The Differing Portrayals of Anthony and Cleopatra in William Shakespeare's Play

The Differing Portrayals of Anthony and Cleopatra in William Shakespeare's Play

Act one of Anthony and Cleopatra deals immediately with the different

personalities of Anthony and Cleopatra. It shows the pressure of the

outside world on their relationship. By the end of the act you are

left unsure as to who is the more treacherous, who is more loving and

are given different perspectives of Anthony and Cleopatra. At a quick

glance over the act the reader would automatically point the finger at

Cleopatra as being the more sinister of the two. However, with a more

in depth look it would appear that this is not the case, and we are

left challenged as to whom is seem in a more positive light.

Anthony and Cleopatra was written in 1607 during a time of great

change in Western Europe. Christian and Pagan world views interacted

with each other in rich and often paradoxical ways and signs of that

complicated interaction are present in many of Shakespeare works and

is clearly evident in Anthony and Cleopatra.

Anthony and Cleopatra is sometimes classified as a tragedy, however,

because of it’s uniqueness it is difficult to categorize. Many place

it with the Roman plays, Julius Caesar and Cariallunis, all three

use Plucharch’s view of the noble Grecians and Romans as their primary

source and all three have concerns steeped in historical and political

queries. Shakespeare may also have taken inspiration from Robert

Games tragedy ‘Marc Antoine’, Shakespeare with the famous classical

treatment of the clash between love and Roman duty in his mind. The

poet Virgil wrote, the aenid, which is a Latin epic poem. The poem

tells the story of ...

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...an torn between Egypt and Rome,

duty and passion, political ambition and love. He is clearly divided

and unsure about what he really wants. He is seen by Romans, not as a

traitor, but as someone who has succumbed to Cleopatra. Albeit

Anthony’s love for Cleopatra is genuine.

Cleopatra is perceived by many as a whore, because of her past, she is

frowned upon by the Romans who know nothing apart from war and duty,

Cleopatra is in a world of her own and knows nothing apart from the

Egyptian way of life of luxury and passion. Act 1 shows a clash of

cultures and the struggle to cope in a relationship between such

diverse emotions. Therefore I feel that because of their polar

differences neither Anthony or Cleopatra can be seen in a more

positive light to one another and I therefore cannot give a definitive

answer.