UNDERSTANDING JULIUS CAESAR
Here at ImprovEd Shakespeare, we firmly believe you should get to know the story before jumping into a Shakespeare play. Therefore, in honor of our fall production, we want to share some valuable resources with you.
YouTube
If you like YouTube, then we have a playlist on our channel. While you are there, subscribe, and check out our original videos. In the meantime, for more information click Studies: Julius Caesar.
Short Written Summary
- No Fear Shakespeare – No Fear Julius Caesar – This website devotes itself to making the Bard of Avon less fearsome. Moreover, it has a useful modern translation alongside the original text. Although many Shakespeare academics barf at the modern paraphrasing, at the same time, however, that inflexibility makes some of us grin.
- Shmoop – Julius Caesar – Okay, some families will find this site agreeable, while others less so. In this case, Shmoop is very tongue-in-cheek. There are lots of subjective observations inserted into the summary. Additionally, a few “more mature” annotations also exist, for example, “PITA” and “WTF?” However, it’s entertaining for a quick overview of the story. And, yes, Shakespeare academics barf at this too.
- Play Shakespeare website – Julius Caesar – Here, you will find an app with the text of the plays. You can also select words and get a definition as you read along.
- Absolute Shakespeare website – Julius Caesar
- Shakespeare Online website – Julius Caesar
- Shakespeare Stories II by Leon Garfield – Out-of-print, but you can find used copies on Amazon or at your local library.
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Alternative Versions
- Manga Shakespeare: Julius Caesar by adapter Richard Appignanesi and Mustashrik Mahbab, illustrator
- Brick Shakespeare: The Tragedies-Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar by authors John McCann, Monica Sweeney, and Becky Thomas – Shakespeare as told through LEGO bricks!
- Julius Caesar (Shakespeare Graphics) by adapter Carl Bowen, and Eduardo Garcia, illustrator – This is a graphic novel version of the play put out by the author.
- Tales from Shakespeare by Marcia Williams, author, and illustrator
- Google “BBC Animated Tales Julius Caesar.” In this Kid-friendly TV series, the BBC shared the stories of Shakespeare’s famous plays. Moreover, they are all in 30-minute animated versions. Some sites still have active links, but they’re always changing. So, search the web and see what pops up.
Entire Play
- MIT has all of Shakespeare’s works available for free online – Julius Caesar
- Or, visit your local library! As to the editions or publishers, it’s up to you. Listed below are several options.
- Julius Caesar (No Fear Shakespeare) – As we said above, we like No Fear for younger readers. Some people hate it because they feel the paraphrasing is inadequate. But, we think it’s highly readable if you quickly want the gist of the story.
- Arden Shakespeare: Third Series Julius Caesar – Many actors like the footnotes found in the Arden editions.
- Julius Caesar (Folger Shakespeare Library) – Quite a few readers enjoy the annotation plus layout of the Folger editions. Additionally, many high schools use this edition.
- Julius Caesar (Simply Shakespeare) – Similar to No Fear, this is a modern translation including the side-by-side with the original verse.
- Shakespeare Made Easy – Julius Caesar – Also included in this version, is a modern translation side-by-side with the original verse.
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Film Versions
- Julius Caesar (1953) – With Marlon Brando – Not rated
- BBC Shakespeare – Julius Caesar (1979)
Conclusion
Finally, a short note about modern translations. Although serious Shakespeare academics and scholars feel that starting kids off with these versions is abhorrent, or subjective paraphrasing. However, we disagree. At ImprovEd Shakespeare, we appreciate those fresh interpretations. In fact, we view them as a jumping off point. For example, sometimes you come across a phrase that just doesn’t make sense. Without being immersed in Shakespeare’s language, it can be hard to understand. A current rendering helps a-plenty. In other words, it helps you to appreciate the beauty of Shakespeare’s words.
In any case, there’s no one right way to approach Shakespeare. Indeed, the trick is to find what works for you.
We hope these resources are helpful to get you started on your journey with this play!
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PERFORMANCES
Each fall and spring, ImprovEd Shakespeare develops a new production for live performance. In honor of the traditional Renaissance traveling troupe, during a period of a few weeks, we present Kid-friendly plays at various venues around town. Our Players, between 3rd-11th grade, gear themselves with playful, as well as engaging interpretations of works by the Bard of Avon. Suitable for all ages, each performance runs for about an hour.
Furthermore, these shows are always FREE. However, we gladly accept Donations! Additionally, visit ImprovEd Shakespeare, Shakespeare for Kids by Kids on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. And don’t forget to click on our BLOG for the stories behind these videos.
