Antony and Cleopatra

Shakespeare - Antony and Cleopatra

Origin/historic background

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Shakespeare portrait

Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The premiere of the play was arround 1607 at the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre by the King's Men. Its first appearance in print was in the Folio of 1623.

The principal source for the story is an English translation of Plutarch's "Life of Mark Antony," from the Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans Compared Together.

This story originated from Cleopatra VII., the last female Pharao who reigned Egypt at first with her Brother [Ptolemy XIII] and later with other male coregents and the marriage to the roman general Mark Antony

Characters

Mark Antony

• Mark Antony – Roman general and one of the three joint leaders, or "triumvirs", who rule the Roman Republic after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.
• Octavius Caesar – another triumvir
• Lepidus – another triumvir
• Cleopatra – Queen of Egypt
• Sextus Pompey – rebel against the triumvirate and son of the late Pompey

Plot Summary

After defeating Brutus and Cassius, following the assassination of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony becomes one of the three rulers of the Roman Empire, together with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus. He is responsible for the eastern part of the empire. He falls in love with Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and settles in Alexandria. However, he returns to Rome when the empire is threatened by the rebellion of Sextus Pompey.

As his wife has just died Antony marries Octavius’ sister, Octavia, in an attempt to improve relations between the two emperors. They make peace with Pompey. When Cleopatra hears about Antony’s marriage she flies into a jealous rage but knows that Antony does not love Octavia. Antony goes to Athens but when war breaks out between Caesar and Pompey, Antony sends Octavia back to Rome and returns to Egypt.

Caesar is incensed with Antony’s behaviour and he declares war on both Antony and Cleapatra. When the Romans arrive Antony is offered a choice of how to fight and, despite being renowned as the world’s greatest soldier, he chooses to fight on sea. The Egyptian navy is inadequate and when Cleopatra’s navy turns and flees, Antony follows them and Caesar defeats him.

Cleopatra goes to her tomb and sends a message to Antony that she is dead. Antony is devastated and decides to kill himself. He botches the suicide and wounds himself without dying. His followers take him to Cleopatra’s tomb, where he dies in her arms.

Cleopatra’s life is in tatters. Having lost Antony and being at the mercy of Caesar, she decides to commit suicide. She has someone bring her some poisonous snakes and incites them to bite her. Caesar arrives just after her death and orders that the two lovers be buried together.