Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Life of Marcus Antonius and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Parthian War to Cleopatra's suicide. The major antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony's fellow triumviri the future first emperor of Rome. The tragedy is a Roman play characterized by swift, panoramic shifts in geographical locations and in registers, alternating between sensual, imaginative Alexandria the more pragmatic, austere Rome.

The passage of Act 5, Scene 2 begins with Cleopatra remarking, "What poor an instrument may do a noble deed!" when she is told the Clown bringing her asps has arrived. The comment may refer simply to the Clown who is obviously lower status to Cleopatra, and her remarking that she has to stoop to his level so that she can be reunited with Antony by killing herself with what the Clown brings. Her derogatory comments to people of lesser status also occur in 1,5 where she says to Alexas, "How much art thou unlike Mark Antony."(Bevington, 12)

The fact that Cleopatra is possibly making comments of a sexual nature very soon before she dies, is typical of her character. Throughout Act 5, Scene 2, Cleopatra makes several comments that have double meanings, and indeed it can be stated that Cleopatra finds death and sex synonymous in pleasure.

Oddly though, the sexual innuendoes that Cleopatra says later in Act 5, Scene 2 seem to be unintended as she states, "I have nothing of woman in me." The exact meaning of what she says is hard to define, but many interpretations can be found. Firstly, women are known for their fickleness and Cleopatra is set on shrugging off this myth as she wishes to prove her determination on seeing Antony again. This ties in with Cleopatra's later comment that, "Now from head to foot I am marble constant," as that means she is completely resolute in her mind about her actions. Secondly, with Antony dead her purpose for being a woman is redundant, as she has no lover to be sexually alluring to. Lastly, it could be taken that she is giving up her maternal role. Caesar threatened to kill Cleopatra's children if she committed suicide, and as she is obviously going to do it, she could be giving up her role as a mother because she can no longer protect them.

The idea that her statement, "I have nothing of woman in me," is maintained by another statement that, "Now the fleeting moon no planet is of mine." Moons are constantly referred to throughout the play as being symbols of inconstancy and transience, and Cleopatra's remark that the moon no longer is part of her planet, shows how she is determined to join Antony in the afterlife and how nothing will change her ...