The play All for Love by John Dryden is a subverted version of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. However, in spite of having a close similarity to Shakespeare’s play, it differs to a great extent because of its themes and concerns. To fully understand the background of the play, it is recommended to read Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar which precedes its plot. Antony, who along with Octavius Caesar (the brother of his wife Octavia) has defeated Brutus and Cassius (who murdered Julius Caesar), is now on bad terms with Caesar as he loves Cleopatra (the ruler of Egypt) and for her sake he has abandoned his wife (sister of Octavius) and daughters. Caesar (the ruler of the Roman Empire) now wants to take revenge from Antony. For years Antony is living in Egypt with his beloved Cleopatra and is quite happy with his life. However, when the play opens, we find that he is quite sorrowful and depressed.