Remember Caesar: Class 12 English

12th Standard English 6th Lesson Remember Caesar (Play) Questions and Answers

Warm up

Study the title of the play “Remember Caesar”. Who is Caesar? What is he remembered for? Let us go through the pages of history succinctly to answer the above questions.

• Julius Caesar was a brilliant military general and great Roman monarch.
• He was born on the 13th of July in 100 BC (BCE).
• He created the Julian calendar which is the basis for todays calendar.
• He was assassinated by a group of Roman senators in 44 BC(BCE).
• The day that Julius Caesar was murdered,
• 15 March, was called the Ides of March in ancient Rome.

1. Complete the summary of the play, choosing the appropriate words from the list given below the passage.

well-known gardener

reminder zealous service

Remember Caesar assassination

shut convinced

Lord Weston was a(1) _____ judge in England. Being pompous and vain, he told his secretary Roger that he had attained glory by hard work and (2) _____ He expressed his displeasure over Roger’s request for a half-holiday. Suddenly, he discovered a piece of paper with the words (3) _____ in his pocket, and he feared that the message was a warning conveyed by his enemies who had received legal punishments from him. As the message was sent on the 15th of March, (the day Julius Caesar was assassinated), he was (4) _____ that someone affected by his fair judgement was plotting his murder. Sensing the definite attack, Lord Weston ordered his secretary to (5) _____ all the doors and windows. But his wife remained (6) _____ by the threat. So, Lord Weston was angered by her (7) _____ reaction. He ordered Roger to send the cook and the (8) _____ away. Both Weston and Roger took elaborate precautionary measures to thwart the (9) _____ attempt. Finally, Weston was able to recollect that he had written the message “Remember Caesar” himself as a (10) _____ Caesar was actually a gardener who had an appointment to visit Weston’s garden. The play revolves around Weston’s absentmindedness which is the crux of the play.

Answer:

1. well-known

2. zealous service

3. Remember Caesar

4. convinced

5. shut

6. unperturbed

7. callous

8. gardener

9. assassination

10. reminder

2. Based on your understanding of the text, answer the following questions briefly.

Question (а)

How did Lord Weston describe himself?

Answer: Lord Weston humbly claimed that he had won his honours through hard work and zealous service. He was proud to be acknowledged as the most impartial judge in England, respected for his fairness and integrity. His self description reflects his dedication, honesty, and sense of duty, which earned him honour and recognition in public life.

Question (b)

How did Roger react to Lord Weston’s advice?

Answer : Roger was suddenly jolted out of his self indulgent absent mindedness. He guessed that Lord Weston must have been recounting his rise to success and urging him to emulate his hard work and zealous service. However, Roger did not pay full attention. While Lord Weston continued his earnest advice, Roger had already resumed his note taking, showing his casual and indifferent attitude.

Question (c)

What made Lord Weston think that his life was in danger?

Answer : Lord Weston discovered a scrap of paper in his coat pocket bearing the ominous words “Remember Caesar.” He imagined that it must have been placed there by some unknown adversary. The warning immediately reminded him of the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. Coincidentally, it was also the 15th of March. This connection made Lord Weston fear that he too might be assassinated, perhaps by someone who had once been punished by his impartial judgments in court. Thus, the cryptic message convinced him that his life was in danger.

Question (d)

Why was the speaker keen to know what day it was?

Answer (Refined): The speaker, Lord Weston, was anxious to know the exact date because he wanted to connect the mysterious scrap of paper bearing the words “Remember Caesar” with the Ides of March. Since Julius Caesar was assassinated on the 15th of March, Weston feared that the coincidence of the date might signal a similar threat to his own life. His curiosity about the day thus sprang from his fear of assassination linked to the ominous message.

Question (e)

Mention the immediate steps taken by Lord Weston to protect himself from his assassin.

Answer: Lord Weston took several precautionary measures to safeguard himself from the suspected assassin. He had all the doors bolted and locked from within, leaving only the kitchen accessible. He attempted to neutralize a suspicious parcel, allegedly containing a bomb, by immersing it completely in a pail of water. To prevent snipers from gaining a vantage point, he ordered the gardener to sit under the Ilex tree. Finally, he sent all the servants away, ensuring that no one could betray him or provide access to the assassin.

Question (f)

Do you think that Lady Weston did not care about the threat to her husband? State reasons.

