Egypt and Rome Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra is based in the Mediterranean, and to be more exact, mostly in Egypt and Rome. Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt lives a life of luxury followed by servants, feasting and partying all throughout her days. Egypt is a conquered world, where the victors can revel in their glory, often in sexual activities, alcohol, and feasting. It is very much more feminine than Rome. Anthony, one of the three great leaders of the world, a man with whom great responsibility lies, should be living in Rome, yet chooses to spend his time relaxing and neglecting his duties in Egypt. This is surely an indication of how comfortable life in Egypt is, when a man with such great duties can forget them, in the face of something so amazing as Egypt.
Rome, is a masculine and military based city. It’s a very austere place, disapproving of Cleopatra’s much more exciting and excessive environment. Shakespeare uses the locations to show the mood changes in his play, Egypt is typically more jovial and relaxed than Rome, who shares a tenser, atmosphere. In act 1 scene two we can see Cleopatra’s maids conversing, drunk, at a party to a soothsayer. Then in act 1 scene 4 we see Caesar and Lepidus sharing tense conversation about there whereabouts of their partner in world ruling, Anthony. We can see very quickly that the places the characters originate from reflect vividly through their characters.
Cleopatra is a dramatic lady, typically over the top, powerful and clever, with a love for the luxuries of life. We can see easily she is from Egypt, a land where feasting is a regular occurrence, and riches beyond belief are displayed whereever you go. A lavish lady, from a lavish land. Anthony however is meant to be a disciplined man, whose honours and duties lie to Rome. He is never meant to forget his duties to Rome, and certainly not ignore them in favour of a ‘strumpet’ as Philo calls her. We can see Anthony’s more disciplined side emerge particularly when he feels the strain of his duties calling, such as when news of Fulvia’s death reaches him.
The Term Paper on Plutarchs View of Anthony & Cleopatra
Plutarch also portrays this influence as a negative one “if any spark of goodness or hope of rising were left in him, Cleopatra quenched it straight and made it worse than before” (Miller & Browning, 2008, p. 91), often leading him astray and into situations not befitting his position “For Antony also would try to array himself like a servant. Therefore, he always reaped a harvest of abuse, ...
He says ‘I must from this enchanting Queen break off’s how ing us his noble side. We see that the people of Rome aren’t as absorbed by luxuries as the Egyptians are. Whenever we see Cleopatra she is followed by her servants and often fanned by Eunuchs also in her trail. However when we see Rome’s characters maids or Eunuchs doesn’t follow them. This is definitely reflective of their home country, Egypt lavish and luxurious, and Rome, disciplined and honourable. We can see such a contrast between Egypt and Rome, just as wee see a contrast between their respective people..
