He sounded respectful with Cassius’s viewpoint to not rage Cassius. This is what I like about Brutus. He has the sense to be logical and he didn’t want to upset Cassius so his tactic was to sound respectful as possible. Throughout the performance, the shifts in tone were obvious and noticeable which gave the characters more depth and feeling. We can also detect their motives through their tones.
1) Each of my group members and I viewed Brutus and Cassius differently, but there are similarities in how we imagined Cassius and Brutus. We imagined Cassius as an envious and angry man. In the book, Cassius was saying how can Caesar be at the top of the world and "we petty men walk under his huge legs..." Whenever he talked about Caesar, we imagined him talking in an angry tone due to being envious. However, when he was talking to Brutus and complimenting Brutus, we imagined him talking in a sweet tone, trying to make Brutus warm-up to him or favor him. We also imagined Cassius talking in mocking tone when he was describing his experience with Caesar which make, us imagine him as a sarcastic man. My group imagined Brutus as a confused, blunt, and a serious man, who is deciding whether to join Cassius or remain loyal to Caesar. We imagined him talking in a serious, blunt tone because he is in a state of confusion. Since he is in a state of confusion, we assumed Brutus is an easily influenced man, especially by Cassius.
ReplyDelete2) At first, in the radio performance, Cassius sounded calm and had a "leading" tone in which he was trying to capture Brutus's attention and lead him into a conversation. Cassius also sounded envious of Caesar when he was talking about. He can't believe that Caesar who needed his help is at the top of the world whereas he is just below him. Also, when he was describing how sick Caesar was, he had a mean and a mocking tone, which showed that he viewed Caesar as a weak girl. But at the end, Cassius seemed calmer after knowing that he somewhat convinced Brutus. Throughout the radio performance, Brutus sounded sad and very serious. He seemed to be putting a lot of thought into the conversation. Also, in some lines he talked in a lower voice, which shows how serious and sad he is.
3) After listening to the radio performance, I realized that when characters, actors, or people in real life shift their tones, a different tactic is being used. If you're tactic is to provoke envy, you would have a questioning tone like "Why should that name be sounded more than yours?" The shifting in tones made the characters in the performance seem more like 3D with depth feelings. I also realized that people have different views on what tone characters uses, which leads to a variety of tactic and effects. Through shifting of the tones, we get exposed to different motives characters want to use.
My group thought that Brutus would talk in a serious, blunt, and sad tone. The actor in the performance used the same kind of tone. As I was listening to the radio performance, I realized that "Brutus" was trying not to make Cassius angry, which is why he sometimes had a low, serious voice. Sometimes I thought he was sounding a little cautious, which made him sound like a noble, honorable man. "Cassius" int he performance didn't use an angry tone as my group thought when he was talking about Caesar. He was talking in a calm tone and "leading" tone. However, the "Cassius" in the performance had a mocking tone when he was describing the sick Caesar as my group thought he would. My group also thought that Cassius in the book would sound envious when he was saying how Caesar is in the top of the world and he isn't. I detected some envious tone in "Cassius" in the performance. My group also thought that Cassius would have a disgusted tone (which I heard in the performance) when he was talking about Caesar, which shows how envious he is.
Listening to the radio version of the Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and reading the tangible version gave me different insights. Initially, when reading it, I felt that Flavius and Marullus were like one of those types of people who mock people humorously based on wealth. Upon listening to the radio, it gave me a type sense that Flavius and Marullus had a really dark personality, almost like they had a sort of family hatred towards the common people. Marullus sounded really, violent at certain points, making me think of those crazy people on the subway who gets angry about something. Listening in more, Brutus sounded like a type of character that is a bit afraid that is cautious of Caesar's return. The sudden pauses and the volume really influenced my understanding of how the characters portray the hatred of Caesar, from the start of the play.
ReplyDelete1. We imagined that Cassius was an angry and condescending man. He was controlling and evil. We imagined would sound very disappointed and condescending. Maybe a bit angry too. He did in Act I of the recording, but in Act II, he was different. In ACT II, he actually sounded calm, convincing, and reassuring.
ReplyDelete2. In the beginning, Cassius sounded very serious, but calm. He gradually got angry as he spoke about Caesar drowning in the river and when he was sick. He calmed down again toward the end when they departed ways. Brutus was always serious and calm during the whole recording. He did sound a bit sad/disappointed when he said that he did not want Caesar to be king but he loved him anyway.
3. Our choices and the actors' both agreed that Cassius was angry in Act I. Both also agreed that Brutus was a calm and serious man. We did not expect Cassius to be so calm and convincing in Act II instead of angry.
