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Antony & Cleopatra [summary & quotes]
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Detailed act by act summary of Antony and Cleopatra. Included is a list of quotes, character analysis and theme analysis
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Antony and CleopatraKey plot moments
- Antony is in Alexandria with Cleopatra.
- Duties in Rome neglected.
- Rome was vulnerable to Pompey as a result.
- Fulvia dies.
- Antony returns to Rome.
- Antony reconciles with Caesar through marriage to Octavia.
- Peace is made with Pompey now that Antony and Caesar have formed a united front.
- Caesar turns against Lepidus and breaks the peace agreement with Pompey.
- Takes territories for himself.
- Antony sends Octavia to Caesar – and he returns to Cleopatra.
- Caesar declares war.
- Battle of Actium (at sea). Cleopatra flees – Antony follows, even though they were
getting the upper hand.
- Antony gives his men permission to leave him with his blessing.
- Antony challenges Caesar to one-to-one combat. Enobarbus leaves Antony.
- Antony is revived for a second battle – Cleopatra’s troops defect.
- Antony is irritated - wishes to kill Cleopatra for being a traitor (boggler)
- Cleopatra hides in monument (tomb) and sends word that she has committed suicide.
- Antony devastated - asks Eros to kill him, then tries to kill himself.
- Truth is discovered and Antony is carried to Cleopatra.
- Mutual devotion expressed.
- Cleopatra cannot bear to live without Antony and will not be humiliated by
- Caesar in Rome – kills herself (asps - snakes).
- Caesar declares that each is honourable and orders that they be buried side by side
ACT 1
Scene 1
- Philo and Demetrius: discussing how Antony has fallen in love with Cleopatra [falling
short of his duty as a triumvir]
- Triumvir = Mark Antony, Caesar, Leopardus
- Antony doesn't want to listen to message [C says he must]
- Antony claims Rome means nothing to him “let Rome in Tiber melt”
- Tiber = river, he's saying Rome can go to hell, but he's supposed to be the leader [trying
to show C she is his number 1 and more important to him]
- Everyone thinks relationship between C and A had made A weak
Scene 2
- Fortune teller comes in [working out who’s going to live the longest]
- C complains A has turned his mind from Rome again
- Tells A she needs to see him, then leaves before A can see her [plays a lot of games -
probably doesn’t want him to feel to comfortable or sure of their relationship]
, - Message tells A that Fulvia and Lucious [A’s brother] have attempted coup d'état
- Caesar is angry at this and wants A back in Rome
- They say this wouldn't have happened if A was in Rome
- Another messenger comes and says F is dead [we don't know how she died]
- A says he wishes he could see her again [appreciates her more now that she's dead]
- A decides he has to go back to Rome [theme of A being torn between 2 worlds - passion
and pleasure in Egypt vs responsibility in Rome]
- E thinks C is a drama queen [so he says when A goes back to Rome, she is not going to
react well]
- A describes C as cunning [not best way to describe love of life]
Scene 3
- C sends Alexas to discover what A’s intentions are
- Whatever mood A is in, she will be the opposite → C is playing games
- A enters so C decides she's going to look sick and unhappy [pretends to be ill]
- C says once a cheater always a cheater [keep cutting him off when he's trying to explain
and calls him a traitor]
- He eventually tells her Rome needs him and he needs to leave, he tells her F has died
- C accuses A of not showing enough emotion over death of wife [would expect C to be
they can be together] - he should show emotion or else he is a man of no emotion
- He tries to reassure her, C is in his heart [goes with him in his heart and whatever
decision he makes, he makes for them]
- Pompeius wants to overthrow Rome [second threat after F and L] - shows instability in
Rome
- Threat to current power
Scene 4
- In Rome
- Caesar complaining to Leopardus [saying A has abandoned part of his responsibilities]
- Because he has abandoned his responsibilities he has abandoned his manliness
[becoming more female]
- L is like a peacemaker [always tries to see both sides] - says maybe A has inherited
these things
- Caesar is unconvinced and thinks A should be back for the crisis
- Messenger comes and says P forces are gaining strength [many who were loyal to
triumvirs are now turning] - don't want this turning in a country
- Caesar is even angrier A isn't there [he says A was a very good soldier = indirectly
telling us he is an amazing soldier]
Scene 5
- Back in Egypt
- C repining for him [she wants every bit of news from him]
- She is going to send so many messages to him she will unpeople Egypt [so many
messengers, no one left in Egypt]
, - Message comes from A to C [a pearl] declaring his love for her
- Setting contrast Egypt vs Rome
- R = War, tension, serious, honour, duty
- E = laid back, passionate, fun
- A tells C that she will make her mistress of all the kingdoms in the east → A is
not thinking clearly and is giving her false hope
- C is remembering, how when she was young, she made silly decisions [in her salad
days, when she was in love with CS]
- Now she's older and loves A deeply [may not be typical love but she does love
him]
ACT 2 [very political act]
Scene 1
- P talking with his allies about his chances of beating CS and L in war [think they have
good chance because A is in Egypt]
- They then get news A is on way to R [need to consider if they'll win now that master
soldier is back]
- Think they are a threat to Triumvir, if A had to come back [but A actually coming back
due to loss of F]
- P says fear of him may cement the Triumvir differences
- A has arrived and meeting about to take place with CS
- A tells CS to stop bugging him about his affairs in Egypt
- CS says I wouldn't listen to his messages, he never gives military aid when he was
supposed to and that his wife and brother coup d'etat was his fault [accuses him of 3
things]
- A accepts he messed up in 2 things but not the third
- A is guilty of not of sending soldiers but not guilty of war that his wife caused =
perception from Caesar
- Enobarbus = A’s right hand man [L tells ME to tell A not to cause a fight with CS]
- Tension between A and CS
- CS right hand man [Agrippa] makes proposal that A marry Octavia [may be the best way
to cement the differences]
- Would expect A to say no he's in love with C [but he separated his emotional side to his
political side]
- A agrees and CS shakes his hand and gives him his sister [he has a very close
relationship with sister]
- Alliance to ease the tension between 3 → by marrying sister, hope to smooth
things out
- Deal is done → O has no say
- L, A, CS discuss how they are going to fight Pompey, he is strong at sea
- Roman people chatting: asking E what it's like in Egypt. E says they drink all night. 8
whole pigs roasted for 12 whole people = over indulgence, luxury of Egypt
- Asks E what C is like, is she really that beautiful? → E uses positive language
about C, speaks highly of C
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