The Signet Classics edition of the tragedy that features one of Shakespeare's greatest female characters. A magnificent drama of passion and war, this riveting play presents the complicated relationship between the seductive, cunning Egyptian queen Cleopatra and the Roman leader Mark Antony, a man torn between an empire and love. This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, Sylvan Barnet • A selection from Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans , the source from which Shakespeare derived Antony and Cleopatra • Dramatic criticism from Samuel Johnson, A. C. Bradley, John F. Danby, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text • And more...