The tone shifts showed that Cassius made Brutus feel a bit guilty. His angry tone shift made Brutus lower his opinion of Caesar. Overall, the tone shift made Brutus agree with Cassius and to join him in his plot.
To my belief, listening to Caesar gives more detail and insight to the story than just reading it. While reading, my mind would occasionally wander and I would find it hard to concentrate, but this was not the case while listening. My group saw Cassius as a sly person who saw necessity to kill Caesar. We saw Brutus as compassionate man who admired Caesar but believed it was necessary to end the rule of Caesar. The actors seemed to agree with my group but exemplified our feelings by adding tones of jealousy. This is true in Cassius’s case where he shows strong emotions about Caesar. Also, his audibility shifts add to my belief that he is sly and tricky. Brutus seems to have tone shifts after the idea of killing Caesar. He becomes less gentle and more, in a way, angry. Their tone shifts indicated tactics being used by the actors. For example, when Brutus was being persuaded to join the conspiracy, Cassius started to kiss up but later wasn’t as flattering. Also, to show that Brutus is now against Caesar, the actor gives a stronger and harsher voice.
ReplyDeleteValentina Malouf
ReplyDeleteTone Shifts in Brutus and Cassius
These two mediums, the written text and the radio performance, are truly alternate dimensions of this play. Reading the play felt like a 2d flat experience, while listening to the performance the play came to life and was truly a 3d experience. Reading the text didn't conjure up as much tone or emotion as hearing the play being acted out did. While reading, my group and I interpreted the text differently than the performers. Throughout the reading, I often noted that the tones were jealous, angry, and frustrated. More so, we felt that these emotions were directed towards Caesar, and only Caesar. In the second scene Cassius is trying to convince Brutus to help in the killing of Caesar, but I felt his tone was angry and condescending, like when he said "poor Brutus with himself at war" (Act 1, Scene 2 line 52). It is as if Cassius is suggesting that Brutus is not at Cassius's standards of intelligence. The tone felt like pitying, and his tactics seemed to evoke guilt. This view changed once I heard the radio performers. In the radio performance, Cassius seemed to truly be sad for Brutus and wanted to help evoke understanding, and end the "war" in Brutus's mind. While reading, our group felt Brutus seemed to be weak and easily manipulated, like when we says "what dangers would you lead me, Cassius" (Act 1 scene 2 line 69). He seemed to be scared of Caesar, and unsure. When listening to the other interpretation Brutus sounded sure, and not weak but brave. The main difference between the reading and the interpretation is that when reading I thought there main goal was to kill Caesar, but when listening to the radio performance, I understood that their goal was truly to protect the honor and excellence of the empire(Act 1 scene 2 line 169-170).
In the radio performance, the shifts in tone indicate tactics being used, in many ways. The tone always sets the stage for the tactic that is used. In the performance, when Cassius wanted to make Brutus feel ashamed or guilty, his tone became disappointed and sad. Throughout the listening, the different shifts in tone corresponded directly with the tactic being used.
In my opinion, listening to Julius Caesar was more insightful and interesting. When reading, it was occasionally difficult to focus on the story in front of me. Listening to it made it easier to imagine what was going on in the story. My group imagined Cassius and Brutus in different ways. It was agreed that Cassius was an angry and jealous man in regards to Caesar. However, when he was interacting with Brutus we imagined he was gentler and almost loving. We imagined Brutus as a kinder man who felt it was absolutely necessary to kill Caesar. The actors seem to have similar views. Cassius seems to be kinder towards Brutus, but when talking about Caesar he appears to grow angrier. His tone and volume changes. Brutus appears to become angrier as he and Cassius talk about Brutus. His lower tone indicates his irritation at the people wanting Caesar as king. Cassius was kind to Brutus in the beginning, but as he continued to speak of their equality to Caesar his tone grows agitated and he becomes a bit louder. Cassius almost seems incredulous over Caesar not being perfect and still becoming a "god" of sorts. Both of their increasing volumes indicate annoyance.
ReplyDelete1 My group and I pictured Brutus to be a serious man, who began to have doubts about Caesar’s leadership. Although he was always loyal to Caesar, Brutus was taken in by Cassius’s argument. We pictured Cassius as a skeptical and angry man. He presented examples to Brutus to show that Caesar is not really the god that everyone makes him out to be. Cassius presented an example of how he had saved Caesar from drowning in a stream. We felt that Cassius was trying to turn Brutus against Caesar by speaking with a respectful and assuring tone to Brutus, who was loyal to Caesar. Cassius referred to Brutus with the words, “good” and “gentle” Brutus.
