Caesar and Cleopatra

What characters, places, events, or cultural practices did you read about in the play that you were already familiar with? Where did you learn about them? How does the depiction in the play compare to your own knowledge?

How does the play comment about empire and imperialism? Would you guess that the playwright supports it or argues against it?

Read Shakespeare’s play Antony and Cleopatra. How did Shaw deviate from this popular portrayal of Cleopatra? How did Shaw’s Cleopatra create a different effect than Shakespeare’s?

Research the historical Julius Caesar. How would you characterize Shaw’s depiction of Caesar? How does Shaw’s Caesar compare to what is known about the historical figure?

Imagine that this play is being revived for a contemporary audience. What do you think would still be relevant today? What parts do you think might have aged poorly or need to be changed?

What is the significance of the Sphinx and Egyptian religious practices in the play? How do they affect narrative?

The historical Caesar and Cleopatra had a love affair, which Shaw does not depict in the play. What do you think was the effect of editing this aspect of their relationship? How do you think the play would have read differently if Shaw had left it in the story?

Research what happens next in history for both Caesar and Cleopatra. How does the play foreshadow, hint at, or even undermine their historical futures? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Evaluate the remarks that Shaw inserts into the text about the British, while considering the characterization of Britannus. Considering that Shaw was writing primarily for the English stage, what do you think he was trying to communicate to British audiences?