Discover Antony and Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra

No. of pages 352

Published: 1995

Great for age 12-18 years

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John Wilders - literary advisor to the BBC TV Shakespeare series - brings thorough scholarship and a practical understanding of performance needs to this new edition. Clarity, accessibility and rigour are the hallmarks of an edition which will provide invaluable guidance for all its readers. "This edition has a very helpful introduction and good clear text, as well as the exceptionally excellent and detailed notes." Dr Michael Herbert, St Andrews University "a useful treatment of a complex play'Barry Gaines, University of New Mexico, Shakespeare Quarterly

This book is part of a book series called Arden Shakespeare .

There are 352 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 1995 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC .

Rene Weis is Professor of English at University College London and a distinguished editor and biographer of Shakespeare.

This book has the following chapters: Jacobean performance; the question of unity; the question of structure; the question of moral judgement; the question of the tragic; the sources of "Antony and Cleopatra"; long notes; the date of composition; the text folio; lineation.

This book contains the following story:

Antony and Cleopatra

"Antony and Cleopatra" is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare, exploring the passionate and tumultuous relationship between the Roman general Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra.

Act 1: The play opens in Rome, where Mark Antony is neglecting his military duties and indulging in a love affair with Cleopatra, the captivating and seductive queen of Egypt. News arrives that his wife, Fulvia, has died, and the Roman Empire is facing political unrest due to the rivalry between Antony and Octavius Caesar, his fellow triumvir.

Act 2: Antony receives a summons from Octavius to return to Rome, but he is torn between his love for Cleopatra and his responsibilities in Rome. He eventually decides to return, but this causes Cleopatra to feel abandoned and betrayed. Meanwhile, in Rome, Antony's fellow triumvirs, Lepidus and Octavius, form an uneasy alliance while plotting against Antony.

Act 3: In Egypt, Cleopatra learns that Antony has married Octavia, Octavius's sister, as a political move to strengthen his alliance with Rome. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Cleopatra becomes jealous and resentful.

In a naval battle at Actium, Antony and Cleopatra's forces are defeated by Octavius's fleet. Cleopatra, fearing capture, pretends to be dead, leading Antony to believe she has died. Overwhelmed by grief, Antony attempts to take his own life but is rescued by his soldiers.

Act 4: Antony confronts Cleopatra upon learning that she is alive, and their love is rekindled. However, Octavius continues to advance his forces, and Cleopatra suggests that they face their doom together. Antony's generals, fearing for their own lives, betray him and surrender to Octavius, resulting in Antony's ultimate defeat and capture. Believing Cleopatra to be dead, Antony takes his own life.

Act 5: Cleopatra, devastated by Antony's death, decides to take her own life as well. She arranges for a poisonous snake to bite her, leading to her peaceful death. Octavius, upon discovering their deaths, is moved by their love and orders them to be buried together. The play concludes with Octavius taking control of Rome, solidifying his power, and marking the end of the legendary love story of Antony and Cleopatra.

"Antony and Cleopatra" is a compelling and tragic play that delves into themes of love, power, ambition, and the clash between personal desires and political responsibilities. The characters of Antony and Cleopatra are portrayed as complex and passionate individuals whose love ultimately leads to their downfall, making the play a timeless exploration of the human heart and its capacity for both greatness and vulnerability.

This book is in the following series:

Arden Shakespeare

This book features the following characters:

John Shakespeare
This book features the character John Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor. He wrote plays, sonnets and verse and is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English Language. Son of a glove maker, he grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon. He married Anne Hathaway and had three children, though one died very young. Shakespeare left Stratford to pursue theatre in London, where he acted at the Globe Theatre, wrote and was part owner of a playing company called 'The Lord Chamberlein's Men' (later 'The King's Men').

Shakespeare
This book features the character Shakespeare.

Mary Arden
This book features the character Mary Arden.

Anne Hathaway
This book features the character Anne Hathaway.