All For Love: Act 4 Summary & Analysis

Antony orders Dollabella to inform Cleopatra of his departure, since Ventidius would be too harsh with her. Dollabella begs Antony not to make him do this, protesting that he is too tender-hearted and won’t be able to bear it. Antony is clearly conflicted too, because every time Dollabella tries to leave, he calls him back. First, he says that he will negotiate a peace with Rome for Egypt to keep Cleopatra on her throne. Second, he asks Dollabella to tell Cleopatra that he still loves her. Third and finally, he asks Dollabella to tell her that it would break his heart if she ever took another lover.

After Antony leaves, Dollabella observes that men like Antony have appetites that are as changeable as that of children. Worse, their private desires and failings are always made open to “the world’s open view.” Dollabella begins to contemplate trying to win Cleopatra from Antony, since he is still in love with her. Overhearing this, Ventidius gleefully hopes this will lead to her ruin, since he hates Cleopatra.

Meanwhile, Alexas urges Cleopatra to use Dollabella’s feelings for her to make Antony jealous. Cleopatra protests at the idea of this disloyalty. She laments that her natural inclination is to be a “wife, a silly, harmless, household dove,” but that instead she is forced to act the public and dishonorable role of the mistress. She reluctantly decides to try to make Antony love her again by flirting with Dollabella, who is talking to Iras and Charmion.

 Cleopatra asks Dollabella, Iras, and Charmion what they have been talking about. Dollabella claims that they have been discussing her beauty, assuring her that she is more beautiful than all the women in Rome. Cleopatra calls him a flatterer, like his master Antony. Dollabella delivers the heavy news: Antony is leaving, and she will soon lose her kingdom. Attempting to flirt with him, Cleopatra coyly tells him that “love may be expelled by other love.” Dollabella assures her that “some men are constant,” unlike Antony.

Cleopatra asks whether Antony sent this news regretfully. Dollabella lies and says that Antony spoke harshly of her, calling her the “blot of my renown” [i.e. reputation] and the “poison” of his fortune. At this, Cleopatra swoons. Horrified, Dollabella reveals that what he spoke was false and that in fact Antony sent her words of love. He explains that he lied because he hoped that Cleopatra would fall in love with him instead. Cleopatra admits that her flirtations were false and only intended to regain Antony’s love. Defeated, Dollabella admires Cleopatra’s constancy, which has made her heart inaccessible to any others. Cleopatra begs him to let her see Antony one last time.

Ventidius and Octavia spy on Dollabella and Cleopatra. They misinterpret the gesture of Dollabella taking Cleopatra’s hand, assuming that Cleopatra has abandoned Antony. Dollabella and Cleopatra leave. When Antony enters, he asks how Cleopatra took the news of his departure. Ventidius tells him that Cleopatra took it well—as well, in fact, as she took Caesar’s departure, as if she were preparing to take another lover. Ventidius recounts how Dollabella kissed her hand, and how Cleopatra blushed and smiled on him. Octavia confirms the truth of everything Ventidius says. Antony defends Cleopatra’s honor and calls them both liars, saying that he sees through the plot between them. Ventidius swears that Cleopatra is false.

Ventidius asks Alexas to confirm the report of Cleopatra’s unchastity, calling him a pimp and accusing him of enabling the “nightly change” to a different lover in her bed. Alexas vigorously defends his queen, pointing out that she loves only Antony—and that she turned down the offers of “lawful love” [i.e. marriage] from many kings, just to be Antony’s mistress. However, he argues that Cleopatra ought to go with Dollabella, since Antony has rejected her. At this, Antony is enraged and orders him from his sight.

Octavia complains that Antony should show so much distress at the loss of an “abandoned, faithless prostitute,” suggesting that he still loves Cleopatra more. Ventidius begs her to retire, but the enraged Octavia tells Antony that she will leave him now and go back to Octavius’s camp, since her honor cannot bear to have only “half” of Antony.

Antony laments aloud that his “plain, honest heart” forces him to share his feelings openly to the world rather than concealing them. He calls Dollabella to him and asks how Cleopatra took the news of his departure. Dollabella says that Cleopatra still loves Antony, even to “madness.” Antony wonders aloud how he could ever forsake such a woman, and Dollabella agrees that he could not, if she were his. He tells Antony that Cleopatra has come to claim one last word with him.

When Cleopatra enters, Antony shouts at her and Dollabella, accusing them of betraying him. He demands that Dollabella tell him whether he loves Cleopatra, but Dollabella claims that he loves her “no more than friendship will allow.” Antony counters that Octavia, Alexas, and Ventidius all saw them together and have confirmed that they were flirting. Cleopatra admits that she attempted to entice Dollabella, but only to try to make Antony jealous—and that she was unable to go through with it, since she loves Antony too much. For his part, Dollabella admits that he loves Cleopatra but that he “repents” of that love, asking Antony to forgive him.

Antony points out that Cleopatra and Dollabella’s only witnesses to prove that they’re telling the truth are each other—and the guilty can’t disprove guilt. He banishes both of them from his sight, saying that he can’t bear to hurt them but can’t bear to see them either. Cleopatra begs him not to send her away, since she has nowhere to go: she has lost her kingdom for him, and the Romans hate her. She protests that Alexas was lying and only hoped to help her regain Antony’s love by making him jealous.

Antony refuses to believe it. Cleopatra begs for one more look from him, protesting that he wouldn’t even send away a slave without one drop of pity. As she goes, Cleopatra professes that she will love Antony forever and loves him more now, even though he is cruel to her. Antony weeps as they part but orders that they should never meet each other again.