ReplyDelete2 Cassius speaks with a strong and assertive tone. He speaks to Brutus with respect. Cassius’s volume and aggression increased as he spoke of how Caesar had drowned the stream. When he quoted Caesar, Cassius made a girlish voice, showing how he dislikes Caesar and feels that he is a weak ruler. Brutus’s tone was serious and focused. His voice lowered at times when Cassius made good arguments.
3 Radio Shakespeare’s interpretation of Cassius and Brutus were similar to my group’s, except the accents of the actors. In both interpretations, Cassius had an angry and mocking tone and Brutus had a serious tone.
1) In my opinion, listening to Julius Caesar changed my point of view on how I believed the characters looked like. While reading Caesar, I imagined Cassius and Brutus in different ways. Our group saw Cassius as an angry and jealous man and the tone of the book set it more towards frustrated. However, when Cassius was trying to convince Brutus, we imagined him in more of a sweet tone. He was complimenting Brutus which helped us get the idea that Brutus was a very gentle and calm person. On the other hand, after listening to it, it gave me many different insights on my view.
ReplyDelete2) At first, Cassius sounded very calm which I was surprised about. Then, Cassius' tone changed to a more harsh and jealous tone. Especially when he was describing Caesar, he used a more jealous and mocking tone which I believed was totally expected. Brutus in my opinion had the same tone throughout. He sounded very annoyed, yet calm. Brutus just basically was very serious throughout the recording.
3)After listening to the radio recording, it shows how different ways of reading the text can change your point of view on the characters. While reading Caesar, I imagined there to be more emotions and more hatred. However, in the recording, it didn't really seem consistent even though the emotions were portrayed correctly. There was a clear idea of the emotions but it wasn't consistent.
Shift in tone can indicate tactics being used in many ways. For example, if you are trying to convince someone or if you are begging for something, you will sound desperate. You will try all means into making them do what you want and you do so by complimenting and acting nice. In Caesar, Cassius' tone helped convince Brutus into tagging along and killing Caesar.
My group and I imagined Brutus as a man who is confused and troubled on the inside. We came to this conclusion as Brutus was troubled as to whether or not to join Cassius in his plot to kill Caesar. Brutus was imagined as a crafty and sly fellow who was always working an angle. We came about this conclusion of Cassius by the fact that he does most of the persuading in this play and he does it for his ulterior motive.
ReplyDeleteIn the audio file it seems as the actor portraying Cassius used shift and tone heavily; volume and rhythm were obviously taken into account by the actor as well. In this reenactment, Cassius seems to be very commanding and articulate in getting his point out. He raises his volume at times, and shows his hatred for Caesar very clearly though the use of tone. He also pauses at times to make himself seem more dramatic. All in all, it was a very different Cassius than I would've imagined. I imagined a Cassius that was very sly and cunning. In this portrayal of Cassius, he is sly and cunning but also a hint of evil and sadism is put into the character's tone.
The actor who portrayed Brutus also used tone and shift heavily, although timing and rhythm were not as apparent as was with Cassius' actor. Brutus was very somber and serious in this reenactment. This was shown through the use of tone and emphasized through the use of long periods of silence, although barely. This portrayal of Caesar was very different than my group's as there was no hint of confusion in the actor's voice.
The choices my group made were slightly different than the choices that the actors made. In my group, we portrayed Cassius as angry, but implemented very little tone and timing in our portrayal might have given an audience a troubling time in pinpointing the tactics the characters used. Brutus on the other hand was very similar to our portrayal as the tone was also somber and serious. The very little shifts in our imagining of Caesar gave no indication in what tactics were being used by the characters. The actors in the audio file would've helped indicate the tactics being used by the characters as it shows the emotion and passion the characters have in making their case.
1) After listening to the live reenactment of Caesar, I believe I gained a new perspective of the play as a whole. My group saw Cassius as one who thought himself to be superior to others, and aimed this condescending feeling towards Caesar. We saw Brutus as a man who truly was friends with Caesar, but believed that to kill him was for the benefit of all. Cassius also appeared very manipulative as he tried to persuade an indecisive Brutus.
ReplyDelete2) When I listened to the play, my beliefs of the actually dialogue were proven true. Brutus’ tone was very tentative; he was not 100% sure as to whether he should go along with Cassius or follow his heart. Cassius, in comparison, seemed absolutely certain of his decision to murder Caesar. He employed many manipulative tactics; he used a somewhat low but powerful voice, and spoke directly to Brutus’ confused conscious. He seemed to know exactly what was on the mind of Brutus, and exploited that knowledge to the fullest.
