Explore the way writers present love in Antony and Cleopatra and the poetry of John Donne

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EXPLORE THE WAY WRITERS PRESENT LOVE IN ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA AND THE POETRY OF JOHN DONNE

12/10/2012

Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra presents a variety of representations of love, including transcendent and forbidden love. Throughout, Shakespeare expresses an unsurpassed love between them. However through both of their actions, the dramatist creates doubt in the audience’s mind as to whether this love is genuine. Similarly to Shakespeare, John Donne’s poem ‘A Valediction Forbidding Mourning’, explores the idea of transcendental love through separation.

In Antony and Cleopatra, Act One, Scene One, Shakespeare introduces us to the protagonists before they appear in the play; here Philo presents the theme of love and politics in his speech, ‘His captain’s heart…A gypsy’s lust’. The use of ‘captain’ and ‘gypsy’ denotes the opposites between the two individuals, just how their countries divide the two.  ‘Gypsy’ is seen as a derogatory term to brand an individual who does not originate from Rome, almost like an outsider. Here already Shakespeare presents forbidden love.  In the play, the countries act as metaphors to love, Rome the political and cultural, and Egypt: sexuality and power, thus to why Cleopatra is referred to Egypt in the play by Antony.  

The motif of love is automatically introduced with Cleopatra demanding Antony to declare his love to her. The audience is able to establish the relationship Antony and Cleopatra share, with Cleopatra expecting a declaration of affection.  ‘If it be love indeed, tell me how much.’ The use of ‘if’ can depict the doubt Cleopatra has, the uncertainty of whether his love is real or not. Antony’s response suggests that love that can be ‘reckoned’ is not a worthy love, such to why he also responds that if their love could be measured it would be beyond earth and heaven ‘ Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth’ . For transcendental lovers they believe their love exceeds the norm.  The extravagant language used by Shakespeare to profess their feelings, suggests they believe their love is like no other.  Like John Donne, Antony views the love they share spiritual rather than physical.

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A Valediction of Forbidding Mourning, John Donne illustrates how love can transcend mundane love, through a conceit. A poem written for his wife, he explaining that their separation shouldn’t be an occasion for mourning but almost a celebration of the love they shared and still do. Donne uses metaphors to morph an image in the readers mind, using gold and the earth as a metaphor for love, like Shakespeare who uses Rome and Egypt to symbolise love and politics.

John Donne compares their love to the most unlikely examples; the first stanza speaks on how his significant other must ...

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