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Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents Cleopatra in 'Antony and Cleopatra' Shakespeare cleverly dupes the audience into something of a pre-disposed opinion of Cleopatra before we have even met her, based on the conversation in the opening scene between Philo and Demetrius. Philo, addressing his fellow Roman soldier, denounces Antony's love for Cleopatra, regarding it as nothing more than a demeaning infatuation with a lustful harlot which is tarnishing their general's former greatness. Philo's opinion that Antony's 'dotage o'erflows the measure', i.e. that his infatuation is out of control in its abundance, causes the audience to make an early judgement of their relationship before the couple have even come on stage. It should be noted that Philo's opinion, as a Roman soldier, is likely to be rather biased, because to Romans duty to the Empire came way before duty to one's lover. The matter of Roman and, by contrast,...

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