3) Brutus had a notable change of tone. In the beginning, he sounded helpless and confused; unsure of his ability to kill Caesar. However, after some effective persuasion from Cassius, Brutus grew confident; his tone became strong and while, and there was a tint of disgust in his voice. Cassius had numerous changes of tone as well. In the beginning, when he comments on Caesar’s growing popularity, he uses a mocking tone, as if to detract from Caesar’s power. He begins to speak strongly, and just as quickly, he submits to a lower, slyer voice. He uses a gentle voice when complementing Brutus, and attempts to make Brutus seem more powerful than he already was. This manipulation of tone allowed Cassius to persuade Brutus with ease.
-Darwin Edwards
My group and I saw Brutus as an serious man that was loved by the citizens and Cassius was trying to turn him against Caesar. We also thought that he was troubled with the decision to go along or to not go go along with Cassius' plan to kill Caesar. We thought that Cassius was a sly, evil, and persuasive man because he was the mastermind behind the whole plot to kill Caesar.
ReplyDeleteIn the audio file, Brutus seemed annoyed at Cassius because when they were talking while Caesar was being cheered on, Brutus said," But wherefore do you hold me so long?"(I.ii.90). Also whenever Caesar was cheered, Brutus seemed very annoyed and in the audio file, Brutus raised his voice, but throughout the audio, he was mostly serious. Cassius was very dramatic and his voice in the audio had a certain darkness behind it and he would get very angry every time he talked about Caesar. However whenever he talked to Brutus, he was very respectful and tried to persuade him into the scheme of killing Caesar. Cassius also compliments Brutus of his intelligence and he was better than Caesar.
The decisions the actors made and the ideas my group had about the characters were alike because Brutus was serious throughout the story and he was serious. Cassius was very, very sly, persuasive, and evil. The tones that the actors used really helped sell the story and they helped me understand the book more.
I believe that listening to Julius Caesar was easier to understand than reading it, and it helped me picture things better. The book still made me create the scenes in my head which sort of helped me to understand it, but overall listening to it made it a lot easier to understand.
ReplyDeleteMy group envisioned Cassius as a pompous man who thought he was better than many of the other people and had a deep hate towards Caesar and anyone who supported him. We pictured Brutus as a man who was liked by many and seemed to be quite nice, but he still found it necessary to end Caesars rule.
At the beginning of the play Cassius sounded very condescending but calm, then his voice escalates and escalates as he talks about Caesar, he also talks in a tone of disgust when he hears the commoners cheering for Caesar and celebrating him. Brutus seems quite serene but he grows serious throughout the play as he starts considering the murder of Caesar.
The decisions of the actors shows that they are using dramatic appropriateness and tone to adjust to the scenario. They used tactics such as Cassius hitting the cobbler to show how discontent Cassius was, and Cassius' voice escalates throughout the play to show how strong his emotions are, they also make Brutus' voice sort of serious to show that he is considering actually murdering Caesar. But they use all these tactics to set the "mood" and to evoke emotions in the audience.
-Steven Villegas
1. My group saw Cassius as a man who was willing to go to whatever length to convince Brutus to side with him against Caesar. From just reading the script alone, we saw Cassius as someone who opposed the very existence of Caesar - this would explain why he so desperately wanted Brutus to side with him - he very well could have carried out the assassination without Brutus. On the other hand, our group saw Brutus as an impartial man who was willing to listen to multiple sides before he made his decision clear. We noted that he usually kept his thoughts to himself (I.ii.44-49), but was willing to express his thoughts to a friend.
ReplyDelete2. In the audio file, Cassius was very sly in trying to convince Brutus. Instead of yelling, he kept his voice in a very calm, almost colloquial tone. Yet there was real menace and venom in his voice when he spoke of Caesar. He did exceptionally well, I think, in lines 125-138, where the listener can really see how much he despises Caesar. As for Brutus, I thought the actor showed the emotions of a man in conflict well. He was very quiet when speaking and spoke very slowly, as if weighing his words carefully.
3. The Cassius I imagined in the text of Julius Caesar and in this audio file are markedly different. I thought Cassius would raise his voice, trying desperately to recruit Brutus to his cause. Actually, the Cassius I heard in this audio file was calm, cool, and collected. However, he was similar to my interpretation of Cassius when he described Caesar, showing menace and hate. This helped show his devotion to the cause, and his calm helped illustrate that he wanted to calmly recruit Brutus to his side. The Brutus I perceived in the play and now in the audio file were also very similar. Both seemed to be weighing the odds of favoring Cassius or Caesar, and the actor presented that very well. I was taken aback, however, by the emotion in line 89 in describing Caesar - this helped show that he was very much at odds with duty and love.
