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Shakespeare's Antony & Cleopatra: Critical Thinking Questions by Mohamed Zayed

Shakespeare's Antony & Cleopatra: Critical thinking Questions 
Compiled and Prepared by Mohamed Zayed

1) When asked to analyse a quotation, here is the way:

How to Answer Quotation Identification Question:

1-    By whom; to whom; and under which circumstances (occasion)

2-    Analyse the lines fully in other words; your own words (paraphrasing)

3-    Make a connection between the quotation and one of the prominent themes (revenge + reason)(we focus on reason and clarity of thought)(=the theme in the lines)


-        The Theme of Love in Antony and Cleopatra:


Theme of love is the major and dominant theme in the play. The story of love between Anthony and Cleopatra is an epic one. Antony and Cleopatra opens with a scene in which Antony confesses his unfathomable love for Cleopatra. Antony tells Cleopatra that his love has no bounds, and certainly seems excessive. It keeps him from important business in Rome, clouds his judgment, and is a contributing factor to his downfall. This is not to say that Antony’s love is wholly negative or that all love in the play is bad. One can view Antony’s love for Cleopatra as powerful, genuine devotion to another person. Moreover, the close bond between Octavius and his sister Octavia suggests the positive nature of familial love. Antony’s love is so destructive to himself perhaps because it is mostly a matter of lust and reckless passion.

Anthony has to choose between the world of power and dominion over men in which he is already recognized as the greatest soldier alive and that which is newer to him, the world of love and imagination. He chooses the more intimate role as Cleopatra's lover. From the beginning of the play, we can see the great influence of Cleopatra upon Antony. He falls in love with her although he was married to Fulvia. During his stay in Egypt, he neglects his affairs in Rome because he was between Cleopatra's hands. When he is told that there are messengers from Rome, he tells her "Let Rome in Tiber melt". This situation suggests that the love relationship between Antony and Cleopatra is a kind of physical love which changes Antony's character completely from being a strong soldier to just a man who wants to satisfy a woman's lust. We see Cleopatra's influence in Antony when she wants him to tell her about his love every moment.

She wants to set a limit for his love saying: "If it be love indeed, tell me how much". In his reply, Antony shows that his love is boundless. This situation reflects the change that has taken place in Antony's character. He is acting as a tool in a woman's hand after being a great man of war.  Cleopatra asks Antony about his marriage to Fulvia saying why did he marry Fulvia and not love her? We come that there is a big difference between love and marriage. When the messenger brings the news that Fulvia is dead, Antony has two contrary feelings which are satisfaction for her death and sorrow that "there's a great spirit gone". He is very sad for her death although he once wished to get rid of her. At this time, Antony takes a decision to leave Egypt, and to get rid of the influence of Cleopatra. He criticizes himself for falling into this 'dotage' which means that it is a lustful love.

Cleopatra loves Antony so much. In her imagination, Antony is the sun and the moon. Through her love for him, the world becomes beautiful. She cannot bear his leaving. That is why Enobarbus warns Antony that his departure will kill Cleopatra as she is made only of love and cannot bear the loss of it. Antony comes to say farewell to Cleopatra before leaving Egypt , and his words to her show that their love is spiritual as he says: " Our services a while ; but my full heart remains in use with you". He also adds:

Our separation so abides and flies

That thou residing here, goes yet with me'

And I, hence fleeting here, remain with thee away!

 

Cleopatra is tormented by Antony's absence as she cannot help thinking about him. She says: "Antony is away". She takes him a measure for everything. Antony also thinks about her and sends her a gift which is a pearl which he kissed. Alexas tells her:

He kissed – the last many doubled kisses

This orient pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.

 

These words show us how much Antony loves Cleopatra. For him, she is a source of pain and happiness. There is an inner conflict within Antony between his love for Cleopatra and his responsibilities towards his country. Cleopatra has lost all kinds of happiness when Antony left her to Rome. Her anger comes out when she is told that Antony is married to Octavia. Cleopatra does not care about Egypt, but she only cares about Antony. She says: "melt Egypt into Nile"

       Cleopatra's love for Antony pushed her to help him in the battle sea. However, Antony was defeated because of the withdrawal of the Egyptian fleet. Instead of turning against her as the cause of his defeat, he says to her:

            Fall not a tear, I say , one of them rates,

           All that is won and lost , give me a kiss.

           Even this repays me.

 

There is something very terrifying in the fact that the only way for her to possess him totally was through his ruin as a soldier. At this point, we see Cleopatra's love for Antony as a possessive love.

