ICSE Class 9 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ICSE Class 9 Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1
By William Shakespeare
Act I, Scene I of Julius Caesar takes place in Rome and introduces a conflict. Tribunes Flavius and Murellus confront commoners who are celebrating Caesar’s victory. The scene shows how the commoners are changeable in their loyalty, as they cheer for Caesar even though they once honoured his rival, Pompey. The tribunes worry about Caesar gaining too much power, so they try to send the crowd away and remove decorations celebrating Caesar’s opening scene, which sets up the political tensions and power struggles throughout the play.
- Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Summary
- Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Summary in Hindi
- Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Theme
- Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Explanation
Related:
- Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Question Answers
- Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Character Sketch
- ICSE Class 9 English Lesson Notes
Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Summary
In Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, two Roman government officials, Flavius and Murellus, confront a group of commoners in the streets of Rome. They are angry that the people are celebrating Caesar’s victory over Pompey, a former Roman hero.
The scene opens with Flavius and Murellus demanding to know why the commoners are not at work. They believe the workers, dressed in their best clothes, are being lazy and disrespectful by taking a day off. A witty cobbler playfully answers their questions with puns, referring to himself as a ‘mender of bad soles’ and a ‘surgeon to old shoes’. He eventually reveals the truth: they’re out to celebrate Caesar’s triumphant return to Rome.
This revelation enrages Murellus, who delivers a powerful speech. He scolds the people for their fickle loyalty, reminding them of how they used to cheer for Pompey, Caesar’s rival. He recalls a time when they would climb to the rooftops and wait all day just to see Pompey pass by. He criticises them for now celebrating the man who defeated Pompey’s sons. Murellus accuses them of being ‘blocks’ and ‘stones’ for their ingratitude and tells them to go home and pray to the gods to prevent a ‘plague’ from striking Rome because of their disloyalty.
After the commoners, humbled and ashamed, leave the scene, Flavius and Murellus discuss their plan to diminish Caesar’s power. They decide to remove the ceremonial decorations from Caesar’s statues, even though it’s the Feast of Lupercal. Flavius says he will drive the vulgar or common people from the streets, and Murellus agrees to do the same. Flavius’s final words are a powerful metaphor: he compares Caesar to a bird whose feathers must be plucked to prevent him from flying too high and ruling over everyone in servile fearfulness. This act sets the stage for the political conflict and conspiracy that will unfold throughout the rest of the play.
Summary of Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 in Hindi
शेक्सपियर के जूलियस सीज़र के अधिनियम 1, दृश्य 1 में, दो रोमन सरकारी अधिकारी, फ्लेवियस और मारुलस, रोम की सड़कों पर आम लोगों के एक समूह का सामना करते हैं। वे गुस्से में हैं कि लोग एक पूर्व रोमन नायक पोम्पेई पर सीज़र की जीत का जश्न मना रहे हैं।
दृश्य की शुरुआत फ्लेवियस और मारुलस के साथ होती है जो यह जानने की मांग करते हैं कि आम लोग काम पर क्यों नहीं हैं। उनका मानना है कि सबसे अच्छे कपड़े पहने हुए श्रमिक एक दिन की छुट्टी लेकर आलसी और अपमानजनक व्यवहार कर रहे हैं। एक मजाकिया मोची खिलवाड़ के साथ उनके सवालों का जवाब देता है, खुद को ‘खराब तलवों को ठीक करने वाला’ और ‘पुराने जूतों का सर्जन’ बताता है। वह अंततः सच्चाई का खुलासा करता हैः वे रोम में सीज़र की विजयी वापसी का जश्न मनाने के लिए निकले हैं।
यह रहस्योद्घाटन मारुलस को क्रोधित करता है, जो एक शक्तिशाली भाषण देता है। वह लोगों को उनकी अस्थिर वफादारी के लिए डांटता है, उन्हें याद दिलाता है कि कैसे वे सीज़र के प्रतिद्वंद्वी पॉम्पेई के लिए जयकार करते थे। वह एक समय को याद करते हैं जब वे छतों पर चढ़ते थे और पोम्पेई को गुजरते देखने के लिए पूरे दिन इंतजार करते थे। वह पॉम्पेई के बेटों को हराने वाले व्यक्ति का जश्न मनाने के लिए उनकी आलोचना करता है। मारुलस उन पर उनकी कृतघ्नता के लिए ‘अवरोध’ और ‘पत्थर’ होने का आरोप लगाता है और उन्हें घर जाने और देवताओं से प्रार्थना करने के लिए कहता है ताकि उनकी बेवफाई के कारण रोम पर ‘प्लेग’ न आए।