1) My group and I imagined Cassius to be an angry man when he was talking about Julius Caesar. However, he sounded softer when he was complimenting Brutus. Cassius was also very persuasive while talking to Brutus. We then imagined Brutus to be of a kinder man than Cassius because he had no thought of killing Julius Caesar.
ReplyDelete2) In the beginning of the audio file, Cassius's tone was satirical as he was talking about Caesar. He would speak with a powerful voice to express his anger. As soon as he started saying how great Brutus was, Cassius lowered his tone to sound nicer. Brutus, on the other hand, had no shift in his tone. He just sounded indecisive and calm at the same time.
3) My group's choice of tone of Cassius was quite similar to the tone of Cassius in the audio file. However, our choice of tone for Brutus compared to the tone of Brutus in the audio file was different. My group and I thought that Brutus would sound nice, but in the audio file, Brutus sounded serious and calm. Cassius's shift in tone helps to indicate the tactics used. By using a mocking tone when talking about Caesar, he belittles Caesar. Then by using a more gentle tone, he explains how great Brutus actually is.
1. My group and i saw Brutus as a man who is motivated by his sense of honor, which requires him to place the good of Rome above his own personal interests or feelings.We felt that this caused Brutus to harm Caesar even though Brutus admired Caesar on the inside. We also decided as a group that while the other conspirators acted out of envy and rivalry, only Brutus truly believes that Caesar’s death will benefit Rome in a great way. in a similar manner, my group and I viewed Cassius as a twin that follows what Brutus thinks too. We believed that this caused Cassius to also believe that Caesar has become too powerful and must die in order to benefit Rome.
ReplyDelete2. After listening to the dialogue, i felt that Brutus was actually confused about what to do. He didn't know which side to follow, Cassius' or his own heart. Brutus had to choose and that made Cassius annoyed in a way. Also from the audio, i sensed that Cassius had a deep hate for Caesar because very time Caesar was mentioned, Cassius would always shout or raise his voice.
3. After listening to the audio, there were many changes to the way i viewed the story. While i was reading the book, there didn't seem to be that much emotion and hatred. Also when i was reading, i couldn't imagine the tone and the volume of the characters. On the other hand, while listening to the audio, there was an obvious sign of hatred, jealousy and even envy. Also, the rise in the character's voices helped add a mood, tone and atmosphere to the whole story. These tactics helped set a guilty mood. Cassius'angry tone shift made Brutus lower his opinion of Caesar and at the same time made Brutus feel a little guilt. In the end, the tone shift made Brutus convert over to Cassius point of view and made Brutus side with him.
It was interesting to see the differences in how the mood of the play seems now. I imagined how things would go differently form when I read the play than when I listened to the audio production.
ReplyDeleteI noticed in the audio that Cassius, or whoever played Cassius, made his voice seem very enticing and that was a good tactic to pul l Brutus to his side. Also, he made it seem like he understood Brutus' affection for Caesar which is the tactic called sympathy. Because of that sympathetic action, he was able to persuade Brutus into at least pondering his proposal which we all know is to plot against Caesar.
I also saw the tactic of persuasion in the words of Portia. When she knelt in front of Brutus, she tried to give Brutus a sense of pity and to feel sorry for her. She was also talking about how she was such a good wife to Brutus and that he was pretty much breaking the bonds of marriage of he was not going to tell her his sentiments. That seemed to be the most powerful tactic of persuasion to me because he, being her husband, would be compelled to tell her what was going after the whole show she put on. At least I would tell her. Kind of soft...
1- Before listening to the audio version of Caesar, my group and I pictured Brutus the same way everyone else in the class did, as a serious and conflicted man, not sure if killing Caesar was really for the greater good. By the dialogue in the book, Brutus reminded me of Macbeth, the main character from another work of Shakespeare. Macbeth was in a conflicted state, not sure if killing his close friend King Duncan was the right thing to do, and he was constantly being persuaded by his slick wife who reminded me of Cassius. My group and I pictured Cassius as a jealous, persuasive, and evil man, who was playing with Brutus's beliefs to get him to go along with his plot to kill Caesar.
