All For Love Character Analysis

Antony

At the time of the events of All For Love, Antony is a renowned Roman general and political leader. Described as “emperor of half the world,” he rules Rome with two other politicians, including… read analysis of Antony

Cleopatra

Cleopatra is the queen of Egypt and the lover of Antony. She is famously beautiful and charismatic, and by her own account has received many marriage proposals. But although she has been involved with… read analysis of Cleopatra

Ventidius

Ventidius is a general in the Roman army and one of Antony’s oldest and closest friends. He is fiercely proud, honorable, and eager to fight in war rather than remain in the palace. He… read analysis of Ventidius

Dollabella

Like Ventidius, Dollabella is another of Antony’s close friends. Although he loves Antony and is very loyal to him as well, their friendship is tested by Dollabella’s continuing passion for Cleopatra. When… read analysis of Dollabella

Alexas

Alexas is Cleopatra’s servant and one of her close advisors. He is a eunuch, meaning that he has been castrated—Alexas thus frequently laments that he has never experienced the joys of love and sex… read analysis of Alexas

Octavius

Octavius is a character who never appears on stage but who nonetheless casts a long shadow. He is Antony’s rival for power in Rome and is described as young, ambitious, and strongly competitive in… read analysis of Octavius

Octavia

Octavia is Antony’s wife and Octavius’s sister. She is regarded as very beautiful and a model of virtuous Roman womanhood, but Antony nonetheless abandons her and their young children for his lover Cleopatra… read analysis of Octavia

Charmion

Charmion is one of Cleopatra’s maids. She is fiercely loyal to her mistress, as demonstrated at the end of the play, when she kills herself in solidarity with Cleopatra’s suicide. Charmion is the only… read analysis of Charmion

Serapion

Serapion is one of the priests of the Temple of Isis and a figure of significant political influence at Cleopatra’s court. He is gravely concerned about the Roman invasion and the future of Egypt… read analysis of Serapion

Minor Characters

Iras

Iras is another one of Cleopatra’s maids. Like Charmion, she is with Cleopatra in her final moments and also commits suicide with her. She smuggles in the “cure of all ills,” a poisoned asp that will kill Cleopatra, demonstrating her unfailing loyalty to her mistress.

Myris

Myris is another priest of the Temple of Isis. Like Serapion, he is very concerned about Egypt’s fate in the Roman invasion, and he spends much of the play’s opening scene discussing a series of frightening omens that have appeared in Egypt recently, seeming to foretell a terrible fate.

Agrippina and Antonia

Agrippina and Antonia are Antony and Octavia’s young daughters. Octavia brings them to Cleopatra’s palace to see their father, whom they haven’t seen for years. Antony clearly still loves them, as he is so moved by the sight of them that he temporarily pledges to return to his family.

All For Love

John Dryden

All For Love Characters