Shakespeare's tragedy depicting the doomed love affair between Roman general Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII; set against the backdrop of the struggle for control of the Roman Empire following Julius Caesar's assassination; explores the conflict between Roman political duty and Egyptian erotic abundance.
One of Shakespeare's most expansive and poetically rich tragedies; celebrated for Cleopatra's extraordinary characterization as one of Shakespeare's most complex protagonists; its sprawling geographic and temporal structure mirrors its thematic ambition; the play's meditation on empire, desire, identity, and mortality attracts continuous critical and theatrical engagement.
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