Cleopatra (H. Rider Haggard) study guide
by H. Rider Haggard · 1889 · 34 chapters · the whole book: 6 h 37 min to read
This guide is to H. Rider Haggard's novel Cleopatra (1889). Cleopatra follows Harmachis, a secretly crowned claimant charged with freeing Egypt, whose attempt to kill Cleopatra collapses before he returns as a disguised healer to guide her and Antony toward ruin.
The story in brief
Royal guards seek the infant Harmachis, but another child dies in his place. His father later reveals his sacred duty, and Harmachis accepts a secret crown, binding himself to Egypt's freedom and Cleopatra's death. Charmion explains the palace conspiracy, yet Harmachis rejects her and loses his resolve when he approaches Cleopatra to kill her. Cleopatra threatens the conspirators and forces him to accept her kiss.
Harmachis discovers a plan for his murder while Cleopatra declares her love for Antony. Charmion reveals her betrayal and helps him escape, but he returns to a ruined temple and his dying father. As the healer Olympus, he later gains Cleopatra's trust and guides her and Antony toward ruin. Antony dies after a false report, and Cleopatra chooses poison over threatened captivity. Harmachis reveals himself as she dies. He ends in prison, seeking forgiveness but admitting that he still loves her. Read the 15-minute summary.
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Quick answers
What is Cleopatra about?
Cleopatra follows Harmachis, a secretly crowned claimant charged with freeing Egypt and killing Cleopatra. His attempt fails, and he later returns disguised as the healer Olympus to guide Cleopatra and Antony toward ruin.
Who is the main character in Cleopatra?
Harmachis is the main character, whose father reveals his sacred duty to free Egypt. He accepts a secret crown, but his love for Cleopatra weakens his resolve, and his mission later gives way to revenge.
Why does Harmachis fail to kill Cleopatra in the book?
Harmachis loses his resolve when he approaches Cleopatra to kill her, despite Charmion's explanation of the palace conspiracy. Cleopatra then threatens the conspirators and forces him to accept her kiss, binding him to her instead of letting him fulfill his mission.
Who is Charmion in Cleopatra?
Charmion loves Harmachis and explains the palace conspiracy to him, but she also acts through jealousy and betrayal. She helps him escape and eventually receives his forgiveness, yet chooses poison rather than continued grief.
How do Antony and Cleopatra die in the book?
Antony dies by suicide after a false report, following defeat through desertion. Cleopatra chooses poison rather than threatened captivity, and Harmachis reveals his identity to her as she dies.
How does Cleopatra end?
Harmachis ends in prison, seeking divine forgiveness while admitting that he still loves Cleopatra. His revenge has neither restored Egypt's freedom nor freed him from his own guilt and attachment to her.
What are the main themes of Cleopatra?
The main themes are failed duty, political freedom, destructive love, and revenge. Harmachis's actions show that destroying an enemy does not fulfill his public duty, while punishing others leaves his own guilt unresolved.
Where is Cleopatra set?
Cleopatra is set in Egypt, with Alexandria, Abouthis, and Annu among its places. Harmachis returns to Abouthis to face Egypt's priests, making religious judgment as well as political power central to the setting.
Chapter summaries
- 1Papyrus rolls emerge from a tombA doctor opens an unusual coffin, and a scholar identifies a personal account from Cleopatra’s time.
- 1A prophecy brings a deadly substitutionRoyal guards seek an infant marked for Egypt’s throne, but another child dies in his place.
- 2A lion hunt reveals royal hopesHarmachis defies his father, survives a deadly challenge, and hears Atoua explain his supposed destiny.
- 3Harmachis learns his royal missionA father reveals a sacred duty, and a prayer brings a mysterious lotus.
- 4Harmachis prepares to claim EgyptFive years of sacred study end with Sepa’s call to challenge Cleopatra and a warning about desire.
- 5Harmachis prepares to face the goddessA homecoming leads to sacred celebrations and a dangerous test of spiritual purity.
All 34 chapters
- 6Harmachis faces Isis beyond deathAn initiation reveals sacred history, spiritual danger, and the personal burden of restoring Egypt’s worship.
- 7Harmachis accepts a secret crownSupporters demand Cleopatra’s death, and a hidden ceremony binds their chosen ruler to Egypt’s freedom.
- 8Harmachis draws the Queen’s attentionA secret claimant reaches Alexandria and interrupts a royal procession by defending a woman against a violent slave.