आम लोगों के विनम्र और शर्मिंदा होने के बाद, फ्लेवियस और मारुलस सीज़र की शक्ति को कम करने की अपनी योजना पर चर्चा करते हैं। वे सीज़र की मूर्तियों से औपचारिक सजावट को हटाने का फैसला करते हैं, भले ही यह लुपरकाल का पर्व हो। फ्लेवियस का कहना है कि वह अश्लील या आम लोगों को सड़कों से भगा देगा, और मारुलस भी ऐसा करने के लिए सहमत हो जाता है। फ्लेवियस के अंतिम शब्द एक शक्तिशाली रूपक हैंः वह सीज़र की तुलना एक ऐसे पक्षी से करता है जिसके पंखों को तोड़ना पड़ता है ताकि वह बहुत ऊँचा उड़ने से बच सके और एक गुलाम डर में सभी पर शासन कर सके। यह अधिनियम राजनीतिक संघर्ष और साजिश के लिए मंच तैयार करता है जो नाटक के बाकी हिस्सों में सामने आएगा।
Theme of Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1
The Fickle Nature of the Crowd
This scene immediately shows how easily the common people of Rome change their minds and loyalties. They used to cheer loudly for Pompey, Caesar’s rival. Now that Caesar has defeated Pompey, they are just as enthusiastically celebrating Caesar. Flavius and Murellus are disgusted by this, pointing out how quickly the crowd forgets their past heroes and shifts its support to the newest victor. This theme suggests that public opinion can be easily swayed and isn’t always based on deep conviction.
Political Conflict and Rivalry
The core tension of the play, the struggle for power in Rome, is immediately evident. Flavius and Murellus represent the traditional Roman Republic and are strongly opposed to Caesar’s growing influence. They see his triumph not as a victory for Rome, but as a dangerous step towards him becoming an absolute ruler. Their actions of clearing the streets and removing decorations from Caesar’s statues show an active resistance against him from the very beginning.
The Threat of Ambition and Tyranny
Flavius clearly expresses the fear that Caesar’s ambition will lead him to become a tyrant. When he talks about ‘plucking’ Caesar’s ‘growing feathers’ so he won’t ‘soar above the view of men’, he means they must limit Caesar’s power to prevent him from becoming too dominant and turning the Republic into an oppressive dictatorship. This fear of one man holding too much power is a central concern for many characters in the play.
Social Class and Hierarchy
The scene also highlights the differences between social classes. The tribunes, Flavius and Murellus, are powerful officials who look down on the commoners. They scold them for being idle creatures and expect them to be working, not celebrating. The cobbler’s clever and defiant remarks, however, show that even the common people have a voice and can challenge authority in their own way, though they ultimately obey the tribunes’ commands.
Setting of the Scene
The scene is set in a public street in Rome. The atmosphere is lively and celebratory, as the common people are taking a day off from work to see Caesar’s victory parade. Flavius and Murellus interrupt this festive mood, changing the tone to one of political tension and confrontation. The contrast between the joyful crowd and the angry tribunes establishes a sense of unease and foreshadows the political conflict to come.
Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 1 Explanation
Play:
FLAVIUS and MURELLUS enter on one side of the stage, as do a CARPENTER, a COBBLER, and some other commoners from the other end of the stage.
FLAVIUS
Hence! Home, you idle creatures get you home!
Is this a holiday? What, know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a laboring day without the sign
Of your profession? —Speak, what trade art thou?
CARPENTER
Why, sir, a carpenter.
Word meanings:
Hence: Away from here; go.
Idle: Lazy; not busy or working.
Mechanical: A person who works with their hands; a manual laborer or tradesman.
Laboring day: A workday; a day when people are expected to be working.
Profession: Trade or occupation.
Explanation of the above dialogues—The scene opens with Flavius and Murellus, two tribunes (Roman government officials), encountering a group of commoners on the street, including a carpenter and a cobbler. Flavius angrily asks them why they are not at work. He calls them idle creatures and says they shouldn’t be out and about on a workday without the proper tools or clothing to show their profession. He then demands to know what trade they practice. The carpenter responds by stating that he is, in fact, a carpenter.
Play:
MURELLUS
Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?
—You, sir, what trade are you?
COBBLER
Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as
you would say, a cobbler.
MURELLUS
But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.
COBBLER
A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe
conscience, which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad
soles.
Word meanings:
Thy: A formal, old-fashioned word meaning your.
Dost: An archaic form of the verb ‘do’, used with thou (an old word for ‘you’).
Apparel: Clothing, especially formal or fancy attire.
