Here is a short Antony and Cleopatra summary:
After defeating Brutus and Cassius, following the assassination of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony becomes one of the three rulers of the Roman Empire, together with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, and is responsible for the eastern part of the empire. He falls in love with Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and settles in Alexandria. However, he is compelled to return to Rome when the empire is threatened by the rebellion of Sextus Pompey, the son of Pompey, who had been defeated by Julius Caesar.
As his wife has just died, Antony marries Octavius’ sister, Octavia, in an attempt to heal the rift between the two emperors. They make peace with Pompey. When Cleopatra hears about Antony’s marriage she flies into a jealous rage, but knows that Antony does not love Octavia. Antony goes to Athens, but when war breaks out between Caesar and Pompey, Antony sends Octavia back to Rome and returns to Egypt.
Caesar is incensed with Antony’s behaviour and he declares war on both Antony and Cleopatra. When the Romans arrive Antony is offered a choice of how to fight, and despite being renowned as the world’s greatest soldier, he chooses to fight on sea. The Egyptian navy is inadequate and when Cleopatra’s navy turns and flees, Antony follows them and Caesar defeats him.
Cleopatra goes to her tomb and sends a message to Antony that she is dead. Antony is devastated and decides to kill himself. He botches the suicide and wounds himself without dying. His followers take him to Cleopatra’s tomb, where he dies in her arms.
Cleopatra’s life is in tatters. Having lost Antony and being at the mercy of Caesar, she resolves to commit suicide. She has someone bring her some poisonous snakes and incites them to bite her. Caesar arrives just after her death and orders that the two lovers be buried together.
And that’s a quick Antony and Cleopatra summary. What are your thoughts – anything unclear, or missing? Please let us know in the comments section below.
Antony and Cleopatra on screen
anthony and cleopatra is the most loveliest tragic romance of the whole world ….. it seems like they love each other ….. hmmmmm and i like it very much
such a nice story of a great love
Tragic-romance. Lovely and wonderful story. Leaves me wondering if this could happen in real life. :)
Reminds me a lot of Romeo and Juliet, but a more grown-up version where Antony and Cleopatra actually love each other, not just meet one night and kill themselves within a week of meeting. Antony and Cleopatra is the best tragedy by Shakespeare. And even though the ending is sad and tragic, it’s still a beautiful one.
They died for each other but not actually sacrificed their lives out of love for each other..
Greed for fame, being the self-acclaimed righteous one all the time, be in the position to control and exercise power, their hatred to be pulled down made them eventually pay the “price” to stay as heroes and worshipped as gods forever…Love was based on lust and not on emotions..
The summary is well written. Brief and precise. Good piece from Shakespeare. It’s lovely.
It’s really helpful
it’s well written ,all things are covered and brief full of excitement ,it is lovely