Antony & Cleopatra

Antony & Cleopatra

1. Characters

   • Antony
     • 1/3 of the triumvirate
     • Cleopatra's lover
     • Octavia's wife
   • Cleopatra
     • Very dramatic
     • Antony's lover
     • Queen of Egypt
     • Represents Eastern values
   • Caesar
     • 1/3 of the triumvirate
     • Strongest leader
     • Symbolizes Western values
   • Enobarbus
     • Antony's right hand man
   • Lepidus
     • 1/3 of the triumvirate
     • Weakest leader
   • Pompey
     • Strong opponent of the triumvirate
     • Honorable man
   • Octavia
     • Caesar's sister
     • Marries Antony
     • Ideal Roman woman
   • Charmian
     • Cleopatra's servant
   • Iras
     • Cleopatra's servant
   • Fulvia
     • Antony's late wife

2. Plot

   • Act I
     • Scene 1
       • 1.1. Antony has lost sight of his leadership
     • Scene 2
       • 2.1. Cleopatra's servants have their fortune told
       • 2.2. Fulvia and Lucius lose a battle against Caesar
       • 2.3. Antony learns of Fulvia's death
     • Scene 3
       • 3.1. Antony returns to Rome
     • Scene 4
       • 4.1. Pompey's forces get stronger
       • 4.2. Caesar and Lepidus decide to fight Pompey
     • Scene 5
       • 5.1. Antony sends Cleopatra a pearl
   • Act II
     • Scene 1
       • 1.1. Pompey hears that the triumvirs plan to fight him
     • Scene 2
       • 2.1. Caesar is angry with Antony about the battle
       • 2.2. Agrippa suggests Antony marry Octavia
     • Scene 3
       • 3.1. Antony gets his fortune told
       • 3.2. Antony plans to return to Egypt
     • Scene 4
       • 4.1. Lepidus prepares to fight Pompey
     • Scene 5
       • 5.1. Cleopatra finds out about Octavia
     • Scene 6
       • 6.1. Pompey meets with the triumvirs
       • 6.2. Antony offends Pompey, ruins the option of peace
     • Scene 7
       • 7.1. Menas plots against the triumvirs
       • 7.2. Pompey refuses to kill the triumvirs dishonorably
   • Act III
     • Scene 1
       • 1.1. Ventidius defeats the Parthians, wants to remain in Antony's good favor
     • Scene 2
       • 2.1. Antony and Octavia leave Rome
     • Scene 3
       • 3.1. Cleopatra's messenger tells her that Octavia is short and unattractive
     • Scene 4
       • 4.1. Antony sends Octavia to Rome to make peace between himself and Caesar
     • Scene 5
       • 5.1. Caesar defeats Pompey, denies Lepidus his share
     • Scene 6
       • 6.1. Tensions mount between Caesar and Antony
     • Scene 7
       • 7.1. Cleopatra insists on fighting alongside Antony
     • Scene 8
       • 8.1. Caesar tells his army to hold off
     • Scene 9
       • 9.1. Antony tells his army to watch the battle
     • Scene 10
       • 10.1. Cleopatra's ship flees, Antony follows her
       • 10.2. Enobarbus stays loyal to Antony
     • Scene 11
       • 11.1. Antony is ashamed of his defeat
       • 11.2. Antony stays true to Cleopatra
     • Scene 12
       • 12.1 Caesar refuses Antony's request
       • 12.2. Caesar wants Cleopatra to betray Antony
     • Scene 13
       • 13.1. Cleopatra renounces Antony
       • 13.2. Antony and Cleopatra argue, Cleopatra apologizes
       • 13.3. Antony prepares for battle again
       • 13.4. Enobarbus defects
   • Act IV
     • Scene 1
       • 1.1. Caesar prepares to fight Antony
     • Scene 2
       • 2.1. Antony gives a morbid speech
     • Scene 3
       • 3.1. Antony's soldiers hear music
       • 3.2. The soldiers speculate that Hercules has abandoned Antony
     • Scene 4
       • 4.1. Antony puts on his armor
     • Scene 5
       • 5.1. Antony learns of Enobarbus' desertion
       • 5.2. Antony sends Enobarbus his belongings
     • Scene 6
       • 6.1. Caesar puts Antony's defected soldiers on the front line
       • 6.2. Enobarbus is racked with guilt
     • Scene 7
       • 7.1. Agrippa retreats
     • Scene 8
       • 8.1. Antony wins the battle
     • Scene 9
       • 9.1. Antony commends his army
       • 9.2. Cleopatra promises Scarus a golden suit of armor
     • Scene 10
       • 10.1. Enobarbus dies of guilt
     • Scene 11
       • 11.1. Antony predicts that Caesar will attack him at sea
     • Scene 12
       • 12.1. Caesar prepares to attack Antony at sea
     • Scene 13
       • 13.1. The Egyptian fleets defect, Antony is forced to flee
       • 13.2. Antony threatens to kill Cleopatra
     • Scene 14
       • 14.1. Cleopatra fakes her death
     • Scene 15
       • 15.1. Antony asks Eros to kill him
       • 15.2. Eros stabs himself
       • 15.3. Antony attempts suicide but fails
     • Scene 16
       • 16.1. Antony is brought to Cleopatra
       • 16.2. Cleopatra kisses Antony, he dies
       • 16.3. Cleopatra arranges for Antony's burial and her death
   • Act V
     • Scene 1
       • 1.1. One of Antony's men tells Caesar of his death
       • 1.2. Caesar mourns his death
       • 1.3. Caesar announces plans for Cleopatra to live in Rome
     • Scene 2
       • 2.1. Caesar's men prevent Cleopatra from suicide
       • 2.2. Cleopatra refuses to trust Caesar
       • 2.3. Cleopatra, Iras, and Charmian kill themselves with venomous snakes
       • 2.4. Caesar buries Antony and Cleopatra together

3. Themes

   • The Struggle Between Reason and Emotion
     • Antony's reason is abandoned for his passion
     • Antony's identity crisis defined by struggle
   • The Clash of East and West
     • Shakespeare does not comment on which is superior
     • West is stoic and strong
     • East has passions and spirit
   • The Definition of Honor
     • Death is honorable
     • The idea of honor is inherently Roman
     • Refusal to compromise identity

4. Motifs

   • Extravagant declarations of love
     • Antony and Cleopatra's love is equated to political power
     • Private love is made public
   • Public displays of affection
     • Octavia's lack of fanfare makes her unrecognizable as Antony's wife
     • Cleopatra's decision to kill herself is a last grand gesture of devotion
   • Female sexuality
     • Cleopatra is dangerous
     • Octavia has power to mend relationship
     • Women saddled with responsibility for men's political alliances and personal failures

5. Symbols

   • Shape-shifting clouds
     • Antony wavers between conqueror and victim
   • Cleopatra's fleeing ships
     • Cleopatra's alliegance unclear
     • Inconsistency of human nature
   • The asps
     • They bite her breast, turning her into a wet nurse or Antony's wife
     • Domestication of Cleopatra