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''Antony and Cleopatra'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was probably performed first circa 1607 at the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre by the King's Men. Its first known appearance in print was in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's ''Lives'' and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the Final War of the Roman Republic. The major antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony's fellow triumviri of the Second Triumvirate and the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The tragedy is set in Rome and Egypt, characterised by swift, panoramic shifts in geographical locations and in registers, alternating between sensual, imaginative Alexandria and the more pragmatic, austere Rome. Many consider Shakespeare's Cleopatra, whom the playwright described as having "infinite variety", as one of the most complex and fully developed female characters in his entire body of work.〔 She is frequently vain and histrionic, almost provoking an audience to scorn; at the same time, Shakespeare's efforts invest both Cleopatra and Antony with tragic grandeur. These contradictory features have led to famously divided critical responses.〔Bevington, David, ed. ''Antony and Cleopatra''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990: 12–14 ISBN 0521848334.〕 It is difficult to classify ''Antony and Cleopatra'' as belonging to a single genre. It can be described as a history play (though it does not completely adhere to historical account), as a tragedy (though not completely in Aristotelian terms), as a comedy, and as a romance, and some critics, e.g. (McCarter ), have also classified it as a problem play. == Characters == * Mark Antony – Roman general and one of the three joint leaders, or "triumvirs", who rule the Roman Republic after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. * Octavius Caesar – another triumvir * Lepidus – another triumvir * Cleopatra – Queen of Egypt * Sextus Pompey – rebel against the triumvirate and son of the late Pompey ''Antony's party'' * Demetrius * Philo * Domitius Enobarbus * Ventidius * Silius – officer in Ventidius' army * Eros * Canidius – Antony's lieutenant-general * Scarus * Dercetus * Schoolmaster – Antony's ambassador to Octavius * Rannius (non-speaking role) * Lucilius (non-speaking role) * Lamprius (non-speaking role) ''Octavius' party'' * Octavia – Octavius' sister * Maecenas * Agrippa – admiral of the Roman navy * Taurus – Octavius' lieutenant-general * Dolabella * Thidias * Gallus * Proculeius ''Sextus' party'' * Menecrates * Menas * Varrius ''Cleopatra's party'' * Charmian – maid of honour * Iras – maid of honour * Alexas * Mardian – a eunuch * Diomedes – treasurer * Seleucus – attendant ''Other'' * Soothsayer * Clown * Boy * Sentry * Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Antony and Cleopatra」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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