Assignment on British Drama I: Beginning to

Shakespeare
Course Code: EG211

Prepared By:
Dorothy Barman
EGI21029
Int MA 3rd semester

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 THE GAMEPLAY OF BETRAYAL AND
LOYALTY IN ‘ANTONY AND CLEOPETRA’:
Shakespeare’s play titled ‘Antony and Cleopetra’ is one of his remarkable works that was
published in his collection of plays called the ‘First Folio’ in the year 1623. It is a tragedy in five
acts and the principal source of this play is said to be ‘Sir Thomas North’s Parallel Lives’ (1579),
an English version of Plutarch’s Bioi paralleloi.

Fig: A portrait of Roman Emperor

General Mark Antony and the Queen of
Egypt Cleopetra painted by Jozef-
Szekeres

The play is based on the test of the character’s devotedness and disloyalty. After the Roman
emperor Julius Caesar’s assassination, Rome was split into the hands of the triumvirate-
Octavius Caesar, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus. The three gained the control of Rome’s
different provinces and were in charge to look after the country’s internal and external affairs
as well as building and expansion of their territories. Antony took up the responsibilities of
Rome’s eastern provinces. Antony had met Cleopetra long before when she was with his King
Caesar, as his mistress. And after some few years, withstanding his duty towards the eastern
province of Rome, he comes across the young Queen of Egypt. Antony’s intention was to turn
her into a valuable ally in one of his planned invasion. The two during his meeting were
unavoidably charmed towards each other, they couldn’t resist but to develop a love interest.

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 “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale

Her infinite variety. Other women cloy

The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry

Where most she satisfies.”

-By Enobarbus describing about Cleopetra to Antony

(Act II Scene II) (PG 42)

On the contrary, Antony already had Fulvia, his wife, back at Rome. Thus he decides to desert
his wife for the queen of Egypt, for both their country’s political prosperity and his own
interests.

The issue of marital loyalty and fidelity also lies throughout the play. After getting to know
about Antony’s scandal with the queen of Egypt, Octavius had something else planned in his
mind. Back at their Empire of Rome, they had come in good terms with Pompey, who wanted
to battle against the Romans to avenge against his father who was killed in Egypt. Octavius had
previously asked Antony to help them manage their situation with Pompey. After reaching
there, Ocatvius had managed to convince Antony to marry his younger sister Octavia, as a pact
of their alliance. Even though Antony was married, he intends to stay with the only woman he
loved, Cleopetra. But the queen of Egypt felt her heart being shattered after receiving the news
of the Roman Emperor’s wedding; but she was later relieved after being told that the two were
only married because of a political pact, and her feelings weren’t yet tossed out.

Antony and Octavia were returning back to Rome, but were stunned after finding out what
Octvius did. He had imprisoned Lepidus and had charged an unannounced attack on Pompey
and his men, who were all murdered. Antony, who was in the middle of this happening couldn’t
believe anyone from then, since his own ally had stabbed him from his back. He often fears that
Cleopetra is betraying him both politically as well as romantically. Antony saw himself being put
in this huge crisis of loyalty: to wage a Civil War against Octavius and his supporters, when he
senses that in a way he would be betraying his own country. Thus challenging his own ally, he
goes back to seek the support of Cleopetra’s army in Egypt.

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The Egyptian Army however were hesitating to fight against the Roman Army, thus them, along
with Antony’s army had decided to desert their leader. Enobarbus, one of the most loyal
followers of Antony later reasons that it is folly to stay loyal to a fool, so he leaves for Octavius’
camp.

When faced with such dilemmas, the characters must weigh the importance of loyalty against
both self-interest and personal honor, which could be defined as loyalty to one's own values or
ideals. However, Antony loses even personal honor when he flees the battle of Actium, since he
was left with no choice. Cleoptera on the other hand didn’t want to be seized under the power
of Octavius, even though he had promised to not humiliate her while holding her imprisoned.
She also had to earn her trust back from Antony, so she sends the news of her death through a
messenger to the General Emperor. After giving up from the battlefield, Antony received the
news of Cleoptera’s death, he loses his sanity and accidently falls on top of a sword and was on
the verge of dying. The Queen of Egypt was stuck in a state of helplessness as it didn’t go the
way she planned it so.

Hence Cleopetra comes up with the only option she was left with, which was to take her own
life. She arranges herself a venomous snake to let it bite her. The duo thus rests in each other’s
arms falling into the slumber of death. Octavius pays his honor by burying them next to each
other in their graves. Lastly it was only Octavius who was able to make his way out of all the
betrayals and shifting loyalties of his time.

Fig: A portrait showing Mark Antony and Cleopetra’s dead

bodies laid together

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It was a time of serious political turmoil that led to several rises and fall of different leaders
resulting in the country of Rome to face the Civil war. The ordinary people such as the advisors,
soldiers, Court men and attendants had to make a choice on whose side they should take and
be loyal to.

This drama is considered to be one of the most mature of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Mark
Antony’s character as a tragic hero is elevated from others accounts of him. Such as, one of his
most devoted followers, Enobarbus had remarked him stating that he is “nobler than my result
is infamous”. (Act IV Scene IX) (PG 107)

Also, through his usage of dramatically effective methods such as language, staging method and
the structures makes Antony a tragic hero.

In Shakespeare’s plays, figuring out the most loyal or honorable person is never said to be an
easy task since every character has their own hamartia, a tragic flaw, which later makes them
face their peripetia, a reversal of their circumstances.

Citations:

 Shakespeare, William, and Barbara A. Mowat, Paul Werstine. Antony and Cleopetra by William
Shakespeare, Folger Shakespeare Library, London.
 https://www.rsc.org.uk/antony-and-cleopatra/plot
 https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Betrayal-in-Antony-and-Cleopatra-PKC48B4KVC
 https://journals.openedition.org/caliban/4537