Cynicism and Idealism in Antony and Cleopatra

Of all of Shakespe ars coquets, Antony and Cleopatra is the one that most dramatically reveals the battle between cynicism and noble-mindedness. In the play, Shakespeare uses capital of Italy as a symbol for cynicism, which he much refers to as politics, and Egypt to refer to the notions of idealism. This dispute between Rome and Egypt makes up the central conflict of the play and drives the characters towards most of their actions. Characters in Antony and Cleopatra conspicuously associate Rome and Egypt with competing points of imagine (Hirsch, p.175). This is despite the fact that, distinctly, roman letterss are adequate to(p) of idealism and Egyptians commensurate of realism. Though Egypt did not progress to the same impact on European memoir that Rome had, to ignore that Egypt had a hi stage of tremendous political forcefulness and that its regularizationrs must declare been capable of exercising rattling mulish and cynical decisions is to ignore history. It is this very real history that drives the story line in the play. In fact, had Antony and Cleopatra not been rulers of their respective realms, and, therefore, symbols of cynicism and idealism, their fill out affair would not have been tragic. Antony would not have been censured for fall prey to Cleopatras charms, he would not have been judge to marry another woman, and he may have triumphed in the eventual battle to rule Rome. However, by falling in love with Cleopatra, Antonys Roman cynicism falls prey to idealism, and he can longer be nothing more than a pragmatic politician. Therefore, it is clear that, to a lower place the pressure of historical essential Voluptas must lose, whether represented by Cleopatra or Falstaff; but the tear is not the easy and obvious matter of a ethical motive play (Kermode, p. 1345). On the contrary, end-to-end the play, even though the audience knows the outcome, there is a continual tension between idealism and cynicism, and a constant contra st about which one should prevail.\nIt is significant to...