A Shakespearean tragedy is a tragic tale ending in the death of a tragic hero. The tragic hero is actually a hero of sterling qualities. ?Antony and Cleopatra? is a tragic love play. The death of the protagonist is caused by internal conflicts rather than outer ones. The heroines take an active part in Shakespeare?s plays. They have an equally important status as the heroes of the play.
The themes of ?Antony and Cleopatra? are love and war. Antony?s infatuation for Cleopatra?s charm and beauty makes him neglect the duties of the state. He is not concerned about power. He is only concerned about reciprocating Cleopatra?s love. In the play Cleopatra fights a tug-of-war with Caesar to win the loyalty and love of Antony. His infatuation for Cleopatra ultimately leads to his downfall and disgrace. He is so much obsessed by Cleopatra that he commits suicide in the end when he is told that Cleopatra is dead.
Cleopatra is responsible for Antony?s downfall and death. Antony is a man of sterling qualities. He is great military commander and genius. The only negative point in his character was his intense obsession for Cleopatra. During the war with Caesar he foolishly runs away after Cleopatra from the war field which leads to his disgrace. Thus love plays a very important role in ?Antony and Cleopatra?.
Caesar is a shrewd military commander and a great opportunist. He marries his sister to Antony to win over his loyalty. He is hungry for power and glory. He is ready to do anything to obtain power. He has no value for love. The war with Antony in the end ultimately leads to the downfall and disgrace of Antony. He tries to part Antony and Cleopatra from each other but all in vain. Cleopatra commits suicide after Antony?s demise. Thus war also plays an indispensable role in the play. The hunger for power and glory is an indispensable feature in the play.
Antony and Cleopatra is a great play written by Shakespeare. It is a great love story ending in tragedy. Antony proves to be a true lover till the end. I recommend ?Antony and CLeopatra? to all book readers who are looking for meaningful reading. The book is easily available in any book store.
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