literature--antony and cleopatra

Philo says Antony has degraded

The triple pillar of the world transformed/ Into a strumpet's fool

Act 1 — triple pillar: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: Antony is a supporting pillar of the world.

Act 1 — triple pillar: What is the basic meaning?

Antony is portrayed as diminished by desire.

Act 1 — triple pillar: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: military honour and public reputation.

Antony expresses lack of care for Rome

Let Rome in Tiber melt

Act 1 — Rome in Tiber: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Hyperbole: Antony imagines Rome dissolving.

Act 1 — Rome in Tiber: What is the basic meaning?

Antony prioritises love over Roman duties.

Act 1 — Rome in Tiber: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Egyptian-associated attitude: pleasure can outweigh duty.

Antony recognises he must leave Cleopatra or face losing himself

These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,/ Or lose myself in dotage

Act 1 — Egyptian fetters: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: love is pictured as chains.

Act 1 — Egyptian fetters: What is the basic meaning?

Antony feels trapped by his attachment.

Act 1 — Egyptian fetters: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: self-control and political responsibility.

Enobarbus suggests Cleopatra is immune to time

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.

Act 2 — infinite variety: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Hyperbole: Cleopatra seems endlessly changeable.

Act 2 — infinite variety: What is the basic meaning?

Her shifting personality sustains her appeal.

Act 2 — infinite variety: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Assumption challenged: women are simple or predictable.

Antony says he is returning to Egypt

I will to Egypt;/ And though I make this marriage for my peace,/ I'th'East my pleasure lies.

Act 2 — East my pleasure: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Juxtaposition: political marriage versus Eastern pleasure.

Act 2 — East my pleasure: What is the basic meaning?

Antony divides public duty from private desire.

Act 2 — East my pleasure: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman assumption: marriage may serve political alliances.

Antony's duality as described by Cleopatra

Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,/ The other way's a Mars.

Act 2 — Gorgon: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Mythological allusion: Gorgon contrasts with Mars.

Act 2 — Gorgon: What is the basic meaning?

Antony can seem both monstrous and heroic.

Act 2 — Gorgon: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: martial courage defines masculinity.

Antony notes how essential his honour is

If I lose mine honour,/ I lose myself.

Act 3 — lose mine honour: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Repetition: "lose" joins honour to identity.

Act 3 — lose mine honour: What is the basic meaning?

Antony sees honour as central to who he is.

Act 3 — lose mine honour: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: personal identity depends on honour.

Caesar criticises Antony's giving of territories to Cleopatra

He hath given his empire/ Up to a wh*re

Act 3 — given his empire: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Derogatory diction: "*****" degrades Cleopatra.

Act 3 — given his empire: What is the basic meaning?

Caesar depicts Antony as ruled by Cleopatra.

Act 3 — given his empire: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman attitude: powerful women are sexually shamed.

Enobarbus says it is a bad idea for Antony to fight at sea

Most worthy sir, you therein throw away/ The absolute soldiership you have by land [...] and/ Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard/ From firm security.

Act 3 — absolute soldiership: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Contrast: land strength versus sea risk.

Act 3 — absolute soldiership: What is the basic meaning?

Antony abandons his military advantage.

Act 3 — absolute soldiership: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: sound strategy and discipline in leaders.

Scarus likens Cleopatra to a witch ruining Antony

The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,/ Claps on his sea-wing and, like a doting mallard,/ Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.

Act 3 — noble ruin: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Oxymoron: "noble ruin" joins greatness and destruction.

Act 3 — noble ruin: What is the basic meaning?

Cleopatra is blamed for Antony's defeat.

Act 3 — noble ruin: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman attitude: desire can undermine military duty.

Enobarbus criticises Antony's prioritisation of desire over rationality

Antony only, that would make his will/ Lord of his reason.

Act 3 — will / Lord of his reason: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Personification: desire rules reason.

Act 3 — will / Lord of his reason: What is the basic meaning?

Antony allows emotion to direct decisions.

Act 3 — will / Lord of his reason: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: reason should govern actions.

Enobarbus wise quotation about bravery vs rationality while deciding to leave Antony

When valour preys on reason,/ It eats the sword it fights with

Act 3 — valour preys on reason: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: courage devours reason.

Act 3 — valour preys on reason: What is the basic meaning?

Bravery without judgement becomes destructive.

Act 3 — valour preys on reason: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: courage must be disciplined by reason.

Antony to Cleopatra on the morning of battle when she tries to put armour on him

Thou art/ The armourer of my heart

Act 4 — armourer of my heart: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: Cleopatra arms Antony emotionally.

Act 4 — armourer of my heart: What is the basic meaning?

Love gives Antony courage and comfort.

