Julius Caesar

by William Shakespeare, Reed Crandall (Illustrator), George Evans (Illustrator)

Shakespeare's famous historical play tells of the events leading up to the assassination of Roman leader and dictator, Julius Caesar, and its immediate aftermath, with Rome plunged into civil war. Classics Illustrated tells this wonderful tale in colorful comic strip form, offering an excellent introduction for younger readers. This edition also includes theme discussions and study questions, which can be used both in the classroom and at home to further engage the reader in the story.

The Classics Illustrated comic book series began in 1941 with its first issue, Alexandre Dumas’ "The Three Musketeers", and has since included over 200 classic tales released around the world. This edition is specifically tailored to engage and educate young readers with some of the greatest works ever written, while still thrilling older readers who have loving memories of this series of old.

Genres: Classics, Plays, Fiction, Shakespeare, Historical Fiction, Drama, Graphic Novels

48 pages, Paperback

Published August 5, 2016

About the author

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

Reviews

[Hirdesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review soon

[Edlira Dibrani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerfully ambitious yet ruthlessly arrogant, Julius Caesar's leadership divides opinion. On the cusp of his complete control over the Roman Republic, his Senators hatch a plot to seize back power, leading to his brutal assassination. As his rivals rally, it becomes clear that civil unrest rather than peace will be his legacy, and Caesar's spirit lives on to haunt Brutus in the wake of the empire


"Calphurnia: When beggars die there are no comets seen,
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.
Caesar: Cowards die many times before their death,
The valiant never taste if death but once."

[Vaishnavi Rai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is brilliantly written and also has some wonderful quotes. Each character has its own importance. Brutus is given a choice between his best friend and Rome. Mark Anthony giving a emotional speech about Caesar.
And my favourite quote from this book is
“The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.”

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT: Mark Antony is the only one who makes it out alive for a return role in the sequel "Antony and Cleopatra", although (another spoiler alert) he doesn't make it out of that one alive.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A serviceable introduction or review of the play. Really too short to support the flavor of the language or the complexity of the story.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to the play "Julius Caesar" by Billy Shakespeare. Awesome illustrations and all of the great quotes from the play in context. "Et, tu Brute?"

[Alejandro Vega]

This book is complicated to understand, due to authors constant change of pace. Shakespeare uses many devices to develop different characters and to set a scenery. He uses pathos to get the reader to feel sympathy for the characters, he uses pathos when Mark Antony gives his speech. Overall Shakespeare uses many characters as spoils for others and that helps him move the story along smoother.

[Toluwanimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much it enlightens you on what you know about Julius Caesar and how he died. Some people don't really know what really happened and how he really died so this is the book for you so I will advice you try and I promise you will not regret because it gives you a whole imagination on your individual capability.

[Micheal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok book. Shakespeare is great but this isn't my favorite one that I've read. The title is a weird choice since it doesn't really contain Julius that much but still interesting to see that side of the story. You could not read this play and I think you would be ok comparatively to his other ones Like Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history and therefore found it interesting to read this play written about the Ides of March. I love how Shakespeare brought the characters to life through description and strong personalities. I recommend this play is read and acted out.

[Nagham Noor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Shakespeare is fun!!!
Even though I was reading it for university it felt amazing, it defiantly didn't feel like I was forced to read something I don't like.
I really enjoyed highlighting quotes from the play, now I can quote Shakespeare and be total nerd.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been as interested in Shakespeare's historical plays but this one was really good. This is a rare instance where the titular character is killed halfway through. This play isn't so much about Caesar himself, but his death and the impact of it.

[Smita · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Beware the Ides of March."
"The eye sees not itself, but by reflection, by some other thing."

[Big H · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a reason way this play is a classic. Riveting! I hope to see this live some day!

[Maud van Lier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Focus on the speech of Marc Anthony.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really good play but as usual Shakespear's writing was hard for me to understand.

[Jie Jie]

Not my favorite of Shakespeare's work, but it's still amazing!

[Dhruv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Panda Warrior · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brutus ate and left no crumbs. He absolutely devoured the entire table. Slayed so hard. Cassius flopped. Icl it's a bit dead.

[Dara Kossok-Spieß · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein Klassiker