What if ... In drama, as in other written works, events are caused by certain actions or other events. The cause leads to an effect, which then becomes a cause of another effect, and so on. Since "Julius Caesar" is based on historical fact, Shakespeare had most of his plot when he began writing. If the play had been entirely made up of fictitious events, however, the outcome could have changed at many points. Consider each of the following changes in plot, and briefly describe how each might affect the other events and outcome of the play.

1. Instead of ignoring the soothsayer, Caesar has a long talk with him about why he should beware the ides of March.

Read the following passage: he roamed from chamber to chamber with hurried, unequal, and objectless step. the pallor of his countenance had assumed, if possible, a more ghastly hue— but the luminousness of his eye had utterly gone out. the once occasional huskiness of his tone was heard no more; and a tremulous quaver, as if of extreme terror, habitually characterized his utterance. there were times, indeed, when i thought his unceasingly agitated mind was laboring with some oppressive secret, to divulge which he struggled for the necessary courage. which of the above ideas might be considered foreshadowing? he is wandering all over the chamber his skin tone is really pale his voice is quivering the narrator thinks he is laboring with an oppressive secret