- 9Charmion reveals the palace plotA secret visitor explains a plan for murder and rebellion, while Sepa questions her loyalty.
- 10Harmachis wins access through magicA blocked visitor frightens the guards, interprets a royal nightmare, and earns a position beside the Queen.
- 11A conspiracy meets a mocking crownWith revolt prepared, Harmachis faces Cleopatra’s teasing and fails to understand Charmion’s jealousy.
- 12A planned murder meets offered friendshipCharmion explains the assassination plan, but an unexpected royal visit leaves Harmachis ashamed and shaken.
- 13Rejection and warnings before the murderCharmion confesses her love, while Harmachis struggles with his duty and receives a warning from his father.
- 14Cleopatra defeats her would-be assassinHarmachis rejects Charmion, enters the royal chamber with a dagger, and loses his resolve.
- 15Cleopatra makes mercy a bargainA corpse confirms betrayal, and a threat against the conspirators forces Harmachis to accept the Queen’s kiss.
- 16A captive lover faces Rome’s demandsCharmion reports the plot’s collapse, while Dellius urges Cleopatra to answer Antony’s summons in person.
- 17Cleopatra seeks the hidden treasureAn oath wins Harmachis’s help, and a secret journey leads into an ancient royal tomb.
- 18Treasure taken under a curseCleopatra and Harmachis strip a royal mummy, discover a dead attendant, and struggle out of the pyramid.
- 19Cleopatra abandons Harmachis’s hopesA secret return with treasure gives way to a public rebuke and an agreement to meet Antony.
- 20Harmachis fights and hears CleopatraA confrontation becomes a deadly struggle, followed by fever, devoted nursing, and a private confession.
- 21Recovery, captivity, and a royal meetingHarmachis refuses an escape offer as Cleopatra travels in splendor to meet Antony.
- 22Harmachis discovers Cleopatra’s deadly betrayalA lavish banquet leads to a hidden vantage point, a murder plan, and declarations of love.
- 23Charmion confesses and Harmachis refusesAn escape disguise gives way to revelations of jealousy, betrayal, and a rejected plea for companionship.
- 24Escape ends in a father's curseHarmachis survives a shipwreck, adopts another name, and returns to a ruined temple and his dying father.
- 25A promise amid grief and shameHarmachis summons Isis beside his dead father, then receives both reproach and practical help from Atoua.
- 26The hidden healer pursues his revengeHarmachis gains the queen’s trust as Olympus, then leaves his tomb after visions of defeat at sea.
- 27Harmachis enters Cleopatra’s service in disguiseCharmion reveals her secret work against the Queen, who sends the physician to comfort Antony.
- 28Antony returns and Cleopatra tests trustCharmion and Olympus end his seclusion, while a poisoned toast becomes a deadly warning against betrayal.
- 29Revenge undermines Antony’s last defenseCleopatra tests deadly drugs while Harmachis turns allies away and summons a terrifying divine sign.
- 30Antony dies and Cleopatra chooses deathDesertion ends the battle, a false report prompts suicide, and threatened captivity brings a demand for poison.
- 31Cleopatra dies before her accuserA farewell feast ends in poison, a revealed identity, and a terrifying gathering of spirits.
- 32Harmachis returns to face judgmentCharmion and Atoua die, leaving the avenger alone to confess his betrayal before Egypt’s priests.
- 33Harmachis waits for his doomA prisoner seeks divine forgiveness, imagines Egypt’s future, and confesses that his love for Cleopatra survives.
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Try 3 months freeCharacters
Harmachis
Harmachis accepts a secret crown and a mission to free Egypt, but later uses his disguise as Olympus to pursue ruin rather than liberation. His final imprisonment leaves him seeking forgiveness while still loving Cleopatra, showing how revenge fails to release him.
Key chapters: 7, 14, 26, 32, 33
Cleopatra
Cleopatra defeats Harmachis's attempt to kill her and uses threats against the conspirators to bind him to her. When captivity threatens her, she demands poison, suggesting that her determination to control events persists even when her power collapses.
Key chapters: 14, 15, 22, 30, 31
Charmion
Charmion loves Harmachis, but her confession gives way to revelations of jealousy and betrayal as she helps him escape. She eventually receives his forgiveness and chooses poison over continued grief, showing that forgiveness does not remove the suffering caused by her choices.
