GCSE: English Literature: Drama: By Author: William Shakespeare: Antony & Cleopatra Coursework

About Antony and Cleopatra

Shakespeare continues the story he started in "Julius Caesar". The struggle for power in Rome grows into open warfare after Caesar's assassination. There's plots and politics, battles on land and sea and above all the love story of Antony and the legendary Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Antony is torn between his duty as a Roman ruler and the seductive Cleopatra. As Antony enjoys love and luxury in Egypt powerful rivals are scheming in Rome.

Based on historical characters and real events Shakespeare uses the story of "Antony and Cleopatra" to look at the conflict between love and duty, East and West and male and female.

Antony and Cleopatra: What Will I Study?

Successfully studying "Antony and Cleopatra" for GCSE English Literature means you having a good understanding of the plot and characters in the play. In the exam you'll be asked to answer question on extracts from the text, but you'll need that background knowledge to gain extra marks. You'll be asked to explain the characters' actions and how an audience would respond to seeing them. You may get to watch and comment on film or television versions of the play.

Antony and Cleopatra... What Comes Next?

Taking A Level English Literature should let you study another of Shakespeare's plays. If you haven't studied "Julius Caesar" then you may enjoy finding out about the origins of the struggle in "Antony and Cleopatra". If you're old enough to cope with a bit of sex and violence the HBO television series "Rome" was an entertaining look at the events covered in the two plays.

More About Antony and Cleopatra.

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/antony/summary.html

http://www.rsc.org.uk/explore/antony/guide.htm