Anthony & Cleopatra
Comments(1) Two things caught my attention in act five of Antony and Cleopatra. One is Caesar reaction to Antony’s death and two is Cleopatra’s motive of killing herself.
When Decretas advised Caesar of Antony’s death Caesar states “But yet let me lament with tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts that thou, my brother, my competitor in top of all design, my mate in empire, friend and companion in the front of war” (5.1.40). Here Anthony is showing his loyalty towards Anthony and the respect he has towards him. Antony’s sentiment towards Caesar’s death shows that he only went to war for political reason and not because he wanted to.
One thing I have trouble understanding is Cleopatra’s motive for killing herself. I wonder, if Cleopatra killed herself in order to be with Antony in heaven and if so why did she wait to hear what Caesar had planed for her to kill herself?
I diagreed strongly with the ending when Cleopatra decided to kill herself because I always thought of her as someone who had a strong mind and power to overcome the issues that crossed her path. I wished the ended would have been more whitty.