William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra

by Harold Bloom, Neil Heims

Shakespeare's multifaceted Antony and Cleopatra has been seen on one hand as a romance about the transcendence of love and, on the other, as a lesson against neglect of duty. Centered on the richly drawn presence of the Egyptian ruler, generations of critics have hailed Cleopatra as one of Shakespeare's greatest literary creations. In this new edition, a new selection of critical essays examines this classic work. A chronology, a bibliography, an index, and an introduction from master scholar Harold Bloom round out this valuable volume.

182 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's Harold Bloom. It was good for getting a certain view of the play's criticism, but offered fairly standard readings of the play.