Teaching The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra

Instructions for You

Objective: Hmm, let's see: He would be hailed as a player by his friends, is smart and strong, and is well known in his field of work. She's hot (really hot), rich, powerful in her industry, and has a couple of kids from a couple of different lovers Kim and Kanye? Brad and Angelina? Two students in your school? No—Antony and Cleopatra.

In this exercise, students are going to explore the concept of the "power couple," answer some questions about a modern-day power couple and apply those same questions to Antony and Cleopatra. They will then apply that information and write an article as a reporter about Antony and Cleo (Clantony?) for People magazine.

Materials Needed: Access to this Power Couple list

Timing: About 80 minutes, plus out of class writing time

Step 1: Begin with a simple questions: What's a "power couple?" Can your students name any?

Ask a few more questions:

1. Why do you think people are obsessed with following these couples? Why are they interesting to us?
2. Are they as interesting as individuals as they are when they are together? Why or why not?
3. How do they use their influence?
4. How does a power couple differ from a good business partnership like the founders of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream (Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfeld), Apple (Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak), and any other strong partnership? Arguably, love/sex has to fit into it somewhere.

Step 2: Introduce a small research project (and when we say "research," we really mean trolling the internet for some additional information): Team up with a partner to research a modern Power Couple.

• Advise the students to be sure to work with a partner who would be interested in the same type of people. This can go from entertainment (and yes, that means the world of WWF) to politics to royalty to just about anything. 
• To keep it interesting, allow only one Power Couple per class (only one Beyonce and Jay-Z per class—sorry). You'll need to keep a list.
• Need some ideas? Check out Forbes magazine for a comprehensive list that includes everything from business to entertainment to politics.

The pair should prepare a quick presentation on their power couple with the following information:

• What do they do? (business, politics, etc.)
• How and what do they influence? What's their power?
• What are the individual qualities that each is known for? (talent, beauty, controversy, etc.)
• How do they support one another?
• Describe their relationship? (loving, respectful, etc.)
• Why are people obsessed with them? What do they say about them?
• Are they stronger together or apart?
• What three qualities would you use to describe the couple?

Give them about 30 minutes or so to work on this, and then they should share their research with the class. Jot down the three qualities they mention about each couple on the board.

Close out this step with a few broadening questions:

• Can you think of a Power Couple where the relationship didn't last? (Tons of celebrity examples: JoLo and everyone, Rihanna and Chris Brown, Bruce and Kris Jenner, Princess Di and Prince Charles...)
• What destroyed the couple and was either person able to recover?

Step 3: Let's dive into the play. You might want to begin with something like this: Antony and Cleopatra are the original power couple—it all began with them:

• At the time, she's the richest and most powerful woman in the world, had many famous lovers, and is described as really beautiful.
• He conquered various parts of the world, earned the loyalty of thousands of soldiers, and was a bit of a ladies man.

And, as you saw in the play, their relationship caused tons of gossip all over the place, from other key political leaders all the way to their servants. 

Have students work with the same partner and answer a similar set of questions for Antony and Cleopatra as they did for their first assigned Power Couple—we've taken one or two out and added a few others. Students should reference specific quotes (with line numbers) and scenes to support their answers where noted with an asterisk (*). We've provided some answers to get you going.

• What do they do? 
• How and what do they influence? What's their power?
• What are the individual qualities that each is known for? *
  
  
  • She's known for her beauty and sexuality as well as her erratic behavior (beats her servant who brings news that Antony married Octavia, Act II, Scene 5). She's also powerful and strategic.
  • Though one of the bravest and most talented generals in the world, he's whipped—he asks for permission to leave for Rome (Act I, Scene 2) even though people are conspiring against him, and oh, his wife also died. In battle with Caesar, she pulls her ships out of war and Antony follow them, which Scarus describes as an absolute act of shame (Act III, Scene 10); he offers to give up his third of the Roman Empire to be left alone with Cleopatra.
• How do they support one another?*
  
  
  • To help Antony win in battle, she sends her naval fleet to support him in the sea battle against Caesar. Of course, she calls them back twice—but we guess it's the thought that counts.
  • He has, for the most part, turned his back on Rome and would be pretty content to stay with her in Egypt.
• Describe their relationship.*
  
  
  • Tempestuous—arguing and fighting and then jumping into bed (Act I, Scene 1; Act I, Scene 3)
  • Sexual—Cleopatra makes all types of sexual references in the play: She wants to ride Antony like a horse (Act I, Scene 5, ll.20-30), and talks about dressing him in her clothes while she played with his sword (Act II, scene 5)
  • Controlling—she wants control in all aspects—from sex to military decisions (see examples above) and he let's her have it. When he finally grows a pair and gets angry with her for pulling her naval fleet back during a war with Caesar a second time and they were winning, he gets violently angry with her. So she fakes her death to see what he would say. He ends up killing himself over it.
• Do you like them better individually or together? Explain.
• Are they stronger together or apart?
  
