ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA STUDY GUIDE ACT 1
NAME:
PERIOD:
LEV EL ONE (KNOW LEDGE) QUEST IONS
Provide a brief answer to each of these questions.
1. What two advantages does Pompey believe he has in the conflict with the Triumvirate?
2. Who does Pompey believe is the best general in the Triumvirate?
3. Who connected to Antony made war against Caesar?
4. What does Antony say is harder to rule than one-third of the world?
5. What did Antony refuse to give Caesar?
6. What marriage does Agrippa argue will lead to peace?
7. What does Cleopatra assume the messenger will tell her about Antony?
8. When Cleopatra hears the real news, what does she do to the messenger?
9. Why does Enobarbus believe the marriage to Octavia will not work?
10. What does Menas advise Pompey to do?
English II
Mr. Pogreba
LEV EL T W O (COMP REHENSION) QUEST IONS
Write at least one complete sentence to answer each of these questions, using evidence from the play when
you can.
1. What does Pompey fear will unify the members of the Triumvirate? Why?
2. Why does Lepidus counsel Antony and Caesar not to fight?
3. Why do the two argue about sitting? What does it mean?
4. How did Cleopatra first appear to Antony?
5. Why does the soothsayer tell Antony to leave Rome?
6. Why does Cleopatra want to know what Octavia looks like?
7. Why is Pompey so upset about the treatment of his father?
8. During the banquet scene, Lepidus gets drunk and has to be carried out. What is Shakespeare’s
purpose?
9. In the midst of the banquet and drunken revelry, at least one person is conspiring to overthrow the
others. Who is this person and does he have the power to carry out these ambitions?
10. By the end of Act II, there appears to be a united front among all parties. Are they actually united?
Does the calm, united surface hide turbulence beneath? If so, who causes this turbulence? Why?
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LEV EL T HREE (CRIT ICAL T HINKING) QUEST IONS
Answer each of these questions with at least 4 sentences. Use evidence from the play.
1.
How does Shakespeare depict the leaders of the Roman world? Do any seem to be treated as more noble than the
others? Why?
2.
The servants speak frankly about the prospects for peace at the end of the Act? Do they believe the treaty will work?
SECT ION 4 . QUOT AT ION ANALY SIS
Answer each of these questions with at least four sentences. Explain what the quotation means and how it
expresses a major idea of the play.
(ACT 2, Scene 1, lines 19-27) POMPEY
He dreams: I know they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love, Salt
Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip! Let witchcraft join
with beauty, lust with both! Tie up the libertine in
a field of feasts, Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean
cooks Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor
Even till a Lethe’d dullness—
(ACT 1, Scene 2, lines 136-142) AGRIPPA
By this marriage All little jealousies, which now
seem great, And all great fears, which now import
their dangers, Would then be nothing: truths
would be tales, Where now half-tales be truths: her
love to both Would each to other, and all loves to
both, Draw after her.
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