The Story
'Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial'
Fearful that Caesar will become a tyrant, his friends plot to assassinate him
in order to save Rome. But the conspirators' high principles clash with
personal malice and ambition, and as they vie to manipulate the mob, the nation
is plunged into bloody civil war. A taut, profound drama exploring power and
betrayal, Julius Caesar exposes the chasm between public
appearance, political rhetoric and bitter reality.
Used and Recommended by the National Theatre
General Editor Stanley Wells
Edited by Norman Sanders
Introduction by Martin Wiggins
About the Author
William Shakespeare was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the precise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the most exceptional works of drama ever produced, including Romeo and Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606) and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154 sonnets, which number among the most profound and influential love poetry in English. Shakespeare died in Stratford in 1616.
Description
'Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial'
Fearful that Caesar will become a tyrant, his friends plot to assassinate him
in order to save Rome. But the conspirators' high principles clash with
personal malice and ambition, and as they vie to manipulate the mob, the nation
is plunged into bloody civil war. A taut, profound drama exploring power and
betrayal, Julius Caesar exposes the chasm between public
appearance, political rhetoric and bitter reality.
Used and Recommended by the National Theatre
General Editor Stanley Wells
Edited by Norman Sanders
Introduction by Martin Wiggins
About the Author
William Shakespeare was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the precise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the most exceptional works of drama ever produced, including Romeo and Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606) and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154 sonnets, which number among the most profound and influential love poetry in English. Shakespeare died in Stratford in 1616.
