Why are the tribunes angry at the commoners in Act 1?

• A. They are protesting taxes
• B. They are celebrating Caesar's triumph
• C. They refuse to work
• D. They gossip in the streets

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is understanding why the tribunes react to the crowd’s behavior. In this opening scene, Flavius and Marullus are upset because the commoners are openly celebrating Caesar’s recent victory, a display that signals Caesar’s rising power and a shift in loyalty away from the traditional republic and its leaders. The tribunes see this public triumph as a threat to the senatorial order and to the balance of power in Rome, so they try to dampen the celebration and remind people of Pompey’s memory and the dangers of mob support for one man. It’s not about taxes, work, or gossip; it’s about the political implications of a crowd praising a figure who could undermine the republic.