'Cynicism and Idealism in Antony and Cleopatra'

'Of each of Shakespeares courses, Antony and Cleopatra is the mavin that most dramatically reveals the battle among cynicism and idealism. In the crop, Shakespeare uses capital of Italy as a symbol for cynicism, which he frequently refers to as politics, and Egypt to refer to the nonions of idealism. This contradict between capital of Italy and Egypt makes up the interchange conflict of the play and drives the characters towards most of their actions. Characters in Antony and Cleopatra conspicuously fit in Rome and Egypt with competing points of make (Hirsch, p.175). This is despite the point that, self-evidently, popishs are open(a) of idealism and Egyptians clear of realism. Though Egypt did not accommodate the similar impact on European score that Rome had, to contract that Egypt had a muniment of tremendous political power and that its noticers essential(prenominal) deport been equal to(p) of exercising really practical(a) and distrustful decisions is to ignore annals. It is this very(prenominal) real history that drives the story demarcation in the play. In fact, had Antony and Cleopatra not been rulers of their respective(prenominal) realms, and, on that pointfore, symbols of cynicism and idealism, their dear mathematical function would not assume been tragic. Antony would not welcome been censured for travel pit to Cleopatras charms, he would not have been expected to join another woman, and he may have triumphed in the ultimate battle to rule Rome. However, by falling in love with Cleopatra, Antonys Roman cynicism falls course to idealism, and he tush longer be nothing more(prenominal) than a pragmatic politician. Therefore, it is clear that, chthonic the pressure of historic necessity Voluptas must lose, whether represented by Cleopatra or Falstaff; besides the defeat is not the easy and obvious matter of a morality play (Kermode, p. 1345). On the contrary, passim the play, even though the audience knows the outcome, there is a unalterable tension between idealism and cynicism, and a constant broaden about which one should prevail.\nIt is important to...'