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Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 40 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Antony and Cleopatra
| "Antony and Cleopatra" might be regarded as a sequel to what other Shakespearean play? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Julius Caesar. The play deals with events shortly following the defeat of Brutus and Cassius in "Julius Caesar".
| What ancient source did Shakespeare primarily use for this play (as well as "Julius Caesar" and "Coriolanus")? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Plutarch. Plutarch's "Life of Antonius" was the principal source.
| This play is unique among Shakespeare's works for its enormous scope of location. What locations are featured in the play? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Alexandria, Rome, Messina, Misenum, Syria, Actium, and Athens.. There are numerous battle scenes and scenes aboard ship.
Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus. After the death of Julius Caesar, Rome was ruled by the triumverate of Octavian (Caesar's son), Mark Antony, and Lepidus. By the end of the play, Lepidus has been put to death, Antony has comitted suicide, and Octavian alone is emperor.
| Shortly after the play begins, Antony learns that his wife Fulvia, whom he has neglected for Cleopatra, has died. What is his reaction? | Antony and Cleopatra
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He is saddened (though not grief-stricken) and decides to leave Cleopatra.. Antony was clearly not in love with Fulvia, however upon hearing of her death, he remarks "There's a great spirit gone!" and regrets that he had wished her out of the way. He also decides "I must from this enchanting queen (Cleopatra, of course) break off." He is unable to resist Cleopatra for long, however.
| Which character makes the famous quote "My salad days, when I was green in judgement, cold in blood to say as I said then."? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Cleopatra. She says this in response to Charmian's recollection of her youthful idolization of Caesar.
| Act II, scene 2 contains the famous speech about Cleopatra which begins "The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, burn'd on the water.", which contains the line "Age cannot wither, nor custom stale her infinite variety." Who makes this speech? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Enobarbus. Enobarbus, Antony's closest friend (until he betrays him later in the play) delivers this speech to Maecenas and Agrippa.
| What is the name of Antony's sword (after a famous battle fought in "Julius Caesar")? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Phillipan. This was the sword with which he fought the battle of Phillipi against Brutus and Cassius. In Act II, scene 5, Cleopatra recalls their love-making: "E're the ninth hour I drunk him to his bed, then put my tires {attires} and mantles on him whilst I wore his sword Phillipan." Kinky!
| In Act II, scene 5, a messenger delivers to Cleopatra the unwelcome news that Antony has (for political reasons) married Octavia. What does Cleopatra threaten to do? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Kill the messenger.. She repeatedly strikes the poor messenger, vowing "Thou shall be whipp'd with wire and stew'd in brine, smarting in ling'ring pickle." (one of my favorite lines in the play), then draws a knife against him, (whereupon he flees) but she is stopped by Charmian. She later apologizes.
On board Pompey's galley, off Misenum.. This scene ends with all seemingly well between the triumvirs; it doesn't last long.
| In Act III, scene 3, Cleopatra gets the dirt on Octavia from the formerly much abused messenger. How does he describe Octavia? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Thirty, widowed, with brown hair, an overly round face, and low forehead.. Cleopatra seems especially gratified to hear that Octavia is widowed and that she has a too-round face, because "For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so." She asks the messenger's pardon for her former abuse and gives him gold.
| After twice abandoning Antony in battle against Octavian, Cleopatra flees the wrath of her insanely angry lover. Where does she eventually flee to (appropriately, as it turns out)? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Her monument (tomb).. She sends word from her eunuch, Mardian, that she has killed herself in remorse.
| Believing that Cleopatra is dead, Antony asks his devoted friend Eros to run him through with his sword. What does Eros do? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Kills himself instead.. Eros asks Antony to turn away from him and, when his back is turned, falls on his sword, declaring "Thus I do escape the sorrow of Antony's death." Antony then tries to kill himself; he grievously wounds himself, but does not die immediately.
| As Antony lies wounded, Diomedes arrives with new tidings about Cleopatra. What does he tell Antony? | Antony and Cleopatra
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That Cleopatra is alive.. Fearing, upon reflection, that Antony might react rashly to the news of her death, Cleopatra sends Diomedes to tell him the truth, alas, too late.
| Determined to die now that Antony is dead and Octavian wishes to parade her in disgrace through the streets of Rome, Cleopatra receives a basket from a "clown" (a comic rustic) supposedly containing figs, but also concealing some poisonous asps. What word do they use to refer to the serpent? | Antony and Cleopatra
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worm. Cleopatra asks "Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there that kills and pains not?" The "clown", upon parting from her, says "I wish you joy o' the worm."
| As he is leaving, what does the "clown" warn Cleopatra not to do for the serpent? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Feed it.. He cautions "Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding", whereupon she sarcastically asks "Will it eat me?"
| Two characters in the play die onstage of no apparent physical cause. Who are they? | Antony and Cleopatra
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Enobarbus and Iras. Enobarbus, consumed with guilt over his betrayal of Antony, dies in Act IV, scene 9, presumably of shame. In Act V, scene 2, Cleopatra kisses Charmian and Iras goodbye before killing herself; Iras suddenly falls and dies, presumably of grief. Plutarch states that Iras was found dead at Cleopatra's feet, probably having also been bitten by the asp; however, in the play, she dies before the asps are taken out of the basket, prompting Cleopatra to ask "Have I the aspic on my lips?"
| Upon discovering Cleopatra dead, what order does Octavian give regarding her burial? | Antony and Cleopatra
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That she and Antony be buried side by side.. In a show of pity for the dead lovers, the normally cold-blooded Octavian declares "She shall be buried by Antony. No grave upon the earth shall clip in it a pair so famous."
| In the seventeenth century, this play was briefly eclipsed in popularity by another play on the same subject, entitled "All for Love". Which great poet wrote this play? | Antony and Cleopatra
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John Dryden. Dryden's play, poetically excellent in its own right, is rarely performed today as it does not hold the stage nearly as well as Shakespeare's play, which has lost none of its popularity.
Fulvia. You never meet Fulvia, news of her death being delivered in Act I.
Lepidus. Lepidus has the unenviable task of reconciling Antony and Caesar. His efforts get him arrested later in the play.
That she will outlive her mistress. She does outlive her mistress, but only for about a minute.
a eunuch. A servant and messenger for Cleopatra. Treacherous, unfortunately.
Misenum. Much boozing and partying occurs here in Act II, Scene VII.
Taurus. Rather a bull of a man...sorry.
castaway. He calls her this because he knows Antony has returned to Cleopatra.
| Whilst telling Agrippa and Maecenas of Cleopatra's barge, what does Enobarbus liken her gentlewomen to? | "Antony and Cleopatra"
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nereides. This arrival by barge was the first time Cleopatra and Antony saw each other.
At the end of Act III. Enobarbus makes plans to defect to Caesar at the end of Act III.
Not specified. Consumed with guilt over abandoning Antony, Enobarbus dies in Caesar's camp, possibly of grief.
Follows them in retreat. Antony is so ashamed of this that he rages against Cleopatra, who, strangely, offers no reason for her desertion, merely stating shock that Antony followed her.
| Not chronological. What does the Clown say is in the basket which contains Cleopatra's asps? | "Antony and Cleopatra"
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Figs. This Clown is very well spoken for a peasant...
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