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759 reviews for:
Antony And Cleopatra: An Extraordinary Tale of fiction Drama By William Shakespeare (Annotated)
William Shakespeare
3.56 AVERAGE
759 reviews for:
Antony And Cleopatra: An Extraordinary Tale of fiction Drama By William Shakespeare (Annotated)
William Shakespeare
3.56 AVERAGE
So I started out really impressed with this, but it just kinda went downhill. The ending was very meh, not as dramatic as I had expected. I knew the story from some other stuff I've read, so maybe that was part of it? I just didn't understand a lot of what was going on. There seemed to be a lot of scenes that just kind of went over my head for some reason. I also didn't understand Cleopatra's motivations I guess? She seemed very fickle, which might have been the point, but I couldn't figure out if she was really stupid or really clever and just pretending to be stupid to manipulate people. It was confusing. I'd like to watch this performed, because that cleared up a lot of my issues with Macbeth, so maybe this will do the same. We'll see.
To summarize, not my favorite Shakespeare.
To summarize, not my favorite Shakespeare.
I very much loved this play. I would go so far as to say it has knocked Macbeth off its pinnacle as my favourite Shakespeare to date.
Anthony and Cleopatra is brilliant, so easy to read and engaging right from the start. It starts as a slightly bawdy, frivolous game between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. But becomes more and more complex as the story unfolds and the two have to balance their own lives and desires with that of the politics of countries and whole Empires. A very conflicted pair, that somehow could not shake off their connection despite all. I loved that both Anthony and Cleopatra were complicated people, I think Shakespeare portrays human foibles and follies so well. His characters walk off the page.
Cleopatra must be the best female character in all of Shakespeare. I liked her even better than Lady Macbeth, and I thought she was tremendous. The whole play can make you laugh, get cross, leave you flabbergasted, cry, throw up your hands in despair and cry again.
I really loved the characters of both Anthony and Cleopatra. I think I am more sympathetic of Anthony, than I might have expected. I often find more modern songs that become very firmly connected in my mind with these plays. With this one Anthony sings ‘watching the wheels’ by John Lennon. He has been great, he has lived an inflated life based on his past glories and just wants to let go and find release from the chains of his own making. But how hard is that to do, when people watch in judgement and no one more so than himself.
I love Cleopatra too. She is flawed and difficult to entirely like but I can’t help but like her. She is spirited, rude, funny and complex. I like it that she speaks of catching fish and reeling them in..hahaha ‘Anthony, gotcha’ but then all that bravado shatters when the poor messenger tells her Anthony is married. I really love that hilarious scene in Act 2 scene 5. Funny as it is though, it is also very painful because Cleopatra is covering such shock and misery in anger. I almost feel guilty for laughing. (Any actor who plays the messenger has an utterly fun part) Cleopatra is a fantastic character. I am not like her personally but I can feel her moods and passions so acutely. She feels familiar, she is complicated and so human.
I love how the play is funny and very bawdy but just when you are laughing the hardest is makes you swallow your laughing and realise the world is not a joke after all.
As to whether Anthony and Cleopatra truly love each other… what a tough one. I think more that they needed each other so badly as a release valve from their public lives and all the heavy requirements of that. .. it was all hedonistic pleasure but gradually they came to know and love each other more deeply when things took a more threatening turn. They needed each other because they understood each other and they knew and understood themselves through the other too. They were like a drug for each other. So I do think they love each other but it isn’t like a traditional courtship, it is almost a guilty, addicted love. What a brilliant relationship between two people has been written here.
Anthony and Cleopatra is brilliant, so easy to read and engaging right from the start. It starts as a slightly bawdy, frivolous game between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. But becomes more and more complex as the story unfolds and the two have to balance their own lives and desires with that of the politics of countries and whole Empires. A very conflicted pair, that somehow could not shake off their connection despite all. I loved that both Anthony and Cleopatra were complicated people, I think Shakespeare portrays human foibles and follies so well. His characters walk off the page.
Cleopatra must be the best female character in all of Shakespeare. I liked her even better than Lady Macbeth, and I thought she was tremendous. The whole play can make you laugh, get cross, leave you flabbergasted, cry, throw up your hands in despair and cry again.
I really loved the characters of both Anthony and Cleopatra. I think I am more sympathetic of Anthony, than I might have expected. I often find more modern songs that become very firmly connected in my mind with these plays. With this one Anthony sings ‘watching the wheels’ by John Lennon. He has been great, he has lived an inflated life based on his past glories and just wants to let go and find release from the chains of his own making. But how hard is that to do, when people watch in judgement and no one more so than himself.
I love Cleopatra too. She is flawed and difficult to entirely like but I can’t help but like her. She is spirited, rude, funny and complex. I like it that she speaks of catching fish and reeling them in..hahaha ‘Anthony, gotcha’ but then all that bravado shatters when the poor messenger tells her Anthony is married. I really love that hilarious scene in Act 2 scene 5. Funny as it is though, it is also very painful because Cleopatra is covering such shock and misery in anger. I almost feel guilty for laughing. (Any actor who plays the messenger has an utterly fun part) Cleopatra is a fantastic character. I am not like her personally but I can feel her moods and passions so acutely. She feels familiar, she is complicated and so human.
