Antony and Cleopatra Acts 4 & 5
Antony's last moments alive left me feeling a lot of sympathy for this celebrated war hero. He put all of his identity and honor into being a great leader, and when his honor was threatened by Caesar as Egypt's ships fleeted from helping him, he decided it was better to die than to continue to live defeated. Likewise, in terms of personal affairs, he was defined by Cleopatra and her betrayal meant he didn't have her; he'd lost his identity. On the other hand, his death was very much a Roman death. He would have rather died and defeated his own self, than die being defeated by someone else. This proves to be an honorable death as Caesar acknowledges Antony's value as a Roman leader and willingly mourns his death. Antony resembles a tragic hero because he was never able to successful in both of his pleasures or identities. He was either a great lover, or a successful war hero, but not both. This is truly a tragedy since he could never be at peace with himself over his two identities.
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