Antony and Cleopatra: Analysis of Cleopatra

Cleopatra is both Queen of Egypt (69-30 BC) and Antony's lover. She is notorious for both her relationships with high ranking Roman men, including Pompey the Elder and Julius Caesar, and her marriage to her brother, as was custom in ancient Egypt. Her devotion to Antony is undeniable and especially evident in the final act, where she chooses death over a life without him. 

She is the epitome of Egypt and exuberates passion and sensuality, a striking contrast to the austere attitude that Rome embraces. Despite her obvious power as a monarch, she maintains many insecurities. These are significant in the relationship between her and Antony, as, especially initially, she is resistant to declaring her love and so seems elusive at times. This is a result of her fear that if she marries Antony, he would treat her in as cavalier a manner as he has to both Fulvia and Octavia, for he abandons them to spend time with her. Therefore, though she greatly adores Antony, this passion is overshadowed by her superficial mannerisms which she uses in the hope of manipulating people.However, this causes her to initially appear to the audience as a stereotype of the simplistic Egyptian harlot queen. 

This technique of subterfuge that Cleopatra employs through the play is of particular significance…