Answer : Lady Weston did not take the threat to her husband seriously. She remained cool headed and humorous throughout the situation. Instead of worrying about his safety, she was more concerned about protecting household property, such as removing her aunt’s portrait from the possible gunshot point. She even remarked that only great men are assassinated, and if such a fate befell Lord Weston, it would make him famous. She insisted on letting the grocer in and treated the entire matter lightly. Her attitude shows that she was unmoved by fear and chose to face the supposed danger with wit and composure rather than panic.

Q (g): How did Lord Weston ‘defuse’ the ‘infernal machine’?

Answer (Refined): Lord Weston asked Roger to bring a pail of water and placed the suspicious parcel inside it. Since it floated, he tried to drown it by piling heavy books on top. In this way, he attempted to “defuse” what he imagined to be an infernal machine or bomb.

Q (h): Whose life was of ‘great value’ to England? In what way?

Answer (Refined): According to Roger, Lord Weston’s life was of great value to England. He was regarded as the most well known and impartial judge, whose fairness and integrity upheld the dignity of English law.

Q (i): Why did the speaker consider his life less important?

Answer (Refined): The speaker, Roger, considered his life less important because he was merely an assistant to Lord Weston. He felt that his role was insignificant compared to the judge’s esteemed position in society.

Q (j): Who reminded Lord Weston about Mr. Caesar?

Answer (Refined): It was Roger who reminded Lord Weston of his appointment with Mr. Caesar regarding the planting of rose trees. Mr. Caesar had come to discuss the gardening deal on that very day.

Q (k): What was the truth about the crumpled piece of paper?

Answer (Refined): The truth was that Lord Weston himself had written the words “Remember Caesar” as a personal reminder of his appointment with the gardener on the 15th of March. He had forgotten the context and misinterpreted it as a threat.

Q (l): Bring out the irony in the message “Remember Caesar.”

Answer (Refined): The irony lies in the fact that the ominous message “Remember Caesar” was actually written by Lord Weston himself. In his absent mindedness, he forgot its original purpose and imagined it to be a coded warning of assassination on the Ides of March. Thus, his own reminder became the source of his exaggerated fear.

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Additional Questions and Answers

Q (a): Why did Mr. Weston rebuke Mr. Roger for asking half a day leave?

Answer (Refined): Mr. Weston rebuked Roger because he had already availed a half day leave the previous month. He suspected that Roger was seeking needless leisure time instead of attending to his duties.

Q (b): How did Roger convince Mr. Weston of the need to avail half a day leave?

Answer (Refined): Roger cleverly explained that he wanted to interview the clerk of the Awards Committee to find out why the required documents had not been sent. This reasoning impressed Mr. Weston and convinced him of the necessity of the leave.

Q (c): Why did the judge link the words “Remember Caesar” to the Ides of March?

Answer (Refined): The words “Remember Caesar” reminded Lord Weston of the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. He immediately connected the message to that historic scene of betrayal and murder.

Q (d): What according to Weston is the beginning of greatness?

Answer (Refined): According to Lord Weston, attention to detail is the true beginning of greatness, as it cultivates an orderly mind essential for success in any learned profession.

Q (e): How does Weston justify the cause for the impending assassination?

Answer (Refined): Weston believed that for a judge, who is an instrument of justice, revenge is inevitable. The stricter and more fearless a judge has been, the greater will be the hatred that pursues him. Thus, he justified the possibility of assassination as a consequence of his impartial judgments.

Q (f): Why does Weston want to thank them for the warning?

Answer (Refined): Mr. Weston wanted to thank the sender of the warning because it gave him time to take preventive measures. He felt assured that even if death came before his time, it would not be on the 15th of March, since he had bolted the doors and secured himself against danger.

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Graphic Organiser

Answer:

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Paragraph Questions and Answers

4. Answer the following questions in a paragraph about 150 words each.

Question (a)

Answer:

Q: “Remember Caesar” is a light hearted comedy. Discuss the statement in a group and identify various aspects such as title, plot and characterisation that contribute to the humour in the play.

Answer: Remember Caesar is indeed a light hearted comedy. The title refers to Julius Caesar, the tragic hero of Shakespeare’s play. But here, the name “Caesar” belongs to a gardener who comes to discuss planting rose trees. Judge Weston had scribbled the words “Remember Caesar” as a reminder of this appointment, but he forgets the context and imagines it to be a threat of assassination.

