Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare (Character of Cleopatra)

 

Antony and Cleopatra

by William Shakespeare

(Character of Cleopatra) 

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.