Module 13

Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

Introduction:
Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the
King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around 1607; its first
appearance in print was in the Folio of 1623.

The plot is based on Thomas North's 1579 English translation of Plutarch's Lives (in Ancient
Greek) and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the
Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the Final War of the Roman Republic. The major
antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony's fellow triumvirs of the Second Triumvirate and
the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The tragedy is mainly set in the Roman Republic and
Ptolemaic Egypt and is characterized by swift shifts in geographical location and linguistic
register as it alternates between sensual, imaginative Alexandria and a more pragmatic, austere
Rome.

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Narrate the plot summary of the play;

2. Understand that reason should outweigh emotion;
3. Be familiar with the political conflict between the sensual East and the Imperialistic
West.

Antony and Cleopatra (Summary)

Mark Antony, one of the three rulers of the Roman Empire, spends his time in Egypt, living a life
of decadence and conducting an affair with the country’s beautiful queen, Cleopatra. When a
message arrives informing him that his wife, Fulvia, is dead and that Pompey is raising an army
to rebel against the triumvirate, Antony decides to return to Rome. In Antony’s absence,
Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, his fellow triumvirs, worry about Pompey’s increasing strength.
Caesar condemns Antony for neglecting his duties as a statesman and military officer in order to
live a decadent life by Cleopatra’s side.

The news of his wife’s death and imminent battle pricks Antony’s sense of duty, and he feels
compelled to return to Rome. Upon his arrival, he and Caesar quarrel, while Lepidus
ineffectually tries to make peace. Realizing that an alliance is necessary to defeat Pompey,
Antony and Caesar agree that Antony will marry Caesar’s sister, Octavia, who will solidify their
loyalty to one another. Enobarbus, Antony’s closest friend, predicts to Caesar’s men that,
despite the marriage, Antony will surely return to Cleopatra.

In Egypt, Cleopatra learns of Antony’s marriage and flies into a jealous rage. However, when a
messenger delivers word that Octavia is plain and unimpressive, Cleopatra becomes confident
that she will win Antony back. The triumvirs meet Pompey and settle their differences without
going to battle. Pompey agrees to keep peace in exchange for rule over Sicily and Sardinia. That
evening, the four men drink to celebrate their truce. One of Pompey’s soldiers discloses to him
a plan to assassinate the triumvirs, thereby delivering world power into Pompey’s hands, but
Pompey dismisses the scheme as an affront to his honor. Meanwhile, one of Antony’s -generals
wins a victory over the kingdom of Parthia.

Antony and Octavia depart for Athens. Once they are gone, Caesar breaks his truce, wages war
against Pompey, and defeats him. After using Lepidus’s army to secure a victory, he accuses
Lepidus of treason, imprisons him, and confiscates his land and possessions. This news angers
Antony, as do the rumors that Caesar has been speaking out against him in public. Octavia
pleads with Antony to maintain a peaceful relationship with her brother. Should Antony and
Caesar fight, she says, her affections would be painfully divided. Antony dispatches her to Rome
on a peace mission, and quickly returns to Egypt and Cleopatra. There, he raises a large army to
fight Caesar, and Caesar, incensed over Antony’s treatment of his sister, responds in kind.
Caesar commands his army and navy to Egypt. Ignoring all advice to the contrary, Antony elects
to fight him at sea, allowing Cleopatra to command a ship despite Enobarbus’s strong
objections. Antony’s forces lose the battle when Cleopatra’s ship flees and Antony’s follows,
leaving the rest of the fleet vulnerable.

Antony despairs, condemning Cleopatra for leading him into infamy but quickly forgiving her.
He and Cleopatra send requests to their conqueror: Antony asks to be allowed to live in Egypt,
while Cleopatra asks that her kingdom be passed down to her rightful heirs. Caesar dismisses
Antony’s request, but he promises Cleopatra a fair hearing if she betrays her lover. Cleopatra
seems to be giving thought to Caesar’s message when Antony barges in, curses her for her
treachery, and orders the innocent messenger whipped. When, moments later, Antony forgives
Cleopatra, Enobarbus decides that his master is finished and defects to Caesar’s camp.

Antony meets Caesar’s troops in battle and scores an unexpected victory. When he learns of
Enobarbus’s desertion, Antony laments his own bad fortune, which he believes has corrupted
an honorable man. He sends his friend’s possessions to Caesar’s camp and returns to Cleopatra
to celebrate his victory. Enobarbus, undone by shame at his own disloyalty, bows under the
weight of his guilt and dies. Another day brings another battle, and once again Antony meets
Caesar at sea. As before, the Egyptian fleet proves treacherous; it abandons the fight and leaves
Antony to suffer defeat. Convinced that his lover has betrayed him, Antony vows to kill
Cleopatra. In order to protect herself, she quarters herself in her monument and sends word
that she has committed suicide. Antony, racked with grief, determines to join his queen in the
afterlife. He commands one of his attendants to fulfill his promise of unquestioned service and
kill him. The attendant kills himself instead. Antony then falls on his own sword, but the wound
is not immediately fatal. He is carried to Cleopatra’s monument, where the lovers are reunited
briefly before Antony’s death. Caesar takes the queen prisoner, planning to display her in Rome
as a testament to the might of his empire, but she learns of his plan and kills herself with the
help of several poisonous snakes. Caesar has her buried beside Antony.

Famous Quotes:
And you shall see in him
The triple pillar of the world transformed
Into a strumpet's fool.
(Philo, Act 1 Scene 1)

Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch

Of the ranged empire fall: here is my space.
(Antony, Act 1 Scene 1)

O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony!

(Cleopatra, Act 1 Scene 5)

My salad days,
When I was green in judgement, cold in blood.
(Cleopatra, Act 1 Scene 5)

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale

Her infinite variety.
(Enobarbus, Act 2 Scene 2)

Egypt, thou knew'st too well

My heart was to thy rudder tied by th'strings
And thou shouldst tow me after.
(Antony, Act 3 Scene 11)

I found you as a morsel cold upon

Dead Caesar's trencher.
(Antony, Act 3 Scene 13)

The odds is gone

And there is nothing left remarkable
Beneath the visiting moon.
(Cleopatra, Act 4 Scene 15)

Antony
Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness
I'th'posture of a whore.
(Cleopatra, Act 5 Scene 2)

Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies

A lass unparalleled.
(Charmian, Act 5 Scene 2)

She shall be buried by her Antony,

No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous.
(Caesar, Act 5 Scene 2)

SAQ 1
1. What do you think are the dominant qualities of;
a. Antony
b. Cleopatra
c. Octavius Caesar

2. Which character do you admire most? Why?

3. Which character do you dislike most? Why?
4. In your opinion, whose goals does Shakespeare value more;
a. Antony’s? or
b. Octavius Ceasar?
5. In your opinion, are Antony and Cleopatra really in-love with each other? Support
your answer.

Note: To have a thorough understanding of the play, you are encouraged to read the full play.

References:
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/cleopatra/full.html
https://www.rsc.org.uk/antony-and-cleopatra/about-the-play/famous-quotes
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/antony/summary/