I love how the play is funny and very bawdy but just when you are laughing the hardest is makes you swallow your laughing and realise the world is not a joke after all.
As to whether Anthony and Cleopatra truly love each other… what a tough one. I think more that they needed each other so badly as a release valve from their public lives and all the heavy requirements of that. .. it was all hedonistic pleasure but gradually they came to know and love each other more deeply when things took a more threatening turn. They needed each other because they understood each other and they knew and understood themselves through the other too. They were like a drug for each other. So I do think they love each other but it isn’t like a traditional courtship, it is almost a guilty, addicted love. What a brilliant relationship between two people has been written here.
“–my competitor
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
Friend and companion in the front of war,
The arm of mine own body, and the heart
Where mine his thoughts did kindle” like that’s gay
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
Friend and companion in the front of war,
The arm of mine own body, and the heart
Where mine his thoughts did kindle” like that’s gay
Just finished watching the play while reading along. I really enjoy this production for I thought the players did an outstanding job conveying the emotion associated with the characters and plot. There were also a surprising amount of actors (two former Star Trekies, uncle Phil from ‘Fresh Prince’, and a famous soapbox star as Caesar).
As with all of the plays so far, I love the beautiful use of language (see quotes below). Shakespeare describes normal day-to-day activities as well as dramatic events with such eloquence.
The themes of friendship, war, allegiance, honor and love are addressed head on. It is interesting to see how Shakespeare frames the relationship of Italy’s leaders with those of Egypt – lead by Cleopatra. The interplay between Antony and Cleopatra is often moving and passionate – and frustrating.
I read about the struggle between reason and passion and we see how Antony certainly falls because of this class (example: to fight via sea rather than by land).
V
Quotes:
“The triple pillar of the world transformed
Into a strumpet’s fool.”
“O excellent! I love long life better than figs.”
“The nature of bad news infects the teller.”
“In time we hate that which we often fear.”
“My salad days,
When I was green in judgment, cold in blood,
To say as I said then!”
“I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his speech.”
“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety.”
“Give me some music; music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.”
“Egypt, thou knew’st too well
My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’ strings,
And thou shouldst tow me after.æ
He wears the rose
Of youth upon him.”
Men’s judgments are
A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them,
To suffer all alike.”
“My resolution’s placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me; now from head to foot
I am marble-constant, now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.”
“I know that a woman is a dish for the gods,
if the devil dress her not.”
“Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me.”
“Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies
A lass unparalleled.”
As with all of the plays so far, I love the beautiful use of language (see quotes below). Shakespeare describes normal day-to-day activities as well as dramatic events with such eloquence.
The themes of friendship, war, allegiance, honor and love are addressed head on. It is interesting to see how Shakespeare frames the relationship of Italy’s leaders with those of Egypt – lead by Cleopatra. The interplay between Antony and Cleopatra is often moving and passionate – and frustrating.
I read about the struggle between reason and passion and we see how Antony certainly falls because of this class (example: to fight via sea rather than by land).
V
Quotes:
“The triple pillar of the world transformed
Into a strumpet’s fool.”
“O excellent! I love long life better than figs.”
“The nature of bad news infects the teller.”
“In time we hate that which we often fear.”
“My salad days,
When I was green in judgment, cold in blood,
To say as I said then!”
“I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his speech.”
“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety.”
“Give me some music; music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.”
“Egypt, thou knew’st too well
My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’ strings,
And thou shouldst tow me after.æ
He wears the rose
Of youth upon him.”
Men’s judgments are
A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them,
To suffer all alike.”
“My resolution’s placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me; now from head to foot
I am marble-constant, now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.”
“I know that a woman is a dish for the gods,
if the devil dress her not.”
“Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me.”
“Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies
A lass unparalleled.”
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
one of my dearer Shakespearean tragedies…on that note I absolutely hated everyone my favourite part is when they all die :)
the thing about having read all the popular tragedies is that now im hitting the ones people don't talk about for a reason. like it's shakespeare it's still good but it's not romeo and juliet now is it, despite the fact that the ending feels like copy my homework but change it up a bit from romeo and juliet. however obviously thats not the case because we know shakespeare took well known stories and wrote them spectacularly so its not a case of unoriginality from him. i do have immortal longings in me though so true.
LOL TOOK ME NINE MONTHS TO FINISH BUT I DID IT
cleopatra is iconic but the war scenes bored me to death. cest la vie
cleopatra is iconic but the war scenes bored me to death. cest la vie
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Joan Logghe writes beautifully descriptive poems. “Daughter at College,” “High School Graduation Pantoum,” and “Art and Teenagers” truly grasp the dynamic between mothers and daughters and the inevitable growing up that happens to youth.