Caesar and Cleopatra : A History [Paperback]

George Bernard Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 1950 | Series: Shaw Library

Political comedy at its best, Caesar and Cleopatra takes on the themes of imperialism and leadership as only George Bernard Shaw can. Set amidst the Roman conquest of Egypt, the play pits the mature statesmanship of Julius Caesar against the naïve ambition of Cleopatra. It imagines Caesar's first meeting with Clepatra and their subsequent plotting as Caesar attempts to subdue Egypt and Cleopatra tries to eliminate her brother and rival claimant for the throne. Assassination and intrigue, romance and betrayal, all are dealt with in Shaw's inimitable comic style. Caesar and Cleopatra represents a mature Shaw, who revolutionized the British theatre by combining exceptionally entertaining comedy with incisive and relevant themes.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950), one of the most prolific writers of the modern theater, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (June 30, 1950)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014045036X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140450361
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,249,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A high-stakes game of chess!, February 5, 2010

By 

Kylie Edwards (North America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caesar And Cleopatra (Paperback)

I can't resist any chance I can get to peek into the mind of a genius, and Shaw was a true genius. This story was delightful and brilliant.

This was great. Instead of a love affair, we get a high-stakes game of chess with Cleopatra making calculated moves to secure the throne of Egypt, but her opponent, Caesar, excels at the game as well. Shrewd takes on Wise in this excellent battle of wits, giving us a refreshingly original story that portrays Cleopatra as a crafty politician seeking power rather than a romantic siren interested in an affair of the heart.

This story was smart and funny. I loved it and wanted more when it was over. I'll have to buy another one of his books. I just love his style.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reading Shaw's works are a genuine treat..., February 7, 2010

By 

Marie Martin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caesar And Cleopatra (Paperback)

This is a wonderful, and much more likely, interpretation of Cleopatra's romantic involvement with Caesar. Most writers are tempted to turn it into a great love affair, but Shaw reveals a clever and ambitious Cleopatra whose reasons for sinking her claws into Caesar are entirely political. As much as I'm a sucker for a good romance, I found this tale of sly and loveless manipulation to be much more intriguing.

This story takes place when Caesar has occupied Egypt. Cleopatra wants to steal the throne out from under her brother and realizes that Caesar has the power to give it to her. The lengths she goes to in order to gain Caesar's favor or even stand in his presence are zany. She even goes so far as to roll herself up in a carpet that's to be delivered to him.

Shaw is my favorite of the Victorian playwrights. His works were revolutionary in many ways. Use of humor was rare and exceptional for playwrights during that era, but Shaw was not afraid to make audiences laugh. He also tackled serious moral, political, and social issues in his plays at a time when sappy dramas were all the rage. He was truly bold and innovative and greatly contributed to dramatic art. He had an amazing gift, the ability to make people think while simultaneously making them laugh.

Reading Shaw's works are a genuine treat. All of his plays are fabulous. His characters are memorable, and his humor is brilliant.

This is a wonderful book, charming, significant, and insightful. I can't recommend it enough.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Caesar and Cleopatra, November 17, 2008

By 

Li Zhang (Hartford, CT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Caesar and Cleopatra (mobi) (Kindle Edition)

Caesar and Cleopatra by George Bernard Shaw. Published by MobileReference (mobi).

This is a fine edition of the delightful Shaw play. Shaw's Caesar is a man of self-doubt and good humor, a vivid counterpoint to the haughty, aristocratic Caesar of Shakespeare.