ICSE Class 9 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ICSE Class 9 Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4
By William Shakespeare
The tension builds before the assassination in Act 2, Scene 4 of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The scene focuses on Portia’s growing fear and her attempts to learn about Brutus and the conspiracy. She sends her servant, Lucius, to the Senate and asks a Soothsayer who wants to warn Caesar. This shows that many people know about the danger ahead, and it highlights Portia’s struggle between keeping secrets and dealing with her anxiety as a woman.
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Summary
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Summary in Hindi
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Theme
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Explanation
Related:
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Question Answers
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 4 Character Sketch
- ICSE Class 9 English Lesson Notes
Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 4 Summary
In Act 2, Scene 4 of William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the audience sees a frantic and anxious Portia. She is worried about her husband, Brutus, and the conspiracy against Caesar. This scene shows the internal struggle of a woman who knows a dangerous secret but feels powerless to act.
The scene opens with Portia sending her servant, Lucius, to the Capitol. Her commands are a jumble of contradictions. She tells him to run but then stops him to give instructions, only to get frustrated that he’s still there. This back-and-forth reveals her extreme anxiety. She’s desperate for news about Brutus, who left their home ‘sickly’ and is now part of the plot to assassinate Caesar.
Portia confides her inner turmoil in a brief soliloquy. She says she has ‘a man’s mind but a woman’s might’, highlighting the internal conflict between her strong will and the societal constraints she faces as a woman. She believes women are naturally bad at keeping secrets, which only increases her fear that she might accidentally betray the conspiracy.
As Portia sends Lucius away, they hear a noise. Lucius hears nothing, but Portia insists she hears a ‘bustling rumor like a fray’. This is likely her imagination, driven by her overactive imagination and fear.
At this moment, a Soothsayer enters. Portia, hoping for some insight, questions him. The Soothsayer, the same one who warned Caesar earlier in the play, is on his way to see Caesar pass. When Portia asks if he knows of any harm coming to Caesar, he replies cryptically, ‘None that I know will be; much that I fear may chance’. This vague but ominous statement reinforces the sense of impending doom. He says he plans to speak to Caesar and ‘befriend himself’, suggesting he will try to warn him again.
After the Soothsayer leaves, Portia’s anxiety reaches a peak. She almost faints and is convinced Lucius must have overheard her earlier mutterings about Brutus’ ‘enterprise’. To cover her tracks, she quickly concocts a fake story: Brutus has a request that he wants Caesar to grant.
She sends Lucius on his way again, this time with a specific mission i.e. to check on Brutus and report back on his well-being. She instructs him to tell Brutus that she is cheerful, a clear lie meant to reassure him that she is holding up well despite her immense stress. The scene ends with Portia returning home, still overwhelmed by her fear and sense of helplessness. The scene serves to build suspense and foreshadow the tragic events of the next scene.
Summary of Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 4 in Hindi
