Class 10 Literature Reader Chapter 14 Question Answers - Chapter 14 - Julius Caesar

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow :

Q1. What can be avoided
 Whose end is proposed by the mighty Gods?

(a) Who makes the above comment?

Ans : Julius Caesar makes this comment.

(b) Discuss the context of the above remark?

Ans : Calpurnia had witnessed some ill omens, so she does not wish Caesar to go to the Senate.

(c) Do you believe that the speaker’s belief is justified in the end? How?

Ans : Yes, it proves true because it was God’s will for Caesar got murdered.

Q2. “And many lusty Romans
 Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it”
 And these she applies for warnings

(a) Identify the speaker and the listener.

Ans : The speaker is Caesar and the listener is Decius Brutus.

(b) What do the warnings indicate?

Ans : The warnings indicated future tragedy for Caesar, i.e., death.

(c) How does the above remark prove to be true? Discuss?

Ans : Caesar got stabbed by other conspirators when he went to the Senate.

Q3. But I am constant as the northern star
 Of whose true-fixed and resting quality
 There is no fellow in the firmament

(a) Who is ‘fixed’ like the star?

Ans : Julius Caesar himself.

(b) Discuss the context of the above.

Ans : Brutus is making a request to Caesar to grant pardon to Publius Cimber.

(c) What qualities of the speaker are quoted above?

Ans : He is law-abiding and believes that one must never change oneself for rules.

Q4. O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?
 Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils
 Shrunk to this little measure.

(a) Identify the speaker.

Ans : Mark Antony is the speaker.

(b) Why is Caesar lying so low?

Ans : Caesar has been murdered by the conspirators.

(c) Why have his achievements come to naught according to the speaker?

Ans : Since Caesar is killed, his achievements have come to a standstill.

Q5. For your part
 To you our swords have leaden points, Antony
 Our arms, in struggle of malice and our hearts
 Of brothers’ temper

(a) Who is the speaker and the listener?

Ans : The speaker is Brutus and the listener is Mark Antony.

(b) What is the assurance, the speaker is giving to the listener?

Ans : Brutus assures Antony that they have no dangerous designs or ill-will against him.

(c) What support is required by the speaker?

Ans : He seeks support from Antony for the murder of Caesar.

Q6. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves,
 Than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?

(a) Identify the speaker?

Ans : Brutus is the speaker.

(b) Discuss the context of the above remark.

Ans : Brutus in his funeral speech blames Caesar for being dictatorial.

(c) What kind of situation is presented by the speaker? Is it true and justified?

Ans : He says that Caesar wanted to make all Romans slaves and he wished to become an Emperor himself. No it is not true, because Caesar had given no evidence of
doing so.

Q7. The evil that men do lives after them
 The good is oft interred with their bones;
 So let it be with Caesar.

(a) Who is the speaker and what is the context?

Ans : Antony is delivering his speech on the death of Julius Caesar.

(b) What good had Caesar done according to the speaker?

Ans : Caesar had done lot of good for Rome.

(c) What evidence does the speaker give to prove it?

Ans : He reads out Caesar’s will to prove it.

Q8. That was the most unkindest cut of all
 For when the noble Caesar saw him stales
 Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms
 Quite vanquished him.

(a) What was the unkindest cut? Who gave it?

Ans : The most unkind cut was the wound caused by Brutus.

(b) Whose sight pained Caesar the most? Why?

Ans : The sight of Brutus attacking him.

(c) What is ingratitude according to Antony.

Ans : Ingratitude is treachery of a dearest friend, which causes maximum pain.

Q9. Caesar : And you are come in happy time,
 To bear my greeting to the senators
 And tell them that I will not come today.
 Calpurnia : Say he is sick

(a) Who is Caesar speaking to?

Ans : He is speaking to Desius Brutus.

(b) What message does Caesar want to send to the senators?

Ans : He wanted to tell the senators that he was not well.

(c) What makes Caesar change his mind?

Ans : His wife’s pleadings forced him to change his mind.

Q10. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight:
 Thrice hath Clapurnia in her sleep cried out,
 Help, ho! they murder Caesar!” Who’ within?

(a) Who is Calpurnia?

Ans : She is Caesar’s wife.

(b) What does the disturbance in the sky indicate?

Ans : It indicates that something bad is going to happen.

(c) Does Calpurnia’s dream come true?

Ans : Yes, it comes true. Her husband, Caesar, gets murdered.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. Brutus was not shrewd and foresighted enough to cash in upon the conspiracy and the killing of Caesar. Discuss how did his miscalculations affect the conspirators.

Ans : Brutus was an idealist and a zealous Roman. He was not a good judge of human psychology and was very gullible. After killing Caesar, Brutus justifies his act by calling Caesar ‘ambitious’ and that he wished to be the Roman Emperor. He told the mob that Caesar wanted to be an Emperor and was an enemy to Roman liberty and democracy. Antony proved all these claims wrong and Brutus’ greatest mistake was to allow Antony to give a speech over Caesar’s body.

Q 2. Give two examples of supernatural elements from the play.

Ans : Calpurnia sees many ill-omens in her dreams. They are mostly supernatural elements used to predict the future. The examples are as follows:
a. A lioness lays a litter in a city street.
b. Graves opened, the dead walked and there were fierce battles fought in the skies.

Q3. How does Caesar react to Cimber’s pleadings to recall his brother from banishment?

Ans : Caesar is very arrogant and conceited of his judgement and his decisive nature. He not only refuses to pardon Cimber’s brother from being banished but he also refuses to listen to the entreaties of Brutus. He is obstinate and infuriates Cimber and Brutus with his rudeness. He calls himself ‘a fixed star’ and abuses Cimber by calling him a dog and insulting him. He refuses to accept their ‘bows’ and ‘respects’ and stays adament on his decision.

Q4. What are the contents of Caesar’s will that Mark Antony refers to? [C.B.S.E. 2012 (T-2)]

Ans : Antony uses emotional blackmail to provoke the Romans against the conspirators. He exploits their sentiments by saying that Caesar was not money-minded and he has left all his riches for the Romans in his will. He elaborates that Caesar has left all his walks, gardens, private chambers and newly planted orchards on the bank of Tiber for them. This revelation makes the Romans very emotional.

Q5. Why does Brutus kill Caesar? [C.B.S.E. 2012 (T-2)]

Ans : Brutus is Caesar’s friend. He has great Republican zeal, noble idealism and he is a great moralist. He is a champion of public liberty and freedom. But he is not a good judge of psychology. He gets misled by the conniving nature of the conspirators and joins them to kill Caesar because of his love for the liberty and bright future of Rome.