ReplyDelete2- Our picture of Cassius was quite similar to how he was portrayed in the audio version of Caesar, Cassius used elevation in his voice to show importance in the things he talked about, in a matter of seconds he changed from calm to disgusted and furious when talking about Caesar, this change in voice really captured my attention. Cassius was constantly praising Brutus before and after he was talking about how Caesar was a crooked man, he was trying to fill in the blanks for Brutus and really tell him that killing Caesar was the right thing to do, he did this without sounding really desperate, which I think is commendable. Brutus seems to be this conflicted, almost unaware person of what's really going on, similar to how I thought he was. Brutus was forced to listen to what Cassius was saying, because of his persuasiveness and his assertive voice. The actor of Brutus always lowered his voice after a fault of Caesar was being pointed out, which tells us that Cassius's trickery is working. Brutus was like a child being tricked into a perverts car.
3- As I said before, the choices made by the actors were smart ones and enhanced my understanding of what was going on, the actors' choices didn't change my perspective of what was going on but honed it. The tactics used by the actor of Cassius were very well executed. He used a friendly tone to show that he was on Brutus's side, he used a tone of disgust when talking about Caesar, and a tone that made himself seem intelligent and not desperate, making him a person to follow, for the actor of Cassius , the change in his voice was key. The actor for Brutus was just how I imagined him, troubled and conflicted. The shift in tone by the actor of Brutus told me that Brutus is a serious man who listens to attentively, and for the most part, is a decent man who is just troubled because of Cassius's persuasion and his trickery.
My group and I have seen Cassius as a cunning man who has one goal: to kill Julius Caesar. In the book, at the time of the race, Cassius seems to be taking to Brutus in a serious manner but gentle manner. Once the idea of Caesar pops up, Cassiuss’ tone changes to a harsh and jealous tone once he mocks Caesar having a cold and drowning in the water. The tone however changes again once he talks again to Brutus to show him his thoughts of why Caesar should be killed. His tone changes to a soft and convincing tone. While I was reading the book, I made up my own tone for the characters. After watching the BBC report, I realized my thoughts were entirely wrong.
ReplyDeleteMy group and I have seen Brutus as a wise and caring person who would do anything for the good of Rome (I.ii.87-88) . once he is taking to Cassius about the race his voice is calm but right once the topic changes to Cassius being his mirror Brutus’s voice gets serious. Again the topic changes and Brutus changes his tone to daring once he talks about what he will do for the good of Rome(I.ii.87-88). Later once Cassius talks him into comparing Brutus and Caesar his voice seems caring and concerned. At the end of the conversation with Cassius, Brutus appears to be confused and fighting with himself.
In reading the story and listening to the radio performance, there were slight differences in how tone presented itself. Before listening to the radio performance, my group and I believed that Cassius and Flavius were planning to kill Caesar for the simple reason that they wanted to be in his position, not because of Caesar himself. The message I got from the book was that they envied him. However, when I listened to the radio performance, the tone slightly shifted to an angrier one, filled with hatred and disgust. In the radio performance, when they tried to convince each other of things, they sounded a lot like us and used tactics that we had used in our groups, in the group activity. For example, complimenting and nice tones were used in both the group activity and the soundtrack. This established a more convincing tone than using other tactics.
ReplyDelete1. My group and I saw Brutus as a man who was in a very difficult situation. This is because of the fact that Brutus was a very good friend to Julius Caesar but there are so many people who want to take Caesar down and those people want Brutus to help them. My group and I saw Cassius as a person who is a conniving snake.
ReplyDelete2. The performance starts with the both of them talking to each other as if they were old friends discussing the weather. But as the scene goes on, they both become more and more riled up. When they start talking about Caesar behind his back, they both start talking very secretively. Cassius talks in a friendly way to Brutus which makes Brutus feel more at ease but at the same time, Brutus is still on guard.
3. My group decided to use many different tactics and tones in the act of persuasion. As did the actors in the recording of Julius Caesar. The members of my group used tactics such as giving reasons to back up their argument, playing the sympathy card, and giving empty promises. Tones that the persuader in my group used were pleading, urgent, and reassuring. The tones used by the actors in the recording were reassuring, friendly, respectful, and agreeing. The actors used tactics such as giving reasons to back up their argument and using relatable themes.
The shifts in tones allow for the audience to see what kinds of tactics are being used. One example of this is how, at certain parts of the radio performance, Cassius becomes very friendly in his tone of voice when he tries to reassure Brutus and relate to how he is as a person. Another example would be of how both Cassius and Brutus both become very secretive in their tone of voice when they start talking about Caesar behind his back.