Act 4 — armourer of my heart: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Assumption challenged: love only weakens warriors.

Antony when he finds out he has been left by Enobarbus

Oh, my fortunes have/ Corrupted honest men!

Act 4 — corrupted honest men: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Personification: fortune corrupts followers.

Act 4 — corrupted honest men: What is the basic meaning?

Antony recognises his decline affects others.

Act 4 — corrupted honest men: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: loyalty is tested by changing fortunes.

Antony death scene losing himself

Here I am Antony,/ Yet cannot hold this visible shape,/ My knave.

Act 4 — visible shape: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: Antony cannot hold his own shape.

Act 4 — visible shape: What is the basic meaning?

Antony experiences a crisis of identity.

Act 4 — visible shape: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman belief: public status helps define the self.

Antony tries to assert a story of his suicide as he is dying to retain honour

Not Caesar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,/ But Antony's hath triumphed on itself.

Act 4 — Antony's hath triumphed: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Paradox: Antony defeats himself.

Act 4 — Antony's hath triumphed: What is the basic meaning?

He tries to reclaim agency in defeat.

Act 4 — Antony's hath triumphed: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Roman value: honourable self-determination.

Cleopatra disparagingly talks of Caesar being a slave to fortune

Not being Fortune, he's but Fortune's knave.

Act 5 — Fortune's knave: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: Caesar is Fortune's servant.

Act 5 — Fortune's knave: What is the basic meaning?

Cleopatra challenges Caesar's apparent greatness.

Act 5 — Fortune's knave: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Belief: political winners still depend on luck.

Cleopatra recognises Caesar's way with words

He words me, girls, he words me

Act 5 — He words me: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Repetition: "words" stresses manipulation.

Act 5 — He words me: What is the basic meaning?

Cleopatra recognises Caesar's persuasive tactics.

Act 5 — He words me: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Attitude: political language can conceal control.

Cleopatra metatheatrical moment

I shall see/ Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness/ I'th' posture of a wh*re

Act 5 — squeaking Cleopatra boy: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metatheatre: Cleopatra imagines an actor playing her.

Act 5 — squeaking Cleopatra boy: What is the basic meaning?

She fears humiliation through Roman spectacle.

Act 5 — squeaking Cleopatra boy: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Gender assumption: women can be reduced to stereotypes.

Cleopatra before suicide becomes solid - opposed with Antony melting

I have nothing/ Of woman in me. Now from head to foot/ I am marble-constant.

Act 5 — marble-constant: What is ONE stylistic feature?

Metaphor: Cleopatra becomes solid as marble.

Act 5 — marble-constant: What is the basic meaning?

She presents herself as unwavering and resolute.

Act 5 — marble-constant: What CA/V/A/B is shown?

Gender assumption challenged: women lack steadfastness.

What does "strumpet" suggest?

A derogatory term that sexually shames Cleopatra.

What does "infinite variety" suggest?

Cleopatra cannot be reduced to one fixed identity.

What does "boy" suggest in Cleopatra's speech?

Male actors would impersonate women on Shakespeare's stage.

What does "women's men" suggest?

A dismissive phrase implying men are controlled by women.

What does "CA/V/A/B" stand for?

Cultural assumptions, values, attitudes and beliefs.

What is the difference between a technique and CA/V/A/B?

Technique = how meaning is made; CA/V/A/B = ideas behind it.

core values of rome

duty, honour, reason, political, order, military, discipline

core values of egypt

passion, leisure, pleasure, emotional freedom

primary symbols of rome

octavius caesar representing rigid austrerity, beauracracy, and cold strategy

primary symbols of egypt

cleopatra representing natural charm, excess, and dramatic performance

gender dynamics in rome

masculine, stoic, and focused on public warfare and statecraft

gender dynamics in egypt

fluid gender roles where cleopatra wields political and cultural dominance

environment in rome

structured, cramped, or battle ready imperial capital of accounts and dispatches

environment in egypt

vibrant, luxurious landscape of nile rivers and golden banquets

antony's role in rome

roman general, triumvir and husband bound by political obligations

antony's role in egypt

transformed lover, enchanted by pleasure, struggling between fidelity and escape

charmian

loyal, fun-loving lady in waiting, commits suicide with cleopatra. Connected to cleopatra

cleopatra

seductive, powerful, extravagant queen of egypt; joins in battle. Connected to antony as lovers

antony

passionate, neglectful, co-ruler of roman empire; wars with caesar. Co-ruler with lepidus and caesar, who then turns into en enemy. Connected to octavia as spouses, opponents with pompey. Connected to cleopatra as lovers

octavia

obedient, virtuous widow; married off to antony to keep peace. Siblings with caesar and spouse to antony