Genre
Drama, Tragedy
Language
English
Setting and Context
Egypt, 30 BC
Narrator and Point of View
Tone and Mood
Tragic, epic, historical, dramatic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonists are Antony and Cleopatra; the antagonists are Octavius, and to a lesser extent, Alexas
Major Conflict
The conflict is that Antony is failing in his political duties because of his affair with Cleopatra, and Octavius is now attacking Egypt.
Climax
Antony and Cleopatra both kill themselves.
Foreshadowing
The portents that Serapion discusses at the beginning foreshadow the tragedy of the play.
Understatement
Allusions
Allusions to Roman and Egyptian history.
Imagery
Characters often describe offstage scenarios with great poetic detail.
Paradox
Antony knows consciously that it is in his best interest to leave Egypt, yet he cannot tear himself away from Cleopatra. There are also many paradoxical scenarios in which certain characters know the truth, while others do not, resulting in tragic instances of dramatic irony.
Parallelism
Dolabella and Antony are parallels for one another, one old and the other young. Cleopatra and Octavia are also parallels for one another, each very different representations of feminine power.
Personification
Use of Dramatic Devices
Many instances of asides and soliloquies that give insight into the characters' inner lives. The play is written in blank verse.
