The Historical Basis of All for Love by John Dryden PDF

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The play All for Love is based on true events. All of the characters in this play existed at one time, and the majority of the events that make up the play's action genuinely happened. Dryden learned the historical data he uses in this play, as well as the historical figures who appear in it, from a...

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The Historical Basis of All for Love by John Dryden 1 A HISTORICAL PLAY The play All for Love is based on true events. All of the characters in this play existed at one time, and the majority of the events that make up the play's action genuinely happened. Dryden learned the historical data he uses in this play, as well as the historical figures who appear in it, from a book of biographies published by an ancient Greek historian named Plutarch. Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans was the title of the book, which was written in Greek. After that, the book was translated into French, and then the French version was translated into English (by Sir Thoman North). Dryden relied heavily on this English translation of Plutarch's book to gain the necessary understanding of ancient Roman history. Shakespeare's drama Antony and Cleopatra was also based on the same source.

2 ALL FOR LOVE: THE SOURCES FOR DRYDEN'S WRITING: Plutarch was not, however, the only source used in the creation of All for Love. Shakespeare's drama Antony and Cleopatra influenced Dryden even more.

Dryden drew on a variety of other sources as well. Dryden recognises his gratitude not only to Plutarch but also to Appian and Dion Cassius in the prologue to All for Love. Appian and Dion, as well as Plutarch, were ancient writers. Appian wrote a book called Civil Wars, while Dion wrote a book called Roman History. Dryden claims in the prelude to his play that he had shown Antony as favourably as Plutarch, Appian, and Dion Cassius would allow. At the same time, it must be admitted that Dryden deviates from Appian and Dion's accounts in their respective volumes in various ways. Although Dryden's three classical sources must be acknowledged as having aided him in the writing of All for Love, it must also be admitted that Dryden drew most heavily on Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, which has multiple echoes in Dryden's play.

3 PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PLAY, THE FOLLOWING EVENTS OCCURRED: Before reading Dryden's All for Love, the reader must be aware of the major historical events that have occurred. Julius Caesar, the greatest of Roman statesmen and soldiers, defeated his adversary, Pompey the Great, in the epic Battle of Pharsalia in 48 B.C., and was subsequently appointed Consul by the Roman Senate for a five-year term. Julius Caesar, on the other hand, was assassinated in the Senate-Hall in 44 B.C. as a consequence of a plot hatched

by numerous Senate members, the most prominent of whom were Brutus and Cassius. Mark Antony, Julius Caesar's close friend, established an alliance with Octavius Caesar (the adopted son of Julius Caesar). and battled the conspirators (Brutus, Cassius, and others) at the Battle of Philippi in 42 B.C. and defeated them. Brutus and Cassius committed suicide after their defeat. The triumvirate (or group of three) comprising Octavius Caesar, Antony, and another man named Lepidus now ruled the country. Antony met Cleopatra in 41 B.C. and fell madly in love with her. Cleopatra was completely enthralled by this passion. However, there was a time before this love affair began. Julius Caesar had already had a love affair with Cleopatra and had even given birth to a child with him. Antony became enamoured with Cleopatra and began to neglect his formal duties as one of the three rulers, even moving in with her in Alexandria, Cleopatra's capital (in Egypt). Antony stayed in Egypt for ten years, savouring the delights of love with Cleopatra. The events of Dryden's play take place at the end of those ten years, and they span the lovers' last twenty-four hours of life.

The reader must also be familiar with the major characters who are mentioned in the play or who appear as characters in the play. Julius Caesar is a character that appears only a few times throughout the play. Octavius Caesar is only

mentioned once, despite the fact that he is mentioned numerous times and throws a shadow over the action of the play. Octavius Caesar does not appear as a character on the stage. He remains in the background, but we are made to feel his power and how it affects the various characters and the play's action. Antony, Cleopatra, Ventidius, and Cleopatra's two maids are among the characters in the drama (Charmion and Iras). Antony's wife (Octavia) and Dollabella, Antony's best friend. The eunuch Alexas is a historical figure, but he is depicted here in a totally different light than he was in real life.

4 AS HE WAS IN HISTORY: JULIUS CAESAR Jalius Caesar was born in 102 B.C. and went on to become one of Rome's greatest leaders and conquerors. He was a member of the democratic party in Rome through birth and marriage. He was elected to various civic offices after some early setbacks. The first triumvirate was established in 60 B.C., with Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, and Crassus as members. Pompey the Great, who had defected to the aristocratic side, was envious of Julius Caesar's military achievements. Julius Caesar defeated Pompey the Great at Pharsalia in 48 B.C., was chosen Consul for five years, and distinguished himself in Egypt and elsewhere as a result of the struggle that ensued. He had an intense love affair with Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen. He was the father of Cleopatra's son.

Caesarion was the name given to this son. Julius Caesar was assassinated at the Senate-Hall (also known as the Capitol) on March 15, 44 B.C., as a result of a plot concocted by Cassius, Brutus, and others.