विलियम शेक्सपियर के नाटक जूलियस सीज़र के एक्ट 2, सीन 4 में, दर्शकों को एक उन्मादी और चिंतित पोर्टिया दिखाई देता है। वह अपने पति ब्रूटस और सीज़र के खिलाफ साजिश के बारे में चिंतित है। यह दृश्य एक महिला के आंतरिक संघर्ष को दर्शाता है जो एक खतरनाक रहस्य जानती है लेकिन अभिनय करने के लिए शक्तिहीन महसूस करती है।
दृश्य की शुरुआत पोर्टिया द्वारा अपने नौकर, लुसियस को कैपिटल भेजने के साथ होती है। उसके आदेश विरोधाभासों की गड़बड़ी हैं। वह उसे भागने के लिए कहती है लेकिन फिर उसे निर्देश देने के लिए रोकती है, केवल निराश होने के लिए कि वह अभी भी वहाँ है। यह आगे-पीछे उसकी अत्यधिक चिंता को प्रकट करता है। वह ब्रूटस के बारे में खबर के लिए बेताब है, जो ‘बीमार’ होकर अपना घर छोड़ गया था और अब सीज़र की हत्या की साजिश का हिस्सा है।
पोर्टिया अपनी आंतरिक उथल-पुथल को एक संक्षिप्त स्वगत में व्यक्त करती है। वह कहती हैं कि उनके पास ‘एक पुरुष का दिमाग है लेकिन एक महिला की ताकत’ है, जो उनकी मजबूत इच्छाशक्ति और एक महिला के रूप में उनके सामने आने वाली सामाजिक बाधाओं के बीच आंतरिक संघर्ष को उजागर करती है। उनका मानना है कि महिलाएं स्वाभाविक रूप से रहस्य रखने में बुरी होती हैं, जिससे उनका डर बढ़ जाता है कि वह गलती से साजिश को धोखा दे सकती हैं।
जैसे ही पोर्टिया लुसियस को दूर भेजती है, उन्हें एक शोर सुनाई देता है। लुसियस कुछ नहीं सुनता है, लेकिन पोर्टिया जोर देकर कहती है कि वह एक ‘भगदड़ जैसी हलचल वाली अफवाह’ सुनती है। यह संभवतः उसकी कल्पना है, जो उसकी अति सक्रिय कल्पना और भय से प्रेरित है।
इस समय, एक भविष्यवक्ता प्रवेश करता है। कुछ अंतर्दृष्टि की उम्मीद में पोर्टिया उससे सवाल करती है। भविष्यवक्ता, वही व्यक्ति जिसने पहले नाटक में सीज़र को चेतावनी दी थी, सीज़र को पास देखने के लिए जा रहा है। जब पोर्टिया पूछती है कि क्या वह सीज़र को होने वाले किसी नुकसान के बारे में जानता है, तो वह गूढ़ता से जवाब देता है, ‘ऐसा कुछ भी नहीं होगा जो मुझे पता है; इतना कि मुझे मौका मिलने का डर है’। यह अस्पष्ट लेकिन अशुभ कथन आसन्न विनाश की भावना को मजबूत करता है। वह कहता है कि वह सीज़र से बात करने और ‘खुद से दोस्ती’ करने की योजना बना रहा है, यह सुझाव देते हुए कि वह उसे फिर से चेतावनी देने की कोशिश करेगा।
भविष्यवक्ता के जाने के बाद, पोर्टिया की चिंता चरम पर पहुँच जाती है। वह लगभग बेहोश हो जाती है और उसे विश्वास हो जाता है कि ब्रूटस के ‘उद्यम’ के बारे में लुसियस ने उसकी पहले की गड़गड़ाहट जरूर सुनी होगी। अपने ट्रैक को कवर करने के लिए, वह जल्दी से एक नकली कहानी गढ़ती हैः ब्रूटस के पास एक अनुरोध है कि वह चाहता है कि सीज़र उसे दे।
वह लुसियस को फिर से उसके रास्ते पर भेजती है, इस बार एक विशिष्ट मिशन के साथः ब्रूटस की जांच करने और उसके कल्याण पर वापस रिपोर्ट करने के लिए। वह उसे निर्देश देती है कि वह ब्रूटस को बताए कि वह हंसमुख है, एक स्पष्ट झूठ जिसका अर्थ उसे आश्वस्त करना है कि वह अपने अत्यधिक तनाव के बावजूद अच्छी तरह से पकड़ रही है। यह दृश्य पोर्टिया के घर लौटने के साथ समाप्त होता है, जो अभी भी अपने डर और असहायता की भावना से अभिभूत है। यह दृश्य रहस्य पैदा करने और अगले दृश्य की दुखद घटनाओं को पूर्ववत करने का काम करता है।
Theme of Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 4
Anxiety and Fear
This scene is a deep look into what anxiety and fear can do to a person. We see this through Portia, who is terrified for her husband, Brutus, and what he is about to do. Because she knows a big secret, she is completely overwhelmed. Her mind is racing, and her behavior is very strange. For example, she gives her servant Lucius confusing orders and even imagines hearing a fight happening far away at the Capitol. This shows how her fear is so powerful that it makes her see and hear things that are not real. The scene makes us feel the heavy stress and worry she is carrying.
The Role of Women
The play touches on the role of women in Roman times. Portia feels trapped by her gender. She says she has ‘a man’s mind but a woman’s might’, which means she has the courage and intelligence of a man but is held back by the limited power women had in her society. She believes that women are seen as weak and bad at keeping secrets, which makes her even more scared that she might accidentally reveal the plot. This part of the scene shows the challenges and limitations that women faced, even strong ones like Portia, in a world dominated by men.
