Anthony and Cleopatra

1. CHARACTERS:

1.1. Mark Anthony

1.2. Pompey

1.3. Octavius Caesar

1.4. Cleopatra

1.5. Marcus Lepidus

1.6. Octavia Caesar

2. AUTHOR: William Shakespeare

3. TIME : 50 b.C

4. PLACE

4.1. ROME

4.2. EGYPT

5. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

5.1. Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1608. The story centers on one of Rome’s three leaders, Mark Antony, and the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. These two lovers are first featured at Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria, Egypt. As the play continues, however, Antony’s political and social duties take the action to Rome, Syria, Actium, Parthia (modern day Iraq), Athens, and to various military camps in Egypt. In short, the lovers are put in locations and situations where they question each other's loyalty and love. The play’s ending is yet another example of how passion, mingled with power, treachery, and misunderstanding, can lead to a tragic end. We see this time and again in Shakespeare’s great works.