The plot becomes humorous when Weston, with his inflated ego, mistakes a simple note for a deadly warning. Roger, his assistant, flatters him by saying his death would be a great loss to England. Lady Weston adds more humour with her wit and playful remarks. She mocks her husband’s fears, saying assassins target only great men, and worries more about groceries and cooking than about his safety. Even the cook refuses to lock the kitchen door, showing her courage.

The characterisation contributes to the comedy:

• Lord Weston – vain, fearful, and absent minded.
• Roger – clever, flattering, and lazy.
• Lady Weston – witty, practical, and cool headed.
• Caesar – the gardener, whose arrival clears the misunderstanding.

The climax is comic: the supposed “infernal machine” (a parcel) is drowned in a pail of water with books, and finally Caesar arrives to talk about rose trees. The judge realises the note was his own reminder.

Thus, the title, plot, and characters together turn what seemed like a tragedy into a comedy of errors, making Remember Caesar a delightful light hearted play.

Question (b)

Q: Compare the character traits of Lord Weston and his wife.

Answer (Refined in Simple English): Lord Weston is a well established judge, respected for being the most impartial in England. However, he is proud and vain about his success. He often lectures Roger on hard work, courage, and attention to detail, and even rebukes him for asking half a day leave. A scrap of paper with the words “Remember Caesar” makes him panic. He imagines it as a death warrant and suspects that criminals he punished might be plotting against him. His fear of the velvet coat parcel and his exaggerated precautions are comic.

Lady Weston, on the other hand, is practical, witty, and level headed. She does not believe the words are a threat. She mocks her husband’s fears, saying that assassins target only great men, and wonders why he was not killed earlier since many lawbreakers must hate him. She is a charming woman and an excellent housewife, but her teasing remarks show both intelligence and playful malice. She even jokes that if she were to shoot him, she would choose the ilex tree for cover. Unlike Weston, she remains calm and sensible, reminding him that ordinary visitors could be knocking at the door — which proves true when Caesar arrives to discuss rose trees.

Thus, Lord Weston is vain, fearful, and absent minded, while Lady Weston is witty, practical, and cool headed, making her the more balanced character in the play.

(c) Group Work

The play revolves around a ‘perceived threat’ and how Lord Weston and Lady Weston react to it. Let’s reverse their roles. Imagine a panic-stricken Lady Weston and a frivolous Lord Weston. Read the following piece of dialogue from the play and rewrite it to suit the changed roles.

Rewritten Dialogue (Role Reversal)

LADY WESTON: My dear, your life is in grave danger, and yet you are so calm!

WESTON: Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me.

LADY WESTON: How can you be so sure? I found this scrap of paper with the words “Remember Caesar.” It doesn’t look like a joke to me.

WESTON: (Laughs) My dear lady, this is just another hoax. Why do you make such a fuss, asking the servants to bar and bolt the doors?

LADY WESTON: Why are you laughing?

WESTON: What else should I do? I had fixed an appointment with Mr. Caesar today to discuss planting rose trees in our garden, just as you wished.

LADY WESTON: Oh! How silly of me. I completely misunderstood the whole thing!

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About the Author

Gordon Daviot (1896 – 1952) is the pen name of Miss. Elizabeth McKintosh, a Scottish born novelist and playwright. She served educational institutions in England and Scotland as a physical education instructor and soon took to writing novels under another pseudonym Josephine Tey.

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Summary in English

Opening Scene The play is a comic twist on Julius Caesar. Judge Weston, proud and vain, always talks about his hard work. His assistant Roger is bored of hearing the same stories. When Weston finds a note saying “Remember Caesar,” he imagines it as a threat. The humour peaks when a man named Caesar arrives—only to discuss planting rose trees.

Judge’s Lecture Roger asks for half day leave. Weston immediately begins a long speech on the value of hard work and his reputation as a fair judge. Roger pretends to listen but cleverly escapes by repeating Weston’s usual success story. He tricks Weston by saying he wants to meet the award committee, which impresses the judge.

The Note Weston finds a crumpled paper with the words “Remember Caesar.” He links it to Caesar’s assassination on the Ides of March. Roger plays along, flattering Weston about his strict judgments. Weston insists it is the law that is strict, not him.

Lady Weston’s Humour Mrs. Weston hears about the threat and teases her husband while pretending to support his fears. She jokes that assassins target only famous people. She even lets him soak his velvet coat, thinking a parcel might be a bomb. She mocks his gunplay and posts the gardener under a tree, imagining it as a sniper’s spot.

