Rome
Rome, and all the characters associated with it, is a symbol or order, structure, and austerity. Led by a triumvirate of three men, Rome is an organized exemplar of masculinity, martial conquest, and empire. The Roman generals in the play all subscribe to a military way of life, valuing routine and predictability as important elements of power. When the play begins and Antony is in Egypt with Cleopatra, other Roman characters begin to wonder if Rome's empire will be threatened by Antony's rejection of this structure.
Egypt
Egypt and its characters are a symbol of indulgence, excess, and opulence. In comparison to the rigidity of Rome, Egypt values a hedonistic lifestyle of food, drink, and pleasure. Cleopatra herself becomes the embodiment of this decadence for the Romans, who describe her as composed of an "infinite variety" that runs counter to the orderly ideals they themselves possess (2.2). Furthermore, the actual structure of the play comes to dramatize Cleopatra's sense of excess, as descriptions of her rely heavily on enjambment – lines of verse that flow directly to the next line without punctuation. This stylistic choice emphasizes the overflowing nature of Cleopatra and suggests that she cannot be "contained" in any way.
Cleopatra's Youth
One recurring motif throughout the play is Cleopatra's younger days. Numerous characters, including Cleopatra herself, allude to her past, specifically to her affair with Julius Caesar. Readers might easily forget that, at the time the events of Antony and Cleopatra take place, Cleopatra is an older woman who has been Queen of Egypt for decades. In frequently referring to Cleopatra's "salad days," the play both nods toward historical precedent and encourages its audience to reflect on what may have changed about Cleopatra's character.
Antony's Armor
Early in the play, Cleopatra tells an amusing tale about how, once when Antony was asleep, she put on his all of his military garb and marched around the room. This anecdote about cross-dressing reveals a greater symbolism to Antony's armor, as it represents masculinity, power, and conquest. When Cleopatra puts it on, she is both mocking these Roman values and at the same time asserting her own power to conquer.
The Asp
When Cleopatra commits suicide, she does so by bringing an asp (Egyptian cobra) to her breast and letting it bite her. Her language during this moment is notably maternal, as she alludes to tenderly breastfeeding the snake instead of what is truly happening. She asks for peace while the "baby" is at her "breast," suggesting that she perceives her death as a beautiful and natural phenomenon (5.2).
