Antony and Cleopatra is a dramatic tragedy by William Shakespeare. Written in 1606/1607, it is one of the author’s later works. Shakespeare’s source material for this play was “The Life of Marcus Antonius” in Plutarch’s non-fiction work, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. Plutarch was a first-century Greek biographer. Shakespeare’s play is a dramatic adaptation of a period in the relationship of two real historical figures: Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Cleopatra lived from 69-30 B.C., and was queen of Egypt from 51-30 B.C. Mark Antony (Marcus Antonius), a Roman general and statesman, lived from 82-30 B.C. Since they were written in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Shakespeare’s plays have continued to be culturally relevant and widely read. His work succeeds in both illuminating the world he lived in and exploring universal themes that will always remain relevant. His level of success in achieving this is what makes Shakespeare arguably the most significant author in the British literary canon. Lesson Plan Format This lesson plan is composed of five sessions (“days”) devoted to the study of Antony and Cleopatra. The plan is intended for high school level students, from grades 9 to 12. Teachers are expected to make any necessary adjustments appropriate for their students’ grade level, as well as their particular state standards. The lesson plan is truly open and flexible and designed to easily accommodate such adjustments. Students will be required to read one act for each day. The following topical areas will be covered: biography/historical content; narrative/structure/POV of the book; characters and character development; themes/symbols/figurative language; and the question of what makes Antony and Cleopatra a fantastic book. Each day’s lesson will offer several discussion/writing journal response questions and ideas for homework assignments, as well as reading requirements and book/online resources.
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