The Book
Caesar and Cleopatra is another notable play by one of the greatest dramatists of English literature, Bernard Shaw. Shaw’s plays mark a milestone in the history of British drama as they show a movement away from romanticism to realism. They are plays of ideas. Caesar and Cleopatrais about the historical situation of Caesar conquering Egypt and holding the queen Cleopatra under his thumb. The iconoclastic Shaw breaks the idols of Cleopatra and of Caesar in such an unforgettable way that the reader then begins to see the humorous side of Caesar while also seeing the unglamorous side of Cleopatra. The light-veined humorous touches to the history of Egypt with Rome as the conquering nation are made memorable through this play.
This AC Ward series from Orient BlackSwan has been now enhanced and enriched with additional student-friendly features such as analyses of themes and characterisation, act-wise summaries and questions and also a select reading list. We hope that these value additions will help maintain the popularity that the series has long enjoyed with teachers and students alike.
The Author(s)
AC Ward was the original editor of all of Bernard Shaw’s plays and is a well-known expert on the drama of Shaw.
The fresh sections of the book, that is, the new Critical Analysis, Summaries, etc. have been prepared by Kanchana Ugbabe who is a faculty member at the University of Jos, Nigeria.
Table of Contents
General Introduction to the Works of Bernard Shaw: AC Ward
Introduction to Caesar and Cleopatra: AC Ward
General Notes: AC Ward
Preface: Better than Shakespear?: Bernard Shaw
Prologue
An Alternative to the Prologue
Act I
Act II
Act III
Act IV
Act V
Author’s Notes to Caesar and Cleopatra
Notes on the Preface to Caesar and Cleopatra
Notes on Caesar and Cleopatra
Critical Analysis
Summary of the Play
Questions
Topics for Discussion
A Select Bibliography
Project work and additional classroom discussions