  
  • He's probably better off without her. She clearly has absolute control over him. While we never doubt that she fully loves him, she makes bad decisions all along the way (pulling her navy fleet from way, faking her own death).
• What three qualities would you use to describe the couple?

Step 4: Let's bring it into modern times. Give the students the following prompt:

You're a reporter for People magazine who's assigned to follow Antony and Cleopatra. Pick an event from the play and write a 500 to 700 word article about Antony and Cleopatra and this event. Use at least two quotes from the couple as well as first-hand witnesses to the event in your reporting.

They should be sure to pick a juicy event from the play. Some suggestions:

• Antony marries another woman and Cleopatra flies into a jealous rage.
• Antony abdicates his share of Rome for love.
• Cleopatra leaves him during battle twice.
• The double suicide

Stress to your students that this should be written like a magazine article, so they may want to go to People magazine and take note of the structure of such an article. Tell them to have some fun and be clever.

Instructions for Your Students

Hmm, let's see: He would be hailed as a player by his friends, is smart and strong, and is well known in his field of work. She's hot (really hot), rich, powerful in her industry, and has a couple of kids from a couple of different lovers. Kim and Kanye? Brad and Angelina? Two students in your school? No—Antony and Cleopatra.

In this exercise, you're going to explore Shakespeare's original power couple—their relationship and how their combined synergies really dictated their fate. To do this, you get to think about some modern power couples first—what fun.

Step 1: We'll begin by discussing some fun stuff:

1. What's a "power couple?" Can you name any?
2. Why do you think people are obsessed with following them? Why are they interesting to us?
3. Are they as interesting as individuals as they are when they're together? Why or why not?
4. How do they use their influence?
5. How does a Power Couple differ from a good business partnership?

Step 2: Time for a small research project (and when we say "research," we really mean trolling the internet for some additional information). Work with a partner to research a modern Power Couple.

• Be sure to choose a partner who'd be interested in the same type of people. This can go from entertainment to politics to royalty to just about anything. 
• Only one specific Power Couple is allowed per class (so only one pair gets Beyonce' and Jay-Z—sorry). You know who will be keeping a list.
• For a great list of ideas, check out Forbes magazine.

Prepare a quick presentation to the class on your power couple with the following information:

• What do they do? (business, politics, etc.)
• How and what do they influence? What's their power?
• What are the individual qualities that each is known for? (talent, beauty, controversy, etc.)
• How do they support one another?
• Describe their relationship? (loving, respectful, etc.)
• Why are people obsessed with them? What do they say about them?
• Are they stronger together or apart?
• What three qualities would you use to describe the couple?

After you complete your research, you'll share it with the class. Your teacher will keep notes on the board about the three qualities.

Once everyone has presented, let's think about one last question:

• Can you think of a Power Couple where the relationship didn't last? What destroyed it and was either person able to recover their power and position?

Step 3: Let's dive into the play. Antony and Cleopatra are, after all, the original power couple—it all began with them:

• At the time, she is the richest and most powerful woman in the world, had many famous lovers, and is really, really hot!
• He conquered various parts of the world, earned the loyalty of thousands of soldiers, and was a bit of a ladies man (if you get our meaning!)

As you saw in the play, their relationship caused tons of gossip all over the place, from other key political leaders all the way to their servants. 

Grab the same partner and work together to answer a similar set of questions for Antony and Cleopatra as you did for the Power Couple you presented—we've taken one or two out and added a few others. Reference specific quotes (with line numbers) and scenes to support your answers for the questions noted with an asterisk (*).

• What do Antony and Cleopatra do? 
• How and what do they influence? What's their power?
• What are the individual qualities that each is known for? 
• How do they support one another?*
• Describe their relationship.
• Do you like them better individually or together? Explain.
• Are they stronger together or apart?
• What three qualities would you use to describe the couple?

You'll share your answers and examples in an all-class discussion.

Step 4: Let's bring it into modern times. Here's your prompt:

Pretend that you're a reporter for People magazine who's assigned to follow Antony and Cleopatra. Pick an event from the play and write a 500 to 700 word article about them and the gossip-worthy event you've chosen. Use quotes from Antony and Cleopatra as well as first-hand witnesses to the event.

Some guidelines to help with this assignment:

• It should be written like an article, so you may want to go to People magazine and take a look at the structure of an article.
• You should pick an interesting event from the story as the focus of the article. Some suggestions:
  
  • Antony marries another woman and Cleopatra flies into a jealous rage.
  • Antony abdicates his share of Rome for love.
  • Cleopatra leaves him during battle twice.
  • The double suicide
• You need to include at least two quotes from the play
• Have some fun and be clever.