Act III - Scene III A Street Practice Quiz — The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Act III - Scene III A Street
Who is the main character in Act III, Scene 3?
Cinna the poet — a Roman poet who is mistaken for Cinna the conspirator and attacked by a mob.
What dream does Cinna the poet describe at the opening of the scene?
He dreamt that he feasted with Caesar, and the dream fills him with a sense of foreboding.
Why does Cinna go outside despite his unease?
He says he has "no will to wander forth of doors, yet something leads me forth" — an unexplained compulsion drives him out.
What four questions do the citizens ask Cinna?
His name, where he is going, where he lives, and whether he is married or a bachelor.
Where does Cinna say he lives?
He says he dwells "by the Capitol."
Where is Cinna going when the mob stops him?
He is going to Caesar's funeral as a friend.
Why do the citizens first attack Cinna?
They mistake him for Cinna the conspirator — one of the men who helped assassinate Caesar.
What does the Fourth Citizen say after learning Cinna is a poet?
"Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses" — the mob attacks him for being a poet rather than a conspirator.
What does "Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going" mean?
The Fourth Citizen suggests that Cinna's name alone is enough reason to punish him, reducing his identity to a label that can be violently removed.
What do the citizens plan to do after attacking Cinna?
They plan to burn the houses of the conspirators — Brutus, Cassius, Decius, Casca, and Ligarius.
What theme does the killing of Cinna the poet illustrate?
Mob mentality and the collapse of reason — the crowd kills an innocent man simply for sharing a name with a conspirator.
How does Cinna's dream connect to the broader play?
It mirrors other prophetic dreams in the play, especially Calpurnia's dream about Caesar's death, reinforcing the theme of fate and ignored warnings.
What literary device is at work when the audience knows Cinna is innocent but the mob does not?
Dramatic irony — the audience understands Cinna is a poet, not a conspirator, creating tension as the mob refuses to listen.