Three hundred years after Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, George Bernard Shaw wrote Caesar and Cleopatra, which today we might call a “prequel,” since it takes place prior to the action of the other two plays. But Shaw’s motivation for writing it probably had less to do with completing a trilogy than showing he had an ax to grind. Both playwrights played fast and loose with historical facts, but in Shaw’s opinion, Shakespeare distorted the characters and portrayed a faulty and romantic view of human motivation. So, the notoriously opinionated Shaw was going to set the record straight and give us the “correct” Shavian view of history. Luckily, despite his crankiness, the play is clever, funny, hugely entertaining, and—as always with Shaw—thought provoking. As for Shakespeare’s plays? Not to worry: they’ll survive. In class, besides discussing all three plays, we will also have the rare opportunity to view the 1976 film of Caesar and Cleopatra starring Alec Guinness and Geneviève Bujold in the title roles.

Suggested Readings:

Any edition of the plays.

• Class #1: Caesar and Cleopatra  Acts 1-3
• Class #2: Caesar and Cleopatra  Acts 4-5
• Class #3: Julius Caesar  Acts 1-3
• Class #4: Julius Caesar  Acts 4-5
• Class #5: Antony and Cleopatra  Acts 1-3
• Class #6: Antony and Cleopatra  Acts 4-5

Richard Matturro, a native of Rye, New York, holds a doctorate in English with a specialization in Shakespeare and Greek mythology. After sixteen years at the Albany Times Union, he taught literature at UAlbany for fourteen years. He is the author of numerous newspaper articles and eight novels.

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