1.My group and I saw Cassius as a person who is desperate and envious. He used many tactics of persuasion to try and persuade Brutus to help him plot against Caesar. Cassius seem to dislike Caesar as he thought he does not deserve this. We as a group agreed that Brutus truly believed that Caesar's death will benefit Rome in a great way, in a way of protecting Rome's freedom. I view Brutus as a calm and indecisive person. He seem as he admires Caesar. He also seem to have a sense of honor, as he was willing to kill someone whom he admires and likes, for the benefit of Rome, and to protect the future for Rome.
ReplyDelete2. After listening to the audio version of the play, I felt that Brutus seem indecisive as I have view in the script. The actor added a tone that showed confusion, which made it seem as he can't pick between his friend or the benefit of Rome. Cassius seem to be very angry, or have a great hatred against Caesar, since his voice would raise as the name Caesar was called.
3. After listening to the audio version of the play, there were many changes to the way I viewed the play. The audio version made the emotion expressed in the script more intense, also to add more personality to the individual character in this play. The tone, and mood expressed by the actors help create an atmosphere that can be easily detected.
1) My group and I saw Cassius as a man that was a man that was filled with jealousy and anger. He always seemed to be frustrated to me and very jealous of Caesar. He was manipulative and tried to convince Brutus to turn on Caesar by being kind towards him. We saw Brutus as someone who was kinder, nicer, and gentler. He was also a very easy target for people to try and get him to turn on Caesar.
ReplyDelete2) When the clip started I think that Cassius had somewhat of a calm tone to his voice. As the clip progressed he seemed to be more demanding and harsh with his words when he was trying to convince Brutus that Caesar isn't more special than him. Brutus on the other hand had somewhat of a consistent tone throughout the whole thing but also seemed annoyed. He kept trying to tell Cassius that he wasn't jealous of Caesar and that he loved him.
3) In the recording, since Cassius was trying to convince Brutus to turn against Caesar by complimenting him in a way, the actor chose to have more of a softer tone during that part which helped so that he didn't seem angry or rude. His tone did change through throughout the thing which was slightly different from my group's thoughts because we thought he was just angry during the whole scene. I think that my group and I's thoughts on Brutus were pretty similar. We thought he was quite calm and had a consistent tone which was the kind of tone the actor had throughout the whole clip. It was slightly different in the way because he sounded annoyed with Cassius but it was still similar. The shifts in tone help with the scene because if Cassius is trying to convince Brutus to go against Caesar he doesn't want to sound rude or annoyed towards him. He wants to be kind towards him and the compliments he gave help with that.
1). In reading the play and listening to the play, my group and I had different views on how Cassius' and Brutus' tones show different emotions towards Caesar. While reading the play, I viewed Cassius as a jealous, bitter man who was trying to convince Brutus into doing something that he would never think of, going against Caesar. I viewed Brutus as a quite, gentleman who would never do something to harm his friend Caesar, because he was showing signs of weakness. It seemed to me that Brutus was trying to deal with the fact that he had to be the one to kill Caesar. It seemed to bother him, which caused him to show some sadness and regret. However, based on the words in the play, I assumed that Brutus was okay with killing Caesar, because Cassius was able to "sweet-talk" him into doing such a thing. Brutus was not against the plan, and in fact the tone showed me that Brutus was able to kill him. However, the tone from the book makes it harder to see his emotions. In fact, it was hard to even read the text when I was reading the play. The audio file made it much easier to understand what was going on in Brutus' and Cassius' minds.
ReplyDelete2). When listening to the audio file, the tone was much clearer and recognizable. I was able to understand the tone of all the characters. Cassius sounded very calm, but then he got much louder and he seemed somewhat angry. I believe his tone changed as the play progresses because he is trying to convince Brutus that Caesar isn't that great, and that he (Brutus) could be just as important as Caesar. Brutus was reluctant at first while listening to Cassius, so Cassius' tone did change. As for Brutus, his tone seemed to stay the same as the audio file played. I believe this is so because he was very unsure of what Cassius was saying, and didn't want to go against his beloved friend Caesar. However, he decided that Caesar should not be in power and he knew he had to do something about it.
3). The choices made by the actors and my group were similar. We depicted Cassius as an angry, crude man who wanted Caesar out of power, but he didn't want to get rid of Caesar himself. He seemed sneaky. Brutus seemed like a man who was unsure of himself and his actions. This view stayed the same as I listened to the audio file because Cassius seemed very angry and Brutus seemed somewhat calm. They used shift in tones to express their anger. For example, as the audio file progressed, Cassius' voice got much louder, as if he was screaming at Brutus to get his point through. The actor who played Brutus stayed quiet and calm in his tone because he wanted to show that Brutus was unsure of his actions.
