Antony and Cleopatra
by
William Shakespeare
(Character of Cleopatra)
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Cleopatra is the Queen of Egypt. She is the
most difficult character to play in all of Shakespeare’s plays. She seduces
every man she meets. Within the first ten lines of the play, the men declare
Cleopatra a lustful “gipsy”. She is the queen for whom Antony risks his
reputation. She brings the downfall of Antony. Cleopatra is labeled a
“wrangling queen”, a “slave”, an “Egyptian dish”, and a “whore”; she is called
“Salt Cleopatra” and an enchantress. She represents all those qualities that
Octavius and the practical Romans have denied themselves — enjoyment,
playfulness, sensuality, and passion.
She
was once the lover of Julius Caesar, whom she claims was next to nothing compared
to Antony. She meets Antony, falls in love with him, and she appears to be
totally devoted to pleasure and to finding fulfillment through her relationship
with him. Her love for Antony becomes the most important thing in her life.
Initially, she would like Antony to marry her, but he is married to Fulvia.
When Fulvia dies, Antony is almost immediately married to Octavius's sister,
Octavia, in order to cement a political truce recently formed between himself
and his rival, Octavius Caesar. Cleopatra fears that if she were Antony's wife,
he would treat her in as cavalier a manner as he has his other women, for he
willingly abandons them to spend time with her.
Cleopatra
knows, that she is aging, and this leads her to fear that Octavia may draw
Antony from her. She is afraid that her dark skin may make her less appealing,
along with her wrinkles. She drew Antony into cross-dressing with her. She is
also able to make him disregard a direct messenger from Rome, mocking all that
the Romans could possibly have to say. She has fits of violent temper, and
beats the messenger who announces Antony’s marriage to Octavia until he runs
away and is scared to return to her presence. She sends him to find out what
Octavia looks like, and manages to reassure herself that she is herself the
more attractive.
When
war comes between Caesar and Antony, she insists on joining in the war in
person, despite being a woman, and argues for the battle at sea. In the middle
of the battle, however, she takes fright and runs with all her fleet, and
Antony follows. Despite this disgrace to him, she is able to apologize and
remain in his good favor. When Thidias comes to convince her to switch to
Caesar’s side, she speaks flatteringly of Caesar, and offers her subjection.
She attempts to help arm Antony before the next battle, despite not knowing how
the various bits and pieces of armor fit together. When Antony is convinced
that she has betrayed him during the battle, he turns on her in rage, and she
runs from him, afraid for her life. She locks herself in her monument, and at
Charmian’s suggestion sends Antony word that she has killed herself, to find
out how he will take the news. When he bungles his suicide and is brought to
her, she refuses to exit the monument, out of fear, but helps to lift him in.
She faints at his death. When Caesar comes to her, she offers her submission,
including giving him a scroll containing a list of all she possesses. This
list, it turns out, is incomplete. All of this is done to make Caesar believe
that she wishes to live, just as he speaks kindly to her to keep her from
killing herself. She lays an asp on her breast and dies, along with her women.
Caesar, upon discovering the bodies, orders that Antony and Cleopatra be buried
together.
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