What characteristics of Portia do you discover in II, 1, 261-278, 291-302; IV, 3, 152-156? Compare her with Calpurnia as she appears in II, 2.
What are the characteristics of the Commoners? Compare them with a modern crowd such as might gather to see a parade or a celebration.
Form.—What is the meter of this play? Where do we frequently find an additional syllable? Illustrate.
What other variations from the normal line help to keep the verse from becoming monotonous?
Explain the metrical difficulties of the following lines:
"'Speak, strike, redress.' Am I entreated" (II, 1, 55).
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears" (III, 2, 78).
"As a sick girl. Ye gods! it doth amaze me"(I, 2, 128).
Why do you think we have both prose and verse in I, 1?
Why prose in Brutus's speech and verse in Antony's?