By discussing the play's treatment of suicide, students can explore their own thoughts and feelings about this sensitive subject in a nonthreatening forum. The attitudes of the various characters concerning suicide provide a starting point for students' discussions on the topic. Lively discussions will ensue over the question of who is the better friend.Īnother important societal issue touched upon in the play is suicide. Students will have strong opinions about the differing philosophies of friendship followed by Brutus and Antony. The issue of friendship and the importance people place on it is another issue explored in the play. Nothing or no one has more influence on adolescents than their friends. By comparing and contrasting the leadership qualities held by Caesar and Brutus, as well as many of the other characters, students become more aware of the careful thought that is necessary to choose a good leader. Students are quite opinionated about who is and is not a good leader. Students' awareness of the constant scrutiny to which today's leaders are subjected makes the play's examination of leadership timely. The play explores this question at length in its detailed examination of Caesar and Brutus as leaders.

One of the most important of these is the question of what qualities make up a good leader. The seeming simplicity of its plot and the directness of its prose make it accessible to every reading level while belying a complexity that is revealed through exploration of the play's timeless themes and social issues. Julius Caesar is an excellent choice of reading material for senior high school students.

William shakespeare caesar