‘Cleopatra-.Most sweet queen-‘
She attacks Antony for his infidelity to both Fluvia and herself however; this didn’t seem to effect her before, when she used to spend endless hours with Antony romancing.
Cleopatra begins to talk about her relationship emphasising the great times they had together and what he could eventually be missing if he goes back to her.
‘Eternity was in our lips and eyes,
Bliss in your brows’ best: none our parts so poor’
Cleopatra use of ‘our’ refers to herself and firmly points to herself on every appropriate word
‘I’, ‘Me’, ‘My’, and ‘Queen’
Her mood becomes vicious as she becomes more striking and unstable.
‘Art turned the greatest liar’
Antony’s use of the pronoun ‘our’ describes herself as a soldier and Roman which is contrasted with Cleopatra mocking reference to
‘Or thou,the greatest soldier of the world,’
‘…..in Egypt’
His strict Roman lifestyle is reflected in his speech and language with unadorned and simple sentences used. Whereas Cleopatra is very dramatic and poignant, Antony is less flowery however I believe that the more time spent in Cleopatra presence, the more emotive his language becomes.
‘Our serves awhile, but my full heart’
This contrasted with the language used with Enobarbus
‘I must be gone’
Antony previously refers to Cleopatra as
‘cunning past man’s thought’
Here Antony shows contradictory attitude towards Cleopatra. Cunning could mean both skilled and deceitful. He is aware about Cleopatra’s remarkable skills of persuasion and seduction however does not seem dissuaded by them.
It is hard to tell whether Cleopatra in this act is genuinely angry or whether she is acting however she does begin a fresh outburst against Antony when she learns about Fluvia’s death. She sees Antony’s lack of grief as a sign that his love for her will also be false. It is also interesting how Cleopatra sees every bit of news only in terms of her. It is obvious that she is genuinely worried that her love might be unrequited however as her anguish grows Antony also becomes increasingly angry. Antony reassures her by saying that he will always follow in her direction.
‘The purposes I bear, which are, or cease, As you shall give th’advice. By the fire
That quickens Nilus’ slime’
His words with Cleopatra are tender and loving and In this grim and frustration conversation he still remains loyal to Cleopatra.
‘My precious queen’
However, Cleopatra reduces his loving gestures as she mocks him by saying that he is only acting angry. One minute she scornfully calls him’ this Herculean Roman’ and the next moment she cries ‘O,my oblivion is a very Antony….forgotten’
She pushes him away and then pulls him back.
Cleopatra chides, taunts and cajoles however this all changed abruptly when she learns that he must return to Rome.
As Cleopatra acknowledges the vital importance for his return to his empire, we can see that her mood completely metamorphizes as she asks for forgiveness and wishes him victory and success. Now the power has shifted and Cleopatra is vulnerable to Antony.
‘But sir, forgive me’
Her words become more gentle and softer in tone however the vivid element still remains to gain sympathy from Antony.
‘Tis sweating labour’
Throughout the scene she passes through a series of emotive feelings. She starts of reproachful, angry, scornful sarcastic, helpless and then ends with humble.
Even as she relinquishes the hold and asks forgiveness for her ‘becomings’ she cannot help but toss in as self pity note to elicit some response from Antony. Cleopatra has lived her life as the centre of attention, as if life is a play in which she is the start. For the queen, even love has an element of performance, and Antony must proclaim his love to satisfy her.
In Act 2 Scene 5, Cleopatra’s palace is the setting for he moodily waiting for Antony’s return.
The ambience is very rousing and tense. This is shown by alliteration used echoing a scene from the twelfth night, another Shakespearian play. The atmosphere is full of sexual tension and innuendoes, which is reflected by the short sentences used in the dialogue.
‘Give me some music: music, moody food of us that trade in love’
This is a classic example of Cleopatra dual nature where a swift change in mood occurs .Within a couple of seconds she decide that she doesn’t want music.
‘let it alone. Lets to billiards. Come Charmain’
And then again changes her mind about the billiards.
‘I’ll none now’
The thought of fishing reminds Cleopatra of the sunny days as she drank under the table and played amorous games with Antony .The fish metaphor could be an under tone for her ever changing depositions which can resemble a flickering fish. This is because every time you think her personality is established, Shakespeare presents an alternate view.
‘I will betray
Twany-finned fishes’
The Egyptian complacency is embodied in land’s queen: Cleopatra does not make decisions of state, or rush to implement policy or make war. She lies around enjoying being Cleopatra in the sun, fishing.
In this scene, her tone is light and humorous with a suggestion of agitation as she is unsettled due to Antony’s absence. Here Cleopatra’s character shows a variety of personalities as she tries to illustrate how she dressed up Antony, wearing each other’s clothes.
‘Then put my tires and mantles on him,
Whilst I wore his sword Philippan’
This seems to remind Cleopatra of happier times and she is uplifted by the memories.
Later on,Cleopatra’s treatment of the messenger shows an important side of her character, as well as the difference in traditions between Rome and Egypt. Cleopatra nature seems to be cautious and presumptuous as soon as the messenger enters. She assumes immediately that news about Antony concerns his death.
‘Antonio’s dead, if thou say so,villain’
She bids that if he is alive then there is gold for the messenger. If not, then he will be punished.
‘If not well,
Thou shoudst come like a Fury crowned with snakes’
As the Furies were spirits if vengeance, this would have been intended as a vicious and cruel threat, not to be taken lightly.
