Act 2, Scene 3, Antony makes a promise to Caesar’s sister Octavia, that he will marry her. The fact that he runs off to Egypt shows him as a weak character because he can’t even keep his promises. He doesn’t want to make peace between he and Caesar, but would rather have love. In those times this was seen as weak in a man, they should care more about politics then love.
Furthermore in Act 2, Scene 3, the image of Caesar being the stronger of the two is cemented further. There is a soothsayer and she indicates to Antony that Caesar will always be more fortunate than he. Once Antony realises this he goes to Egypt. ‘Though I make this marriage for people/I’th’East my pleasure lies.’ Lines 40-1. To the Romans Egypt is regarded as a place of libertine pleasures. This shows he is weak because he cannot live without sex and love whereas Romans like to feel they are the most powerful and the women should go to them. The fact that the Romans feel he left for Cleopatra makes him a weaker character. But he is leaving because Caesar will always be more powerful then he just shows how weak Antony has become.
Caesar is the strong character as he can make Antony do whatever he wants him to. Antony calls him ‘Sir’ which shows respect toward Caesar but he does not return this and shows the superiority Caesar has over Antony. He can make Antony marry his sister to mend the argument they were having and in Act 2, Scene 2, he sits down before Antony that could show that he is in a higher rank emotionally.
Cleopatra had an affair with him before the play started could indicate his power. It seems to the audience that Cleopatra only goes for the strong dominant leaders and then tried to tear them down to make them weak. She was obviously unable to break him like she did Antony this shows that Caesar has a stronger will power and is more able to b a leader then someone who is ruled by their emotions. In addition, this again makes Antony seem weak as he is taking Caesar’s rejects, this could be a form of flattery, that Antony is trying to be like him.
It seems that Antony is more in life for fun as he enjoys good fellowship whereas Caesar doesn’t. Antony says ‘Be a child o’th’time’ and Caesar replies ‘Possessit, I’ll make answer.’ This shows that Caesar is more business minded and knows what he wants whereas Antony does really and yet again causes Antony to be stronger.
Finally, at the end of the play, Antony dies and Caesar doesn’t. This leads us to believe that Caesar is the real hero of the play as traditionally the hero lives and the weaker characters die.
Antony is a great tragic hero and Caesar is difficult to like.
Throughout the play, Antony is perceived as the hero and Caesar is very hard to actually like.
Firstly, Antony seems to be more well rounded then Caesar is. Antony has been known as a heroic warrior just like Caesar but also can love and feel, which Caesar seems to try and pretend he doesn’t have to make him seem more powerful. This causes the audience to feel that he is arrogant and has a sort of chip on his shoulder.
This carries on throughout the play, as it almost seems as though Caesar has no heart. When he feels that Antony is drifting apart from his roots of war and military he views him as weak, when in actual fact it is probably Caesar who is the weaker of the two.
In Act 2, Scene 2, Caesar has a mini argument with Antony about who would sit down first causes the audience to feel slight anger towards Caesar. This seems very trivial and the fact that he is making a big deal over it causes him to seem slightly over reacting. This also shows Antony in a very dignified manner. He calmly goes along with this situation and lets Caesar sit first. This could show how much more dignified Antony is and that Caesar is very pompous.
It seems as if Caesar is only using Antony for political needs. He is making Antony marry Octavia to mend the feud with him as Antony’s wife and brother were trying to make war on Caesar. This shows Caesar as a manipulative man and Antony seems the stronger character of the two as he can see what Caesar is doing and just goes along with it.
Caesar is portrayed throughout, as not caring about anything else but him, this is particularly evident in Act 2, Scene 2. He is uncompromisingly in control as he accepts no apologies and, having raised one complaint (lines 46-61) he carries on to immediately raise another. (Lines 76-9,86-95) this shows him as very egotistical as he doesn’t really care about anyone else’s needs but his own.
Caesar is again portrayed as being egotistical as he even refers to his own sister, Octavia as ‘a great part of myself.’ Act3, Scene2. This implies that she is not good enough to be her own person but is actually only a good part of him.
Other characters refer to Antony as a good man. Lepidus calls him ‘The Noble Antony.’ Act 2, Scene 2, Line 15. Within the play there are more references to Antony being a good man than Caesar. This shows that other characters can see what the two leaders are like. It proves to the audience what they have been suspecting all along, that Antony is the greater of the two.
The fact that Antony leaves Rome to Egypt can be seen as noble. This is because he realises that he will never be as good as Caesar therefore decides to leave. It shows that he is dignified and can make good decisions on what is best for him and the nation. He can see this shows that he is a good and intelligent man.
When Antony dies this shows that he is a hero. He realises there is more to life then just politics and now that he has discovered this he can die as he truly knows what he believes in. Whereas, Caesar will stay in Rome and carry on the politics thinking his life is complete.