     We come to realize how much Cleopatra loves Antony when Caesar asks her to get rid of him, but she refuses because she really loves him . Finally we find the real love between Antony and Cleopatra at the end of the play when Cleopatra sends Antony a word that she is dead. Antony is faithful to her as he cannot live without her. He falls on his sword. At the last breath, another messenger comes to tell him that Cleopatra is still alive. Thus he asks them to carry him to her, and he soon died saying:

I am dying, Egypt, dying only

I here importune death a while until

Of many thousand kisses, the poor last

I lay upon thy lips.

 

These words show that their love is sexual, while in other situations, their love is spiritual. After his death, Cleopatra cannot bear living without him. So, she brings a snake , and let it to bite her , and she soon died to join Antony  in the world of love. Finally, we can say that the love of Antony and Cleopatra is a combination of both spiritual and physical relationship.

Important Quotations

-         Comment fully on the following quotation:

MARK ANTONY

Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch

Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space.

Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike

Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life

Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair

Embracing

 

And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,

On pain of punishment, the world to weet

We stand up peerless.

CLEOPATRA

Excellent falsehood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?

I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony

Will be himself.

CLEOPATRA

I am sick and sullen.

MARK ANTONY

I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose,--

CLEOPATRA

Help me away, dear Charmian; I shall fall:
It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature
Will not sustain it.

MARK ANTONY

Now, my dearest queen,--

CLEOPATRA

Pray you, stand further from me.

MARK ANTONY

What's the matter?

CLEOPATRA

I know, by that same eye, there's some good news.
What says the married woman? You may go:
Would she had never given you leave to come!
Let her not say 'tis I that keep you here:
I have no power upon you; hers you are.

 

CHARMIAN

Madam?

CLEOPATRA

Ha, ha!
Give me to drink mandragora.

CHARMIAN

Why, madam?

CLEOPATRA

That I might sleep out this great gap of time
My Antony is away.

CLEOPATRA

O Charmian,
Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he?
Or does he walk? or is he on his horse?
O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony!
Do bravely, horse! for wot'st thou whom thou movest?
The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm
And burgonet of men. He's speaking now,
Or murmuring 'Where's my serpent of old Nile?'
For so he calls me: now I feed myself
With most delicious poison. Think on me,
That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black,
And wrinkled deep in time? Broad-fronted Caesar,
When thou wast here above the ground, I was
A morsel for a monarch: and great Pompey
Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow;
There would he anchor his aspect and die
With looking on his life.

 

CLEOPATRA

Be choked with such another emphasis!
Say, the brave Antony.

CHARMIAN

The valiant Caesar!

CLEOPATRA

By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth,
If thou with Caesar paragon again
My man of men.

 

Enter a Messenger

O, from Italy

CLEOPATRA

Antonius dead!--If thou say so, villain,
Thou kill'st thy mistress: but well and free,
If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss; a hand that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

CLEOPATRA

Why, there's more gold.
But, sirrah, mark, we use
To say the dead are well: bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

 

 

MARK ANTONY

Egypt, thou knew'st too well
My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings,
And thou shouldst tow me after: o'er my spirit
Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that
Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods
Command me.

 

MARK ANTONY

Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates
All that is won and lost: give me a kiss;
Even this repays me. We sent our schoolmaster;
Is he come back? Love, I am full of lead.
Some wine, within there, and our viands! Fortune knows
We scorn her most when most she offers blows.

Exeunt                                      

Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear, lady?

If from the field I shall return once more

To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;

I and my sword will earn our chronicle:

There's hope in't yet.

 

MARK ANTONY

Let him that loves me strike me dead.

DIOMEDES

Most absolute lord,
My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.

 

MARK ANTONY

I am dying, Egypt, dying; only
I here importune death awhile, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor last
I lay up thy lips.

CLEOPATRA

Here's sport indeed! How heavy weighs my lord!
Our strength is all gone into heaviness,
That makes the weight: had I great Juno's power,
The strong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee up,
And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a little,--
Wishes were ever fools,--O, come, come, come;

They heave MARK ANTONY aloft to CLEOPATRA

And welcome, welcome! die where thou hast lived:
Quicken with kissing: had my lips that power,
Thus would I wear them out.

 

MARK ANTONY

I am dying, Egypt, dying:
Give me some wine, and let me speak a little.

CLEOPATRA

Let him come in.

Exit Guardsman

What poor an instrument
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My resolution's placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me: now from head to foot
I am marble-constant; now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Re-enter Guardsman, with Clown bringing in a basket

LEOPATRA

Avoid, and leave him.

Exit Guardsman

Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,
That kills and pains not?

 

CLEOPATRA

As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,--
O Antony!--Nay, I will take thee too.

Applying another asp to her arm

What should I stay--

Dies

-------------------------------------------

Best of Luck,

M.

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