Foreshadowing and Suspense
The scene is great at building suspense and hinting at the tragic events to come. Portia’s nervous state and the Soothsayer’s brief appearance are key parts of this. The Soothsayer, who had warned Caesar before, shows up again and talks in a mysterious way, saying that he fears harm ‘may chance’ to Caesar. This vague warning makes the audience even more nervous. We know something bad is about to happen, and the scene’s tense mood makes us wait anxiously for the next part of the story.
The Inevitability of Fate
The presence of the Soothsayer brings up the theme of fate, or the idea that some things are meant to happen. He has already tried to warn Caesar once, and here he is trying again. This suggests that certain events are unavoidable, no matter what people do to stop them. The Soothsayer acts like a messenger of destiny, and his words reinforce the feeling that the outcome is already decided and that Caesar’s fate is sealed.
Setting of the Scene
In Scene 4 of Act 2 of Julius Caesar, the setting is a public street near the house of Brutus. It is close to the Capitol, where the conspirators plan to meet Caesar. The time is early morning, as it is the day of the Ides of March, the day of the planned assassination. The atmosphere is tense and full of anxiety. It is not a quiet or peaceful setting. Portia, Brutus’s wife, is on the street, and she is very worried. The public nature of the street setting allows different people, like the servant Lucius and the Soothsayer, to come and go, adding to the sense of a busy and important day. The location being near the Capitol is important because it connects Portia’s personal worries to the big political event that is about to happen. Her position on the street makes her feel closer to the action and her husband, even though she is not at the Capitol herself. This physical setting emphasizes her mental state of being on edge and waiting for news.
Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 4: Scene Explanation
Play:
PORTIA and LUCIUS enter.
PORTIA
I prithee, boy, run to the senate house.
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
Why dost thou stay?
LUCIUS
To know my errand, madam.
PORTIA
I would have had thee there and here again
Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.
—O constancy, be strong upon my side,
Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue!
I have a man’s mind but a woman’s might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel!
—Art thou here yet?
Word Meanings
Prithee: A shortened form of ‘I pray thee’, meaning ‘please’.
Senate House: The Capitol, a public building in ancient Rome where the Senate met.
Ere: Before.
Constancy: The quality of being faithful and dependable; in this context, it means courage or mental fortitude.
Might: Power or strength.
Counsel: A secret.
Explanation of the above dialogues—Portia and Lucius enter, and Portia immediately tells Lucius to please run to the Senate House. She orders him not to stop and answer her, but just to go. When he hesitates, she impatiently asks him why he is still standing there. Lucius replies that he is staying because he needs to know what his task is. Portia then explains that she is in such a hurry that she wishes he could have run to the Capitol and returned even before she had the chance to tell him what to do there. She then speaks to herself, asking for her courage to be strong and to put a huge mountain between her heart and her tongue. She says that she has the mind of a man, but the strength of a woman, and complains about how difficult it is for women to keep a secret. After this, she turns back to Lucius and again impatiently asks him if he is still there.
Play:
LUCIUS
Madam, what should I do?
Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
And so return to you, and nothing else?
PORTIA
Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
For he went sickly forth. And take good note
What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
Hark, boy! What noise is that?
LUCIUS
I hear none, madam.
PORTIA
Prithee, listen well.
I heard a bustling rumor like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
LUCIUS
Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
The SOOTHSAYER enters.
Word Meanings
Thy Lord: Your husband (Brutus).
Sickly forth: Left home looking ill.
Good note: Pay close attention.
Doth: Does.
Suitors: People who are asking for a favor.
Hark: Listen.
Prithee: Please.
Bustling rumor like a fray: A busy noise that sounds like a fight.
Sooth: Truly or indeed.
Explanation of the above dialogues—Portia’s servant, Lucius, asks her what he should do, clarifying if he should just run to the Capitol and then immediately return without doing anything else. Portia replies yes, and instructs him to bring her news of how his master, Brutus, is doing, because he left home looking sick. She also tells him to pay close attention to what Caesar is doing and what people are crowding around him. Suddenly, Portia asks Lucius what noise he hears. Lucius tells her that he doesn’t hear anything. Portia then urges him to listen carefully, saying she heard a busy rumor, like the sound of a fight, that the wind is carrying from the Capitol. Lucius truthfully tells her that he still hears nothing. At that moment, the Soothsayer enters.
