What Was William Shakespeares Play Antony And Cleopatra About?
The play Antony and Cleopatra was based on the love between Antony and Cleopatra and covers the time from the Parthian War till Cleopatra’s death. The story of the play is based on the translation done by Thomas North of Life of Mark Antony by Plutarch. The most intense character of the entire play is undoubtedly that of Cleopatra. She is shown as vain in most of her behaviour. She loves Antony but perhaps loves his love for her even more. The story has Mark Antony falling for Cleopatra and avoiding all his duties in Rome. He is called back and is made to marry Octavius’s sister. Cleopatra is enraged. He returns to her and so starts a civil war between him and Octavius. Antony and Cleopatra opt for a naval engagement and lose. Cleopatra abandons him and he denounces her. To win him back she spreads word that she has killed herself; Antony stabs himself, is taken to Cleopatra and dies in her arms. Rather than be paraded in Rome she commits suicide by allowing an asp to bite her.
