Name: Antony & Cleopatra
Rating: 3.696969696969697 (66 reviews)

William Shakespeare

William James Rolfe 

Antony & Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra

Donald

What the hell does it mean to give a play by Shakespeare 4 stars? Who knows.

I read this in a small seminar, alongside Plutarch's life of Antony. Shakespeare is a faithful reader and copier of Plutarch. It's remarkable how closely his historical plays match their source.

As much as I liked some of the scenes, I must admit defeat. I simply don't understand this play or how it holds together dramatically. I'm sure this is a problem with me and not with the play itself, and I hope to reread and understand it someday. I'd be interested in reading an essay explaining/defending it, if anyone has suggestions.

The tragedy of Anthony and Cleopatra

Brittney Wilson

I loved the dramatics but I still just love his War of Roses Tetralogy the most

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Antony and Cleopatra (Collins Classics)

Niki Sotiropoulou-Nassika

Antony and Cleopatra (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Wonko the Sane

Prune 

Antony and Cleopatra dramatizes a major event in world history: the founding of the Roman Empire. The future first emperor, Octavius Caesar (later called Augustus Caesar), cold-bloodedly manipulates other characters and exercises iron control over himself. At first, he shares power with Mark Antony, Rome’s preeminent military leader, and the weaker Lepidus. Caesar needs Antony to fend off other Roman strongmen like Pompey; he even offers his sister Octavia to him as a bride, despite Antony’s reputation as a libertine and his past rivalry with Caesar. Once Caesar defeats Pompey, however, he needs no allies. He brings charges against Lepidus, denies Antony his spoils from Pompey’s defeat, and seizes cities in the eastern Roman colonies that Antony rules. The play’s emphasis, however, is on those whom Caesar defeats: Antony and his wealthy Egyptian ally, Queen Cleopatra. The play does not sugarcoat Antony and Cleopatra’s famous love affair, including her calculated attempts to seduce Antony from his duties and his rage when he thinks she has betrayed him to Caesar. Nonetheless, the lovers find such sensual and emotional satisfaction that Caesar’s world conquest seems smaller than what they find in each other. The authoritative edition of Antony and Cleopatra from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -The exact text of the printed book for easy cross-reference -Hundreds of hypertext links for instant navigation -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Cynthia Marshall The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

Antony & Cleopatra

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