Antony and cleopatra Flashcards
act 1 scene 1 summary
Philo and Demetrius - two Roman soldiers talk about how Antony has fallen in love with cleopatra and lost interest in his proper role as one of the three leaders of the Roman empire
Cleopatra and Antony enter the scene Antony speaks about how he doesn’t want to her the news from rome and claims Rome means nothing to him
Philo and Demetrius express shock and despair at their general’s disrespect for Octavius and the concerns of the empire.
quote from act 1 scene 1
Antony:
“let rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch of the rang’d empire fall! Here is my space! Kingdoms are clay!”
Antony is suggesting that he wouldn’t care if all of rome melted into the river Tiber
suggesting that his place is to be in Egypt with cleopatra
choosing love over military duty
act 1 scene 1
Cleopatra:
“Excellent falsehood! why did he marry Fulvia and not love her?”
the relationship dynamic between Cleopatra and Antony, and their individual struggles for power and how that interferes with their relationship
‘Excellent falsehood!’ is but a teasing remark by Cleopatra, but upon looking deeper, this is also a testament to Cleopatra’s burning trust issues that divide the lover’s in many scenes
‘why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?’ is meant to provoke both the audience and Antony. The way Shakespeare has constructed this is so that the audience feels involved in the play
what is the plot of antony and cleopatra
Antony, spends his time in Egypt, conducting an affair with cleopatra. When a message arrives informing him that Fulvia, his wife is dead and that pompey is raising an army to rebel against the triumvirate antony decides to return to Roms. Octavius Caesar and Lepidus worry about Pompey’s increasing strength
Caesar condems Antony for neglecting his duties. Lepidus 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
In Egypt, Cleopatra learns of Antony’s marriage is jealous and enraged 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.
One of Pompey’s soldiers comes to him with a plan to assassinate the triumvirs, meaning he world power into Pompey’s hands, but Pompey dismisses the scheme as an affront to his honor
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
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
Enobarbus leaves anotony’s army to go with caesar, he feels so guilty and disloyal towards Antony that he dies
Antony once again fights Caesar at sea and is defeated as the egyptian flee and leave the others to suffer. Antony is so hurt and vows to kill cleopatra. In order to protect herself she hides out in her monument and fakes her death to Antony. Antony in grief decides to. kill himself by falling on his sword but dies very fails and dies slowly while being carried to cleopatra monument
caesar then takes cleopatra prisoner, planning to display her as a trophy but she learns of his planes and kills herself with poisonous snakes
caesar has her buried beside antony
what is the time period of the play
30-40 BCE (before the common era)
oppositions in the play
Caesar/Antony
Antony/himself
Cleopatra/Octavia
Antony/Cleopatra
Rome/Egypt
honor/pleasure
public triumph/private triumph
service and duty/pleasure
Eros
soldier who killed himself rather than killing Antony
asps
deadly vipers of egypt that kill cleopatra
Enobarbus
doesn’t care for Cleopatra
gives description of Cleopatra that is very good, despite the fact that he doesn’t like her (so this was a very big deal)
he is Antony’s most loyal subject, but eventually leaves him because he believes that Antony is lost
Pompey
was known as a great general and so was his son
Octavius Caesar
later in the play he changes his name to Caesar Augustus
he is contrasted to Antony in the sense that Antony becomes a slave to passion and makes decisions based on his feelings,
Caesar would never do that because he is nonsexual and level-headed
symbolizes Western values which contrasts Cleopatra’s East;
Octavia
caesars sister who marries antony to solidify the relationship between Antony and Caesar
caesar doesn’t really care about her and she is seen as week
quote act 3 scene 2
Caesar:
“you take from me a great part of myself”
“prove such a wife as my thoughts make thee”
“let not the piece of virtue which is set betwixt us, as the cement of our love.
be the ram to batter the fortress of it”
octavia is seen as an object by her own brother
she is the only thing holding antony and cleopatra together
he has high expectations that he wants her to meet
caesar is concerned that if antony and octavia’s relationship breaks down then his and Antonys will break too
hes warning antony about the importance of caing about the marriage
Who are the two main characters in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’?
Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
What is the setting of ‘Antony and Cleopatra’?
The play is set in Rome and Egypt.
True or False: Cleopatra is the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.
True.
Fill in the blank: The play ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ was written by _____.
William Shakespeare.
What political alliance does Antony form in the play?
The Second Triumvirate with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus.
What is the primary theme of ‘Antony and Cleopatra’?
The conflict between love and duty.
What does Antony ultimately choose over his political responsibilities?
His love for Cleopatra.
True or False: Octavius Caesar is portrayed as an antagonist in the play.
True.
What is the outcome of the battle of Actium?
Antony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavius Caesar.
Fill in the blank: Cleopatra’s death is a result of her using a _____.
snake.
Who provides comic relief in the play?
The character of Enobarbus.
