James Murray
English
Paper II
1
, A&C JM
Antony and Cleopatra
Table of Contents
Characters ........................................................................................................................3
Plot Summary ...................................................................................................................4
Themes.............................................................................................................................5
1. Love, Pleasure and Decadence.......................................................................................... 5
2. Honor, Loyalty and Betrayal ............................................................................................. 6
3. Strategy, Manipulation and Power ................................................................................... 6
4. Messages, Omen and Warnings ........................................................................................ 7
5. Gender Roles ................................................................................................................... 8
Quotes .............................................................................................................................8
Characters:
Mark Antony – Member of the Triumvirate. A once feared and fierce soldier. Torn between
duty and pleasure.
Cleopatra – Queen of Egypt and Antony’s lover. Powerful and attractive but also seductive.
She does love Antony; yet, sometimes her loyalty is misplaced.
Octavius Caesar – Young member of the Triumvirate. Julius Caesars’ adopted son.
Ambitious and pragmatic. Symbolizes ‘Western values.’ Despises Antony. Admits A&C are
honourable opponents.
Lepidus – Weakest Member of the Triumvirate. Attempts to keep the peace within the
triumvirate. Caesar imprisons him.
Sextus Pompey – Popular amongst the Romans and a threat to the triumvirate. (Keeps
them united). Son of Pompey the Great. Could have killed all three of the drunk triumvirate
– honourable?
Octavia – Caesar’s sister. Marries Antony to cement an alliance between him and Caesar.
(Political scheme) Torn between Caesar and Antony but remains with Caesar.
Enorbarbus – A loyal follower and advisor of Antony. Friendly with other subordinates.
Begins to doubt Antony throughout the play until he eventually decides his own survival is
more important than his loyalty. He repents this and dies.
Charmian and Iras – Cleopatra’s faithful attendants
Menas – A follower of Pompey who leaves after Pompey refuses to kill the triumvirate and
gain power over Rome.
Philo and Demetrius – Soldiers with Antony who long to see their general the way he was
before he fell in love.
Soothsayer – Predicts Antony will always have a lesser fortune than Caesar.
Eros – His love for Antony forces him to refuse to kill him when he asks so.
3
English
Paper II
1
, A&C JM
Antony and Cleopatra
Table of Contents
Characters ........................................................................................................................3
Plot Summary ...................................................................................................................4
Themes.............................................................................................................................5
1. Love, Pleasure and Decadence.......................................................................................... 5
2. Honor, Loyalty and Betrayal ............................................................................................. 6
3. Strategy, Manipulation and Power ................................................................................... 6
4. Messages, Omen and Warnings ........................................................................................ 7
5. Gender Roles ................................................................................................................... 8
Quotes .............................................................................................................................8
Characters:
Mark Antony – Member of the Triumvirate. A once feared and fierce soldier. Torn between
duty and pleasure.
Cleopatra – Queen of Egypt and Antony’s lover. Powerful and attractive but also seductive.
She does love Antony; yet, sometimes her loyalty is misplaced.
Octavius Caesar – Young member of the Triumvirate. Julius Caesars’ adopted son.
Ambitious and pragmatic. Symbolizes ‘Western values.’ Despises Antony. Admits A&C are
honourable opponents.
Lepidus – Weakest Member of the Triumvirate. Attempts to keep the peace within the
triumvirate. Caesar imprisons him.
Sextus Pompey – Popular amongst the Romans and a threat to the triumvirate. (Keeps
them united). Son of Pompey the Great. Could have killed all three of the drunk triumvirate
– honourable?
Octavia – Caesar’s sister. Marries Antony to cement an alliance between him and Caesar.
(Political scheme) Torn between Caesar and Antony but remains with Caesar.
Enorbarbus – A loyal follower and advisor of Antony. Friendly with other subordinates.
Begins to doubt Antony throughout the play until he eventually decides his own survival is
more important than his loyalty. He repents this and dies.
Charmian and Iras – Cleopatra’s faithful attendants
Menas – A follower of Pompey who leaves after Pompey refuses to kill the triumvirate and
gain power over Rome.
Philo and Demetrius – Soldiers with Antony who long to see their general the way he was
before he fell in love.
Soothsayer – Predicts Antony will always have a lesser fortune than Caesar.
Eros – His love for Antony forces him to refuse to kill him when he asks so.
3