5 IN DRYDEN'S PLAY, THERE ARE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO JULIUS CAESAR.

A reference to Cleopatra's love connection with Julius in the play itself. Caesar appears in Antony's address to Cleopatra after he has decided to abandon her. He reminds Cleopatra that he had fallen in love with her long before she met Julius Caesar, but that after they met, she became Julius Caesar's mistress and neglected Antony. He bemoans the fact that he earned her first, but Julius Caesar had gotten it instead. Cleopatra responds by telling Antony that Julius Caesar had merely enjoyed her body but had failed to obtain her heart and soul. She claims that, despite Julius Caesar's affection for her, she had only been in love with Antony.

6 HISTORY OF OCTAVIUS CAESAR: Octavius Caesar was Julius Caesar's adopted son, despite the fact that he was married but had no children of his own. Octavius Caesar was initially Antony's

partner in the struggle against Julius Caesar's assassins; but, he later clashed with Antony, who had become involved with Cleopatra of Egypt. After Antony's first wife Fulvia died, Octavius' sister Octavia married Antony. However, Antony continued to overlook Octavia due to his obsession with Cleopatra, with whom he had now moved to Alexandria. Octavius Caesar felt compelled to wage war on Antony, whom he had vanquished at the naval Battle of Actium and had therefore forced to commit suicide. Following Antony's defeat and death, Octavius Caesar became the only ruler of the Roman world, and the Roman Senate bestowed the title "Augustus" upon him. He was the first of the Roman Emperors, and he proved to be a wise and compassionate ruler. However, for our purposes, we are only interested in him up to the time of Antony and Cleopatra's deaths. Octavius Caesar was born in 63 B.C. and died in 14 A.D.

7 OCTAVIUS CAESAR IS MENTIONED IN THE PLAY: In the course of the play, Octavius Caesar is mentioned numerous times. The majority of the remarks made about him by the various characters in the play are derogatory. Octavius Caesar is not to be confused with Julius Caesar, who made similar remarks. Specifically, Ventidius and Antony. Because both of them are at odds with Octavius Caesar, it would be natural for them to make disparaging remarks about him. Octavius Caesar was neither a coward nor a stupid, according to

history. In reality, he has a long history of proving himself to be a wise warrior and ruler. When Antony has agreed to abandon Cleopatra and lead his forces into combat against Octavius Caesar, a dialogue between Antony and Ventidius takes place, with the subject of Octavius Caesar. Octavius is described by Antony as a "minion of blind chance" and a guy without any merit. When Ventidius inquires about Octavius' bravery, Antony responds that Octavius possesses just enough bravery to separate him from a coward. Antony also claims that when he challenged Octavius to a duel, Octavius responded by saying that he would die in a method other than fighting Antony. Octavius, according to Ventidius, would sooner die of ague or fever than perish in war. According to Ventidius, Octavius was first brought to power as a result of Antony's triumph at the Battle of Philippi. Following that, other references to Octavius are made, and we learn about Octavius' dominating military might through these references.

8 MARK ANTONY (MARK ANTONY):

As long as Julius Caesar was alive, Mark Antony was a staunch supporter. After Julius Caesar's assassination, he established an alliance with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, forming a triumvirate (a group of three persons to share political power and to rule the country). At the Battle of Philippi, the three defeated

Brutus and Cassius (who had played a key role in Julius Caesar's assassination), and both Brutus and Cassius committed suicide. Antony fell in love with Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen, and later clashed with Octavius Caesar, whom he beat in the naval Battle of Actium. Antony committed suicide after his final defeat at the hands of Octavius Caesar. In our drama, however, Antony's decision to commit suicide is primarily motivated by the alleged death of Cleopatra. Antony was born in 83 B.C. and died in 30 B.C. Cleopatra: Cleopatra, Egypt's Queen, was born in the year 69 B.C. She was named joint ruler of Egypt with her younger brother after her father died in 51 B.C. She did, however, assassinate her younger brother not long after. She was meant to marry her brother because family tradition dictated that she could only control the country with her brother and only after marrying him. She plotted against her brother and had him assassinated because she despised him. She was deposed from the throne three years later, but Julius Caesar intervened and restored her to the throne. (Antony states in the play that he was the one who got her reinstated.) Julius Caesar had a love affair with her for a period, and she bore him a son named Caesarion. In 41 B.C., after Caesar's death, she met Antony. Antony was completely enthralled by her. In reality, Antony claims in the play that he fell in love with her before she met Julius Caesar. Antony's

servitude to the Egyptian Queen was a slap in the face to the Roman people. Octavius Caesar waged war on Cleopatra in 32 B.C. as a result of this. At the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C., Antony fought with Cleopatra's troop against Octavius Caesar's fleet. Cleopatra was overtaken by dread during the conflict, and she fled. Antony, too, left the battle to follow his mistress, and Octavius Caesar's victory was complete. Following that, after hearing a false news that Cleopatra had died. Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra died by her own hand from an asp bite, preferring death to the humiliation of being paraded through the streets of Rome as Octavius Caesar's prisoner....