William Shakespeare has been called the single greatest influence of modern day English. His plays varied in theme, but most were comedies. Some of his tragic plays, like Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra can also be classified as a history. These plays have basis not only in fact, but are almost entirely based on one work; Plutarch’s Lives. Antony and Cleopatra and the story of Antony described in Plutarch’s Lives, are remarkably similar in form. Plutarch’s writings are often a source of reference to scholars and writers alike. This is due to the way the piece is written. It does not read like a history book. It can be more accurately described as a narrative. The details are easily laid out, the characters are described, the situation …show more content…
When reading the two works in sequence, it can be seen that Shakespeare takes obvious dramatic liberties when transposing this tale into a play. A great example of this is the role that Cleopatra shares. In Plutarch’s version, Cleopatra is described as a woman of high prestige and intelligence, and she reacts to all that is going on with Antony. In Shakespeare, Cleopatra plays a much greater role in the production as a whole. She is not just a reactionary character; she is brought to life with feelings, deep discussions, and normal interaction that is lacking Plutarch’s account. By doing this, Shakespeare makes her character more relatable to the audience. This in the play also allows the focus to be shifted and shared between the two major characters. Plutarch’s main focus is on Antony and his influence on the Roman Empire. He describes in great detail the current military situations of the time and the interaction between the current leaders and members of the second triumvirate. In contrast, Shakespeare spends a very limited amount of time talking about the military operations and focuses on the private communication between Antony and Cleopatra and among their close