Her irrational and erratic thoughts find loop holes in the messenger’s words. Her mind seems at unrest till she sees Antony in person.
‘To say the deed is well. Bring it to that’
Her tone turns violent as the messenger struggles to get a word in to explain further.
‘The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat’
The messenger tries to explain, however Cleopatra interrupts with a hysterical and emotional tone. The repetition of the phrase ‘But yet’ emphasises that she is fearful to hear the worst, that is why she is delaying the process of hearing the news.
The messenger who had planned to break the news of Antony’s marriage to Octavia becomes so frustrated that he just simple gives the news without any tact at all.
‘He’s bound unto Octavia’
Immediately Cleopatra strikes him down after several insults.
‘The most infectious pestilence upon thee!’
Her brutal strikes are repeated as her anger for Antony has been redirected towards the messenger.
Cleopatra seems savage and irrational which is shown by her actions as well as her language. This is full of hyperbole and dramatic punctuation such as exclamation marks.
‘Horrible villain, or I’ll spurn thine eyes
Like balls before me! I’ll unhair thy head!’
The treats are extremely graphic which would not have been expected from nobility. However, this behaviour resembles brutality that is normally seen associated with a battlefield resembling the immediate peril in Rome. The threats increase as her rage is taken out in the poor messenger. She seems dangerous and physically brings out a knife. Her wrath reflects her use of imagery of dissolution.
‘melt Egypt into Nile,and Kindly creatures
Turn all to serpents!’
The petrified messenger leaves however is called back to confirm that Antony is married to Octavia. Cleopatra’s mood again changes as she becomes aware that she is a queen with a appearance and qualities to uphold
‘So half my Egypt were submerged and made’
Her distress is reflected with the repetition of her insistent question.
‘He is married?’
Cleopatra doesn’t seem to be normally unjust however this scene with the messenger brings forth the idea she can be very malicious when she wants to be. However after acknowledging the injustice of punishing the messenger for Antony fault, she still dismisses him with a curse.
In privy Cleopatra again causes a scene with her threatening to faint. Her insecurity and curiosity as well as jealously makes her send a spy to examine Octavia. She is so overwhelmed with confusion she both insults and praises Antony for the man he is, Cleopatra sees the faithless Antony as the Gorgon, as well as Mars the magnificent God of War.
‘Though the be painted one way like a Gorgan,
The other way’s a Mars’
In both scenes Cleopatra’s mood changes with astonishing pace from emotion to emotion from response to response, on a turning circle that is minute.
She is full of raw emotion but still has this continued addiction to Antony. In this act, it is easy to forget that she is a political leader however, acknowledgment has to be given that her reaction does not follow suit to this esteemed position. The surging, conflicting emotions that overwhelm Cleopatra in this scene suggest why Antony finds herself such an exciting woman. The hyperbole used in the language mirrors Antony and Cleopatra larger than life characters. Shakespeare’s uses this technique and device to emphasize the dynamic relationship between the two as well as Cleopatra’s talents of persuasion.
Cleopatra’s command over her physical appearance lends her a kind of power and a single tear can turn Antony’s anger into fawning devotion.
Throughout the entire play, it never occurs to her that she is not the most desirable, wonderful, remarkable, beautiful, astonishment, intelligent woman. She has an appetite for life and often behaves childishly and with relentless self-absorption: nevertheless, her charisma, strength, and indomitable will make her one of Shakespeare’s strongest, most awe-inspiring female characters. Whether whispering sweet words of love to Antony or railing a supposedly disloyal servant, Cleopatra leaves onlookers breathless.
Cleopatra sees royalty as an entitlement to the fullest pleasures life and wealth can offer. She does not come from anything remotely approaching the traditions of the Roman Republic: her lineage, for centuries, has been loyal. She can mistreat others as she sees fit, because she is dealing with subjects, while a Roman, even one in power, is dealing with citizens. Egypt is changeless compared to Rome, far older, and with a far more stable and static structure of power: by this time pharaohs have ruled Egypt for three thousands years. Cleopatra does not need to do anything to earn her throne. Not once do we see Cleopatra making an important, effective decision of state. Rule means pleasure; the contrast is to Antony who would surely use power for different ends.
Enobarbus’s perspective is that of a Roman which feels threatened about her beauty and open sexuality. The Romans stand to lose their honour of kingdoms through her agency. When Cleopatra takes the stage, she does so as an actress, elevating her passion, grief and outrage to the most dramatic and captivating level. As Enobarbus says, the queen did not walk through the street, but rather
‘Hop(ped) forty paces…
And having lost her breath, she spoke and panted,
That she did make defect perfection,
And breathless, pour breath forth.
In conclusion, I believe that Enobarbus’s description
‘a wonderful piece of work’
related to Cleopatra is correct and because she is indeed a wonderful women who is able to use her power and sexuality to control the dominant sex in her time. Men of all stature acknowledge this and feel inferior and less powerful which is why she seems a threat. Her mood fluctuates incredibly, which makes her a dynamic person. This maybe the reason why Antony has become infatuated and addicted to Cleopatra. She has also been described as cunning, which also seems to be true as she treats life as a game. She is able to seduce and play tricks on any man she wished successful.
Her presence in the play is breathtaking an exciting as there is not a dull moment in her presence. This is why I agree with Enobarbus statement.
