Antony and Cleopatra - Shakespeare
Act one
• The play begins in Egypt at Cleopatra Palace
• Anthony himself declares his love for Cleopatra on very different terms
• Into the joviality and celebratory atmosphere of the Egyptian court comes news from the role of
civil strife in Italy and Anthony decides to return to Rome and attentive political matters.
Cleopatra tries everything she can to make and stay that Anthony is determined and bids her
farewell
• We are given a glimpse of the Roman world with Octavia Caesar conferring with fellow people
about Anthony's behaviour in Egypt and his neglect of political duties
• News of the increasing threat from Pompeii makes Caesar eager to have Anthony back in
Rome. The final scene of this act to return this to Egypt with Cleopatra languishes idly and
Anthony's absence. She receives news from his messages however that he promises to extend
her kingdom.
Act two
• Most of act 2 takes place in Rome
• Caesar and Anthony meet to discuss the differences and sees accuses Anthony of neglecting
his duties as a Triumvir and of inciting his wife and brother to revolt against him. In order to
assist the re-conciliation of Anthony and Caesar, Agrippa suggests that Anthony takes Caesars
sister, Octavia, as his wife
• Anthony agrees to do this and also to enter the war against Pompeii. Enobarbus who does not
believe this political marriage to be a good idea entertains Agrippa and Maecenas turn
accounts of Cleopatra is magnificent and hold her over Anthony. Anthony is betrothed to
octavia and he reassures her that he will remain faithful however, after a few words with an
Egyptian soothsayer he warns that he needs to be aware that Caesars’ fortunes will be greater
than his, Anthony returns to Egypt as soon as he can.
• The Roman soldiers begin to prepare for the war against Pompeii and we are taken back to
Egypt for an interlude, we are shocked Cleopatra receives the news of Anthony's marriage to
Octavia.
• On the eve of the war against Pompeii the Triumvirs meet him at the Museum and decide to
agree on a peace treaty, after which a feast of celebration takes place on Pompeii is ship.
• Here there are a lot of drunk people and among this drunken revelry one of Pompeii’s men
suggests the assassination of the triumvirs, but Pompeii reluctantly rejects the scheme. As the
feast becomes more and more rowdy, Caesar departs and Pompeii and Anthony are prepared
to continue the party on land.\
Act three
• After a brief seen in Syria, the Parthian is have been defeated on Anthony's behalf. We find
Anthony and Octavia bidding sees a farewell as they depart for Athens.
• Anthony reassure Caesar that he will take good care of his sister
• However, back in Egypt, Cleopatra summons the messenger again to find out details about
Anthony's new wife, Octavia. The messenger has learnt from previous lessons to tell her what
she wants to hear. The news of Caesars treachery comes to Antony in Athens and he has
waged war on Pompeii and spoken scantly of Anthony in public in Rome
• Octavia becomes concerned about the dissension between her husband Anthony and her
brother Caesar and she decides to go back to Rome to mediate between them. Anthony
agrees.
• We learn that sees it has killed Lepidus and is bent on becoming the soul ruler of the Roman
Empire.
• When Octavia arrives in Rome, she's told that Anthony has returned to Egypt and given vast
territories to Cleopatra. Because of this, Caesar declares war on Cleopatra and the naval battle
is fought between seasons forces and those of Anthony and Cleopatra in Greece.
• Against his better judgement and the advice of Enabarbus and one of his soldiers, Anthony
chooses to fight at sea. At a crucial point in the battle, Cleopatra fleas and Anthony follows her.
Many of Anthony's forces surrender to see that as a result of Anthony leaving.
, • Anthony is disgraced but he forgives Cleopatra for bringing him to the point where he have to
negotiate with Caesar. Caesar wants Cleopatra to banish Anthony from Egypt and change her
allegiance to him. He sends the Thidias, a messenger, to convey this to her, and Cleopatra told
him that she accepts Caesar as her conqueror and allows Thidias to kiss her hand. Anthony
walks in at this point and is raging at her seemingly disloyalty, but Cleopatra swears her love is
true and Anthony forgives her once again.
• At this point Enobarbus is convinced that Anthony has lost his reason completely and he
decides to leave him.
Act four
• Caesar becomes confident of being successful in the forthcoming battle against Anthony, while
Anthony decides to put all his efforts into one last fight and to lead his man to victory over
Caesar. At the same time that this is happening Anthony soldiers discuss what they feel the
outcome of this battle will be, and they are deeply disturbed by the sound of strain your music
beneath their feet — a bad omen for Anthony.
• Before the battle takes place, Anthony is informed of Enobarbus’ desertion which he blames
himself for.
• Meanwhile, Enobarbus is disillusioned into joining forces with Caesar and here is that Anthony
has sent his treasure after him, he deeply regrets his decision of joining Caesar and chooses to
find a place to die rather than to fight against Anthony.
• Anthony is successful in the first day of the battle again Caesar, but on the second day, in the
sea battle, Anthony sees his forces surrender without a fight. Believing he has been betrayed by
Cleopatra, he swears to kill her. Cleopatra is terrified of his rage and because of this she locked
herself in her monument and sends were to Anthony that she had killed herself.
• When Anthony hears of the ‘death' of Cleopatra he decides to take his own life however he fails
in doing so. Why he's dying he's told are Cleopatra is actually not dead and he asks to be
taken to her.
• In the final scene he dies in the arms of Cleopatra and Cleopatra declares that she also plans
on killing herself.
Act five
• These final two scenes in act five I devoted to Cleopatra and her progression towards death.
• Her motives here are to be seen as ambivalent as her character. On the one hand, it may be
that would drive her to die is not her grieving for Anthony, but hope the certainty that she will be
carried to Rome as a part of Caesars Triumph – while a more sympathetic view is that
Cleopatra is fooling Caesar all along into thinking that she will not commit suicide, so that he
doesn't see the need to try and prevent her from doing so.
• As we read this act, this is the question you have to answer for yourself.
• From the start Cleopatra wants to know what Caesars intentions are with her and he sends
Proculeius to assess her actions and plans. Because he can only give vague reassurance to
Cleopatra about Caesar's intentions, she asks to meet him herself.
• When Caesar and Cleopatra meet, he makes it clear to her that her children will suffer if she
commits suicide and in an episode with her treasurer, Cleopatra is angered by the fact that he
discredit her in front of Caesar.
• After he leaves Cleopatra talks of the horrors of being led in Caesar's triumph in Rome and calls
for the best robes and Crown.
• A clown brings a basket of things in which is hidden the ASP with which Cleopatra intends to
kill herself.
• Both Charmian and Iras die with her.
• Caesar enters too late to prevent the suicide and thought is that Cleopatra and Anthony be
buried together.
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