In respect of: A phrase meaning ‘in comparison to’ or ‘in relation to’.
Conscience: A person’s sense of right and wrong; a moral compass.
Soles: This word has a double meaning here: it refers both to the bottom part of a shoe and to a person’s soul, their spiritual or moral essence.
Explanation of the above dialogues— After scolding the carpenter, Murellus turned to the cobbler, asking him why he wasn’t wearing his work clothes—his leather apron and carrying the ruler. He questioned what the cobbler was doing in the streets wearing his best clothes. When the cobbler humbly said he was just a cobbler, Murellus demanded a direct answer. The cobbler replied that he was a ‘mender of bad soles’, using a clever play on words.
Play:
MURELLUS
What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what trade?
COBBLER
Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me. Yet, if
you be out, sir, I can mend you.
MURELLUS
What mean’st thou by that? “Mend” me, thou saucy
fellow?
COBBLER
Why, sir, cobble you.
FLAVIUS
Thou art a cobbler, art thou?
COBBLER
Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl. I
meddle with no tradesman’s matters nor women’s matters,
but withal I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes.
When they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper
men as ever trod upon neat’s leather have gone upon my
handiwork.
Word meanings:
Knave: A dishonest or unscrupulous man; a rogue.
Naughty: In Shakespeare’s time, this often meant wicked or corrupt, not just mischievous.
Out with me: Angry with me.
Mend: To repair or fix.
Cobble: To repair shoes.
Awl: A small, pointed tool used by cobblers to make holes in leather.
Meddle with: To involve oneself in something that is not one’s concern.
Surgeon: A medical professional who performs surgery. The cobbler uses this for dramatic and humorous effect.
Handiwork: Something made by hand.
Proper men: Respectable or high-ranking men.
Neat’s leather: Cowhide.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Murellus angrily demanded to know what the cobbler’s trade was, calling him a knave and a naughty knave. The cobbler, in a clever and cheeky response, begged Murellus not to be angry with him. He then added that if Murellus was indeed angry, he could mend him. Confused and annoyed, Murellus asked what he meant by mend. The cobbler replied simply that he could cobble him, as in, fix him like he fixed a shoe. Flavius then confirmed that the cobbler’s trade was indeed a cobbler. The cobbler then proudly explained his profession, saying he earns his living with his awl, a tool used to make holes in leather. He said he doesn’t involve himself in other people’s business, but he is like a surgeon to old shoes, able to recover them when they are in bad shape. He boasted that even the most respectable men have walked on his handiwork.
Play:
FLAVIUS
But wherefore art not in thy shop today?
Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?
COBBLER
Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes to get myself into
more work. But indeed, sir, we make holiday to see
Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph.
Word meanings:
Wherefore: why
Dost: do
Triumph: a great victory or achievement
Rejoice: to celebrate or show great happiness
Explanation of the above dialogues— Flavius asks the Cobbler why he isn’t in his shop and why he is leading all the other men through the streets. The Cobbler cheekily replies that they are walking around to wear out their shoes, which would give him more work. He then admits that the real reason is that they have taken the day off to see Caesar and celebrate his triumph.
Play:
MURELLUS
Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?
What tributaries follow him to Rome
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless
things,
O you hard hearts, you cruèl men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
Have you climbed up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops,
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The livelong day with patient expectation
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout
That Tiber trembled underneath her banks
To hear the replication of your sounds
Made in her concave shores?
And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?
Be gone!
Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude.
Word meanings:
Wherefore: A more formal way of saying ‘why’.
Tributaries: In this context, it refers to conquered people or nations who would follow a victorious general in a triumph as a sign of their defeat and submission.
Grace: To honor or dignify.
Captive bonds: Being held as a prisoner in chains.
Senseless: Lacking common sense or feeling; stupid.
Pompey: A Roman general and statesman who was a rival of Julius Caesar. Caesar defeated Pompey’s sons in a civil war, making this a sensitive subject for Murellus and Flavius, who were loyal to the old Roman Republic.
Livelong day: The entire day.
Universal shout: A shout from everyone, a collective cheer.
Tiber: The river that runs through Rome.
Replication: An echo or reverberation.
Concave shores: The curved banks of the river that would create an echo.
Cull out: To select or choose.
In triumph over Pompey’s blood: Celebrating a victory over Pompey’s descendants, effectively celebrating his defeat.
Intermit: To stop or suspend.
Plague: A severe punishment or disaster.
