The document contrasts the representations of East (Egypt) and West (Rome) in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Egypt is presented as a place of pleasure, indulgence and freedom of expression, where Antony embraces sensual delights. In contrast, Rome is depicted as strict, duty-bound and focused on politics and morality, with Caesar disapproving of Antony neglecting his responsibilities in Egypt. The document analyzes how Egypt and Rome come to embody feminine and masculine characteristics respectively, and how each civilization views itself and the other.

1. Antony and Cleopatra are made up of a series of
contrasts, here I will be exploring the contrast that is East
versus West

3. Egypt
 Egypt are presented as being liberal, and a place of pleasure
 “Tonight we’ll wander through the streets and note/ The qualities of
people” (Act I scene I)
 Whilst in Egypt, Antony and Enobarbus have feasted, drunk and
enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh
 Enobarbus even seems hesitant to leave and tries to convince
Antony to stay in Act I Scene II “If they suffer our/ departure, death’s
the word” (Line 137)
 Antony, previously in the same scene, comments on the
enchantment that Egypt has
 “These strong Egyptians fetters I must break,/ Or lose myself in
dotage” (Lines 118-119)

4. Rome
 Rome on the other hand is a place of strict duty, politics and morals
 Caesar thinks Antony is being very un-roman as he “fishes, drinks
and wastes/ The lamps of night in revel” (Act I Scene IV)
 Caesar calls Antony “A man who is the abstract of all faults” meaning
that Caesar thinks that Antony is embodying everything that is evil
whilst stationed in Egypt

5. Antony’s Place
 Characters such as Antony, and Enobarbus, can exist in both worlds.
 However Antony states in Act II Scene IV that “I’th’ East my pleasure
lies” (Line 39)
 Shakespeare here, hints that Antony will return to Egypt again

6. How do each worlds embody these characteristics?

7. Rome and The Masculine
 Rome can also be associated with masculinity
 In Rome, characters are bound to reason, rather than emotion
 The roman’s duties are their priority, Caesar who embodies
everything roman, is stern and callus. He never lets his emotions
overrule his reason

8. Egypt and The Feminine
 Egypt is also associated with femininity
 Egypt is a place where characters can freely express their emotion,
Antony in particular can express himself in Egypt whereas in Roman
he is bound to comply his duty over emotion

9. Critical Quote
“Rome has been characterized as a male world, presided over by
the austere Caesar, and Egypt as a female domain, embodied by
a Cleopatra who is seen to be as abundant, leaky, and
changeable as the Nile”
 By Jonathan Gil Harris
 From "'Narcissus in thy Face': Roman Desire and the Difference it
Fakes in Antony and Cleopatra" written in1994

10. What does the East and the West think of themselves; and
each other?

11. Rome from a Roman view
 Rome think they are moral, mature, structured and masculine
 They see the world as something to be conquered and to be
controlled
 They want to influence and control the world; not the other way round

12. Rome from an Egyptian view
 The Egyptians think that Rome is boring, strict and duty bound
 They think that the Romans follow strict rules which allow little
passion or creativity

13. Egypt from an Egyptian view
 Ancient Egyptians believed that the environment shapes them,
Egyptians generally were very in-tune with the earth/ environment
around them.
 They believed that the environment was a part of them, and ruled
them; not the other way round which the Romans believe
 Therefore Egyptian life is less structured, allowing them to be
creative and act on their human passions

14. Egypt from a Roman view
 The Romans see the Egyptians as immoral as they act on their
emotions
 Therefore the Romans see Egypt as being chaotic, disordered,
indulgent and over-sexualised
 The Romans believe that Egypt, and his lover, are distracting Antony
from his important duties