Truth Revealed Finally, Caesar arrives to discuss rose trees. The note was Weston’s own scribble, not a threat. Lady Weston apologises, and Roger cleverly spends the whole day doing nothing, pretending to protect Weston’s safety.

Final Message The play shows that people with inflated egos often make themselves look foolish when they let their imagination run wild.

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Summary in Tamil

Summary in Tamil (தமிழ் சுருக்கம்)

கதாபாத்திரங்கள்:

• லார்ட் வெஸ்டன் – ஒரு தற்பெருமை பிடித்த நீதிபதி
• ரோஜர் – அவரது செயலர்
• லேடி வெஸ்டன் – நீதிபதியின் மனைவி
• மிஸ்டர் சீசர் – ஒரு தோட்டக்காரர்

கதைச்சுருக்கம்:

லார்ட் வெஸ்டன் இங்கிலாந்தில் ஒரு புகழ்பெற்ற நீதிபதி. தான் கடின உழைப்பால் உயர்ந்தவர் என்று அவர் அடிக்கடி பெருமை பேசுவார். ஒரு நாள் காலையில், அவர் தனது கோட் பையில் ஒரு சிறிய காகிதத்தைக் கண்டெடுக்கிறார். அதில் "Remember Caesar" (சீசரை நினைவில் கொள்) என்று எழுதப்பட்டிருந்தது .

அன்று மார்ச் 15 ஆம் தேதி. இது ஜூலியஸ் சீசர் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்ட நாள் (Ides of March). எனவே, தான் தண்டித்த குற்றவாளிகள் யாரோ தன்னைக் கொலை செய்ய சதி செய்கிறார்கள் என்று வெஸ்டன் பயந்து போகிறார் .

அவர் உடனடியாக ரோஜரை அழைத்து எல்லா கதவுகளையும் ஜன்னல்களையும் பூட்டச் சொல்கிறார். தோட்டக்காரரை வெளியே அனுப்புகிறார். துப்பாக்கியை எடுக்கிறார். ஆனால், அவரது மனைவி லேடி வெஸ்டன் இதைக் கண்டு பயப்படவில்லை. அவர் நகைச்சுவையாகவும், கிண்டலாகவும் பேசுகிறார். இது வெஸ்டனுக்கு மேலும் கோபத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது .

பின்னர் ஒரு பொட்டலம் வருகிறது. அதை வெஸ்டன் "குண்டு" என்று நினைத்து தண்ணீர் வாளியில் முக்கி அழிக்க முயற்சி செய்கிறார். உண்மையில் அது அவருக்கு வந்த புதிய வெல்வெட் கோட் .

கடைசியாக, மிஸ்டர் சீசர் என்ற ஒரு தோட்டக்காரர் வீட்டு வாசலில் வருகிறார். அப்போது தான் வெஸ்டனுக்கு நினைவு வருகிறது: ரோஜா செடிகள் நடுவது பற்றி பேசுவதற்காக மிஸ்டர் சீசரை சந்திக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை நினைவூட்டவே தானே அந்தக் காகிதத்தில் எழுதி வைத்திருந்தார். தனது மறதியால் ஏற்பட்ட குழப்பம் தான் இவ்வளவு நாடகம் என்று தெரிய வருகிறது .

நையாண்டி (Parody): இந்த நாடகம் ஷேக்ஸ்பியரின் ஜூலியஸ் சீசர் துயர நாடகத்தை நையாண்டி செய்கிறது. ஒரு நீதிபதியின் முட்டாள்தனமான பயம் தான் கதையின் நகைச்சுவை .

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Key Subtitles for Study

Sub-Title What Happens

1. The Vain Judge Lord Weston boasts about his hard work and honesty to Roger .

2. The Mysterious Note Weston finds "Remember Caesar" on a paper and panics .

3. The Ides of March He connects the date (March 15) to Julius Caesar's assassination .

4. The Lockdown Weston orders doors and windows shut; sends the gardener away .

5. Lady Weston's Wit His wife remains calm and mocks his irrational fear .

6. The "Bomb" Parcel Weston drowns a velvet coat in water, thinking it is a bomb .

7. The Truth Revealed Mr. Caesar the gardener arrives; Weston remembers he wrote the note himself .

8. The Irony The "assassination threat" was just a reminder about rose trees

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Glossary

Important words and expressions from the play, with meanings in English and Tamil.

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