antony died in antony and cleopatra in act iv.
when does antony die in antony and cleopatra?
act iv
l. t. fitz outwardly claims that early criticism of "antony and cleopatra" is "colored by the sexist assumptions the critics have brought with them to their reading." fitz argues that previous criticisms place a heavy emphasis on cleopatra's "wicked and manipulative" ways, which are further emphasised by her association with egypt and her contrast to the "chaste and submissive" roman octavia. finally, fitz emphasises the tendency of early critics to assert that antony is the sole protagonist of the play. this claim is apparent in brandes argument: "when [antony] perishes, a prey to the voluptuousness of the east, it seems as though roman greatness and the roman republic expires with him." yet fitz points out that antony dies in act iv while cleopatra (and therefore egypt) is present throughout act v until she commits suicide at the end and "would seem to fulfill at least the formal requirements of the tragic hero."
antony and cleopatra
in the series finale "de patre vostro (about your father)," antony has neglected his legions, and his military might begins to slowly fail. octavian receives what is purportedly a copy of antony's last will and testament from posca; the document states that antony will leave all of his land and titles to his children by cleopatra. this, as octavian guesses it will, turns the roman people against antony; allowing octavian to declare him a traitor and go to war against him. antony loses the battle of actium to octavian, who seeks antony's personal surrender or he will burn the palace to the ground with everyone inside. cleopatra hopes for some alternate solution, but to antony the only way out of the situation is suicide. octavian makes a secret offer to cleopatra: she can keep her life and her crown in exchange for allowing his men into the palace to take antony. she is genuinely torn between her love for antony, her duty as queen and her personal honor. she and antony agree to die by their own hands, but with the help of her servant and advisor charmian, cleopatra later fakes her own suicide, prompting antony to kill himself with the assistance of lucius vorenus. out of respect, vorenus dresses antony's corpse in roman armor and seats it on the throne of alexandria, where it is found by octavian.
mark antony (rome character)