At the very beginning of Act 1 scene II, the tone in Cassius’s voice appeared to be blameful and later apologetic. In Brutus’s voice the tone was sorrowful and then suspicious. This was when Cassius was accusing Brutus of being too harsh on his friend (Cassius himself). In turn Brutus began to feel sorry for himself, a very clever way to persuade someone to have pity. Cassius, in return, begins to persuade Brutus to join the rebellion against Julius Caesar by saying
ReplyDelete“And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors that will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,” (pg 17 line 61- 63)
or in other words; “you do not realize how worthy you are”.
However, in the radio performance, the tone of Brutus when he begins to feel “sorry for himself” is not sorrowful, but is rather carefree and lackadaisical. Also, the “suspicious” tone that was in the air when Brutus was asking Cassius “Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius” (pg 17 line 69) was not suspicious at all, but questioning and interested.
In the radio performance I noticed a very strong tactic used by Cassius to convince Brutus to join the rebellion. I did not notice this tactic in the reading: When Brutus says, “What means this shouting? (pause) I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king.” Cassius replies, “Ay, do you fear it?”(pg 19 lines 85- 87) Cassius’s tactic was to use Brutus’s words in his argument. It was almost as if Cassius was saying “So you do want Caesar out?” Cassius’s tactic was very effective.
The shifts of tone employed by the actor were completely different than I imagined in the reading. I even had to go back and edit my annotations for those part.
Kishauna A. McLean
ReplyDelete1. Our group imagined Cassius as a jealous, narrow-minded and ignorant character. This is because, he continuously compared himself to Caesar, usually putting himself on the top of the pedestal whilst question the reason behind Caesars high in power. While Brutus came off as an indifferent character. He made little notices to point him in a direction but he said enough to make it clear that he and Cassius were good friends.He seemed to be the character being persuade but had yet to truly note a side.
2. Cassius's tone is first a charming tone, then one of discontent, then anger. Then he vacillates from a tone of irony and appeasement. Cassius amplifies the negative aspects of Caesar's persona while appeasing, in a seemingly persuading effort, Brutus by comparing him to Caesar in an equal light. While Brutus's tone is uncaring, blunt and indifferent. He doesn't seem to have much care as to what Cassius is "ranting off about" but rather just have his own belief in the republic, rather than a king. Brutus seemingly responds with little correspondence to what Cassius says.
3. The shifts in tone indicate the tactic being used. For example, in using an appeasing tone, Cassius is using the tactic of charm and relation to bring about a sense of injustice. He relates Brutus to Caesar, and says "Why should that name be sounded more than yours? Write them together, yours is as fair a names, sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; Weigh them, it is as heavy..."
1. My group viewed Brutus as a man who was serious and had respect towards Caesar. He was seemed to honor Caesar and also seemed to be close to him. He seemed to be defending Caesar by preventing Cassius’s plan. He was trying to avoid listening to Cassius. Cassius seemed like a slick person who was trying to assure Brutus that Caesar was a disgrace and should be taken down. Cassius used his slickness to convince Brutus by saying that Brutus could be a great ruler just like Caesar. Cassius seemed to also be playing with the emotions on Brutus, specifically his anger.
ReplyDelete2. Cassius seems like a slick person who uses a nice and curious tone in his voice. He questions Brutus in many ways and tries to play with his emotions. He says that Brutus and Caesar seem equally great when you compare the names. He praises to try to convince him to go against Caesar. He hides the dark tone and goal with his questioning and praise. Brutus seemed to be annoyed when Cassius was talking to him. He acted like if nothing mattered. His overall tone seemed melancholy and aggravated. He seems to be fighting back everything Cassius says. He claims that he is not jealous and that he respects and love Caesar
3. After listening to the audio version of Julius Caesar, the way I visualize the play has changed a lot. The audio version on the play made me see the men as people with more hatred and who were slick. Also it allowed me to see the different expressions on the characters. I was able to here the different tones and able to decipher the motives and personalities of the characters. The mood of the play was created by the voice and words of the characters. Brutus has an annoyed tone while Cassius has a sneaky tone which sets an atmosphere for the scene and reveals the motives of the characters. At first I thought that Brutus had a strong personality and bold tone while reading the play. I thought Cassius was more of an angry character and spoke in a harsh and sneaky tone. Now after hearing the audio version of the play I see Brutus as person who is annoyed and angry at times. Cassius seems to be a sneaky person but not harsh or angry. He seems to be playing with Brutus’s thoughts by asking him so many questions and praising him in different ways.
-Brian Sarango