Antony and Cleopatra

Describe Antony's conflict between love and duty in the play Antony and cleopatra ?

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Antony's major conflict is the way he's torn between his commision as a Roman ruler and soldier and his wish to remain in Egypt with Cleopatra. This inner conflict results in a war with Caesar, one of his fellow triumvirs. Once Caesar gets him to leave Egypt he marries Antony to his sister; Antony does this out of a sense of duty, but soon Antony will return to Egypt and Cleopatra.

Everything Antony does after this comes from love. He shames himself by fleeing from battle to follow Cleopatra, something he cannot forgive himself for because it goes against everything he believes. Cleopatra eventually abandons him, and as a result Antony suffers complete defeat in the ensuing naval battle. Antony's ongoing struggle between his sense of right and wrong and the pull of emotion leads to both he and Cleopatra's deaths.

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Antony and Cleopatra