Who could be in the play?

• A. Only women
• B. Only men and boys
• C. Only nobles
• D. All genders

Answer: (B)

The main idea is about how plays were cast in Shakespeare’s time. Women were not allowed to act on stage, so all roles were played by men or boys who could perform female parts. In Julius Caesar, the characters are men, and even female parts would have been portrayed by male actors. That makes the correct choice “Only men and boys,” since casting was restricted to male performers in the original productions.

The other options don’t fit that historical practice. Women didn’t perform on stage then, so “Only women” is inaccurate. Limiting actors to nobles isn’t how plays were cast, and “All genders” would imply women could act on stage, which wouldn’t have happened in the original performances.