Antony and Cleopatra analysis of Act one Scene one

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Antony and Cleopatra analysis of

Act one Scene one

'Antony and Cleopatra' by William Shakespeare is a play about a Roman General Antony and an Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. In Act one Scene one it shows how Antony puts Cleopatra in front of his army but Cleopatra just manipulates him successfully. The first part of the play is set in Alexandria.

Cleopatra is a powerful woman and she knows she can get everything she wants. She loves the attention being on her, as she thinks so highly of herself. Cleopatra is experienced and manipulating but she is also captivating, 'Everything becomes her.' She uses charisma and charm to persuade people so she always gets her way. Cleopatra has good looks so she can have any man she wants. She knows that Antony is madly in love with her and he will do anything she commands. She is externally fascinating and strong minded.

Antony is a General, before meeting Cleopatra he was seen has a respectful and honourable man. Since meeting Cleopatra he has forgotten about how important he is to the rest of his men. Antony has abandoned them for his true love Cleopatra and as suffered the consequences as now they no longer dote him. He has been put under Cleopatra's powerful spell. His heart is now set on a woman rather than war. He used to have a high reputation but now his own men have turned their backs on him.
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Antony and Cleopatra enter together. The audience can tell that Cleopatra is the more important one, as she has her ladies and a train behind her and with eunuchs fanning her. Antony has nothing compared to Cleopatra. It shows Cleopatra's high status and that her entrance is grand. When Philo and Demetrius enter the stage direction says enter 'Demetrius and Philo' but when Antony and Cleopatra enter before it says 'Flourish'. This entrance showing there important significance. When they leave the narrator has said that Antony and Cleopatra exeunt but the train is also mentioned, so we are ...

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