Play:
PORTIA
Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been?
SOOTHSAYER
At mine own house, good lady.
PORTIA
What is ’t o’clock?
SOOTHSAYER
About the ninth hour, lady.
PORTIA
Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?
SOOTHSAYER
Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand
To see him pass on to the Capitol.
PORTIA
Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?
SOOTHSAYER
That I have, lady. If it will please Caesar
To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
PORTIA
Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards him?
Word Meanings
Prithee: A short form of ‘I pray thee’, meaning ‘please’.
Hath: An old form of the verb ‘has’.
Suit: A petition, request, or formal appeal to a person of high authority.
Befriend himself: To be a friend to oneself, meaning to take care of oneself and act in one’s own best interest.
Know’st: An old form of the verb ‘knowest’, meaning ‘do you know’.
Intended towards him: Planned or aimed at him.
Explanation of the above dialogues—Portia asked the Soothsayer to come to her and inquired where he had been. The Soothsayer replied that he had been at his own home. She then asked him the time, and he told her it was about the ninth hour. Portia wanted to know if Caesar had already left for the Capitol. The Soothsayer said he had not yet left and explained that he was on his way to a spot where he could watch Caesar pass. Portia then asked him if he had a petition or a request for Caesar. The Soothsayer affirmed that he did. He said he would beg Caesar to ‘befriend himself’ by listening to him. Finally, Portia asked him if he knew of any harm that was intended for Caesar.
Play:
SOOTHSAYER
None that I know will be; much that I fear may chance.
Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow.
The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.
I’ll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.
He exits.
Word Meanings
Soothsayer: A person who can see the future or tell what will happen.
None that I know will be: He doesn’t have any specific knowledge of a planned attack.
Much that I fear may chance: He has a strong feeling that something bad is going to happen.
Good morrow to you: A formal way of saying ‘good morning’.
Throng: A large, packed crowd of people.
At the heels: Following very closely behind someone.
Praetors: Roman government officials, judges.
Feeble: Weak and frail.
Void: Empty or clear.
Explanation of the above dialogues—The Soothsayer told Portia that he didn’t know for certain if any harm would come to Caesar, but he greatly feared that it might happen. After greeting her, he commented that the street was very narrow. He then said that the large crowd following closely behind Caesar, made up of senators, praetors, and everyday people seeking favors, would likely crowd a weak man like himself to the point of almost killing him. Therefore, he decided that he would move to a less crowded place to be able to speak to Caesar as he passed by. After saying this, he exited the stage.
Play:
PORTIA
I must go in. [aside] Ay me, how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
Sure, the boy heard me. [to LUCIUS] Brutus hath a suit
That Caesar will not grant.—Oh, I grow faint.—
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord.
Say I am merry. Come to me again,
And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
They exit in opposite directions.
Word Meanings
Ay me: An expression of distress or sorrow.
Enterprise: In this context, it refers to the dangerous and difficult plan or undertaking, which is the assassination of Caesar.
Hath: An old form of ‘has’.
Suit: A formal request or petition.
Commend me to my lord: Give my greetings or regards to my husband, Brutus.
Merry: Cheerful or happy.
Explanation of the above dialogues—In this final part of the scene, Portia says she must go inside. She then speaks to herself, saying how weak a woman’s heart is. She prays that the heavens will help Brutus succeed in his plan. She suddenly realizes that Lucius might have heard what she said. Turning to Lucius, she quickly makes up a lie, telling him that Brutus has a request for Caesar that Caesar will not grant. She then feels faint again. She orders Lucius to run and give her regards to Brutus. She tells him to say that she is feeling cheerful, and to come back to her afterward with a report of what Brutus says to him. After this, they both leave, going in opposite directions.
Conclusion
The tension builds before the assassination in Act 2, Scene 4 of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The scene focuses on Portia’s growing fear and her attempts to learn about Brutus and the conspiracy. She sends her servant, Lucius, to the Senate and asks a Soothsayer who wants to warn Caesar. This shows that many people know about the danger ahead, and it highlights Portia’s struggle between keeping secrets and dealing with her anxiety as a woman. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 2, Scene 4 and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp of Julius Caesar. This post includes a summary of Julius Caesar, which will help students of ICSE class 9, to get a quick recap of the play.