Key chapters: 9, 13, 23, 27, 32
Sepa
Sepa, Harmachis's uncle and Annu's High Priest, urges him to oppose foreign rule and questions Charmion's loyalty. His later appearance as a tortured spirit suggests the human cost of a conspiracy whose dangers he recognizes.
Key chapters: 4, 9, 31
Atoua
Atoua protects Harmachis by sacrificing her own grandson, and later combines sharp reproach with practical help after his father's death. Her final joy in revenge and declaration of devotion show how completely her life remains bound to his cause.
Key chapters: 1, 2, 25, 32
Antony
Antony receives Cleopatra's splendid visit, but their relationship later includes a poisoned toast that demonstrates her power to kill him. His final defeat through desertion and suicide after a false report show how vulnerable he becomes to lost loyalty and deceptive information.
Key chapters: 21, 28, 30
Amenemhat
Amenemhat is Harmachis's father, who reveals his sacred duty and later warns him before the planned murder. His appearance in visions after burial keeps that duty present, now linked to the approach of vengeance.
Key chapters: 3, 13, 26
Themes
Freedom and violence
Sepa's call to oppose foreign rule and the demand for Cleopatra's death make national freedom depend on political violence. Harmachis's later admission that revenge cannot restore Egypt's freedom shows the distance between destroying an enemy and fulfilling a public duty.
Where it shows: chapters 4, 7, 27
Duty and responsibility
Isis places responsibility for glory or shame on Harmachis, making his sacred mission a test of personal choice. His failed assassination and eventual confession show that he cannot explain his downfall only through Cleopatra's influence or the actions of others.
Where it shows: chapters 6, 14, 32
Love and dependence
Harmachis makes Cleopatra's love his remaining reason to live, then refuses an opportunity to escape despite recognizing his captivity.
Where it shows: chapters 16, 21, 33
Revenge and forgiveness
Harmachis gains the power to guide Cleopatra and Antony toward ruin, but that revenge does not establish his own innocence. His confession before the priests and later hope for divine forgiveness show that punishing others leaves his personal guilt unresolved.
Where it shows: chapters 26, 32, 33
Symbols
Dagger
The dagger makes Harmachis's concealed purpose visible against Cleopatra's offered friendship.
Chapters 12, 14
Royal treasure
The treasure links Egypt's needs to the authority of its buried past. Taking it from a mummy under a curse suggests that political need can become an excuse for violating sacred limits.
Chapters 17, 18
Papyrus rolls
The papyrus rolls turn a tomb into a place where a personal voice can be recovered. They suggest that Harmachis's account survives the forgetting that surrounds his burial.
Chapter 1
Famous lines explained
Isis, Chapter 6. Isis speaks during Harmachis's initiation, placing the outcome of his burden upon him. The line shows that sacred authority does not remove personal responsibility.
Cleopatra, Chapter 14. Cleopatra speaks after Harmachis fails to carry out his attack.
Harmachis, Chapter 26. The line shows how apparent service becomes a means of deliberate revenge.
Setting
Harmachis's return to Abouthis to face Egypt's priests makes religious judgment, as well as political power, central to the setting.
Questions for discussion
- How does coercion shape the relationship between Cleopatra and Harmachis?
- How should Charmion's help in the escape affect judgment of her betrayal?
- What remains of Harmachis's original mission once he separates revenge from Egypt's freedom?
- Does Harmachis's continuing love suggest greater honesty, continued captivity, or something else?
Essay topics
- Personal Responsibility. Compare Isis's assignment of responsibility with Harmachis's final confession. How fully does he accept responsibility for his failure?
- Political Violence. Trace the change from violence pursued for Egypt's freedom to revenge without hope of liberation.
- Sacred Wealth. Analyze how the taking of royal treasure brings Egypt's political needs into conflict with obligations toward the dead.
Quick quiz
Question 1 of 10Score 0
What persuades the scholar that the rolls are not ordinary funerary texts?
What does Harmachis find in his hand after asking the Gods for a sign?
What does Isis say determines whether Harmachis succeeds or fails?
What position does Cleopatra give Harmachis after the serpent display?
What event serves as the signal for the revolt?
Why must Cleopatra enter the pyramid herself?
Who first puts a body between Harmachis and the eunuchs’ knives?
Why does Harmachis refuse to take Charmion with him?
How does Cleopatra order Olympus and Charmion to gain admission to Antony?
Why does Eros kill himself?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Cleopatra, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
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