Ingratitude: The state of being ungrateful; a lack of thankfulness.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Murellus asked the crowd why they were celebrating. He questioned what triumph Caesar had brought home and what new captives followed his chariot in chains. He then insulted the commoners, calling them mindless ‘blocks’ and ‘stones’ with ‘hard hearts’. He reminded them that they once knew Pompey, Caesar’s rival. He recalled how often they had climbed onto walls, towers, windows, and even chimneys, holding their children and waiting all day to see Pompey pass by. He described how they would shout so loudly when they saw his chariot that the Tiber River would tremble from the echo of their voices. He then accused them of being fickle, asking if they were now wearing their finest clothes and taking a holiday to strew flowers in the path of the man who had triumphed over Pompey’s family. Finally, Murellus ordered them to leave, go home, fall to their knees, and pray to the gods to stop the plague that would surely come as punishment for their ingratitude.
Play:
FLAVIUS
Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault,
Assemble all the poor men of your sort,
Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
The CARPENTER, COBBLER, and all of the commoners exit.
Word meanings:
Tiber banks: The land along the Tiber River in Rome.
Channel: The riverbed or the deepest part of the river.
Most exalted shores: The highest, most elevated riverbanks.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Flavius tells the commoners to go home and gather all the other poor people like themselves. He orders them to go to the banks of the Tiber River and cry so much that their tears make the river rise until the water touches the highest level of the edge. His message is a form of penance; he wants them to show their guilt and remorse for celebrating Caesar. The commoners, feeling ashamed, then leave.
Play:
FLAVIUS
See whether their basest metal be not moved.
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol.
This way will I. Disrobe the images
If you do find them decked with ceremonies.
MURELLUS
May we do so?
You know it is the feast of Lupercal.
Word meanings:
Basest metal: The word ‘metal’ is a pun on mettle. Flavius is referring to the commoners’ characters or spirits, saying that their lowest, most ignoble nature has been moved or affected by their guilt.
Tongue-tied: Unable to speak; silenced.
Disrobe the images: To strip or remove the ceremonial decorations from the statues of Caesar.
Decked with ceremonies: Decorated with ornaments or symbols of honor.
Feast of Lupercal: A Roman festival held on February 15th to celebrate the fertility god Lupercus and the founding of Rome. This day is important because it is when Caesar is offered the crown three times.
Explanation of the above dialogues- After the commoners leave, Flavius observes that they disappeared silently, ashamed of their actions. He tells Murellus to go one way toward the Capitol while he goes another way. He instructs Murellus to remove any decorations or ceremonies they find on statues of Caesar. Murellus hesitates, pointing out that they are in the middle of a religious festival, the Feast of Lupercal.
Play:
FLAVIUS
It is no matter. Let no images
Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about
And drive away the vulgar from the streets.
So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
Who else would soar above the view of men
And keep us all in servile fearfulness.
They exit in different directions.
Word meanings:
Trophies: These are not physical awards, but objects taken from a defeated enemy as a sign of victory. In this context, they are likely banners, armor, or other decorations on Caesar’s statues.
Vulgar: In Shakespeare’s time, this word referred to the common people or the lower class, not something obscene or crude.
Pitch: This is a term from falconry, meaning the highest point a hawk or falcon can fly before it swoops down. Flavius uses it to mean an ordinary or normal height.
Servile: This word means to be excessively obedient or submissive. Flavius fears they will all live in a state of fearful servitude to Caesar.
Explanation of the above dialogues— After the commoners have left, Flavius dismisses Murellus’s concern about the holiday. He tells him that it doesn’t matter that it’s the feast of Lupercal, and that no statues of Caesar should be decorated with his trophies from battle. Flavius declares that he will go and drive the commoners out of the streets, and he instructs Murellus to do the same wherever he sees large crowds. Flavius then explains his reasoning: he believes that if they can take away some of Caesar’s power and influence, represented by ‘plucking’ his ‘growing feathers’, they can prevent him from becoming too powerful and ruling over them like a tyrant. Flavius fears that otherwise, Caesar will ‘soar above’ everyone else and keep them all in a state of frightened obedience. With that, the two men leave, heading in different directions to carry out their plan.
Conclusion
Act I, Scene I of Julius Caesar takes place in Rome and introduces a conflict. Tribunes Flavius and Murellus confront commoners who are celebrating Caesar’s victory. The scene shows how the commoners are changeable in their loyalty, as they cheer for Caesar even though they once honoured his rival, Pompey. The tribunes worry about Caesar gaining too much power, so they try to send the crowd away and remove decorations celebrating Caesar’s opening scene, which sets up the political tensions and power struggles throughout the play. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 1, Scene 1 of the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp. This post includes a summary of Julius Caesar, which will help students of ISCE class 9, to get a quick recap of the play.