"Discuss Shakespeare's presentation of both Antony and Cleopatra in Act 1"
"Discuss Shakespeare's presentation of both Antony and Cleopatra in Act 1" Shakespeare's presentation of both Antony and Cleopatra in Act 1 can be analysed in many ways as they are both introduced in Act 1 with in-depth descriptions and images of both of them throughout, whether it be by eachother or opinions on them voiced by other characters. Straight from the beginning of the play, in Act 1 scene 1, Antony and Cleopatra argue over whether their love for one another for one another can be measured: CLEOPATRA: If it be love indeed, tell me how much. ANTONY: There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned. CLEOPATRA: I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved. ANTONY: Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. This exchange sets the tone for the up coming talks on love and their attitudes to eachother and their relationship. Cleopatra expresses the expectation that love should be declared grandly. She is looking for a particular sense of comfort and being loved by asking Antony and wanting to hear of how much he loves her. It seems as though Cleopatra and Antony's relationship seems to be very much in the public eye due to both of them holding such high positions in the two most powerful empires of the world. In the lines quoted above, Cleopatra claims that she knows the limits ('bourn') oh her lover's affections, and Antony responds that, to do so, she will need
Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra.
However, as Act 1 progresses, arguments between the pair become much more frequent and it becomes obvious their relationship is not always a happy one. The topic of Antony's wife, Fulvia, causes much disruption between the pair, and following news of her death in Scene 2, Cleopatra still finds it hard to believe that Antony truly loves her, and is slightly hostile toward him. At one point she says "O, my oblivion is a very Antony", suggesting she is extremely insecure. Examples of this throughout the act suggest that Cleopatra is very fragile, especially when Antony is concerned. Antony's behaviour suggests he is a very unsure person, who is constantly two-minded about what he should be doing. Part of the reason for this is his split in loyalty; he would ask himself the question of where his priority lies, with Cleopatra, the woman he says he loves, or with his Pietus, his loyalty to Rome. The split is revealed during his oxymoron, after he hears of Fulvia's death during Scene 2, in which he states "I must from this enchanting queen break off", showing that while he never shows it to the other characters, he does feel a need to fulfil his duty in Rome. Both Antony and Cleopatra's relationship with other characters in Act 1 give an insight into their personalities and lives. Cleopatra will go from being nice to her servants and eunuchs to being cruel to them in an extremely
Antony was a strong leader in Rome; he met Cleopatra after his friend Julius Caesar was murdered.
Antony was a strong leader in Rome; he met Cleopatra after his friend Julius Caesar was murdered. Cleopatra was suspected of killing Julius, as she was his lover. Antony helped her escape from Rome. After Julius' death Antony became the second triumvirate along with Lepidus and Octavius Caesar who was Julius Caesers adopted son. At this time he was stereotypical of a Roman head figure according to Shakespeares contrast between Egypt and Rome. Whilst in Egypt he begins to pick up certain Egyptian traits such as indulging himself in an excess of physical pleasures and begins to speak in the languorous tones of Egypt. Cleopatra was a powerful queen; both her and Antony were strong figures at this time. Cleopatra is the representation of Egypt. She is warm and passionate. Both Antony and Cleopatra want power and they saw their relationship as a way to enhance their reputation. She is very insecure and manipulates Antony forcing him to prove his love for her. She wishes to build up a great empire much like Alexander the Great's. The two worlds are extremely different. Rome is cruel, hard and direct whereas Egypt is exotic, luxurious and feminine which is a good way to describe Antony's loss of power. The introduction of the play is a speech from Philo which explains about Antony's past and he was a captain of war. "his captain's heart, which in the scuffles of a
Antony is often talked of as a tragic hero, a great and admiral man but fatally flawed - Discuss this in relation to the first three acts.
Antony is often talked of as a tragic hero, a great and admiral man but fatally flawed. Discuss this in relation to the first three acts. Antony's fatal flaws are what make him such a brilliant tragic hero. Through the way Antony is talked about, the audience learns just how great and admirable he is. Through the first three acts, the audience sees just how flawed Antony is. The audience observe immediately that Antony has one huge flaw, Cleopatra. Straight away the audience finds this as in Philo's speech he says "But this dotage of our general's O'erflows the measure." This is saying that Antony loves and dotes on Cleopatra an amazing amount which Philo doesn't agree with as he is saying it is too much. The audience also sees just how much of a flaw Cleopatra is when she tells Antony to listen to the messenger and he replies "Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the Wide arch of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space." Here he is saying let my country fail and fall apart I don't care I just want to be with Cleopatra here in Egypt. Later on in the same act, Caesar is telling Lepidus all of Antony's flaws. He says "Yet must Antony no way excuse His foils when we do bear so great Weight in his lightness." This is Caesar saying that Antony is taking advantage of Caesar and Lepidus because whilst Antony is away in Egypt, all of his duties and responsibilities
What is the importance of Charmian and Eunobarbas
What is the importance of Charmian and Eunobarbas? Throughout Act 1 the inferior characters of the play have appeared in the play and acted at first only as background extras to the main characters. The maids of Cleopatra and servants of Antony follow the main characters around and act as the conversationalists to help the reader learn what the Antony and Cleopatra are thinking. The minor characters act to an extent as a respite from the bickering and feuding of the main characters with the use of a lot of comical language. Shakespeare also is able to contrast the main characters language which is quite serious and beset with double meanings and deeper connotations, with the inferior characters simple and straightforward language. The inferior characters however play more key roles in the play than first appears. The servants are known to talk in prose; it is here used to distinguish the insubordination of the servants such as Charmian and Eunobarbas. In Act 1 Scene 2 the maid servant Charmian: Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all: let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius Caesar, and companion me with my mistress. In contrast to the comedic role of the servants, the inferior characters also take on another role - they act at times as a voice
Read the following extract from Act 1 scene 2. In what ways does this passage show the conflict of Rome and Egypt?
AS English Literature - Section A - 'Read the following extract from Act 1 scene 2. In what ways does this passage show the conflict of Rome and Egypt?' - Throughout Shakespeare's Antony & Cleopatra, location plays an important role in the development of the play. It is one of few plays to have such a frequent interchange between locations and at the heart of this are the two contrasting worlds of Egypt and Rome. The two countries seem to differ completely to each other and this is reflected by the different attitudes of their respective people. Act 1 scene 2 is a pivotal scene in the play as the ladies-in-waiting of Cleopatra's court have their fortunes told by a soothsayer, this turns out to foreshadow the later events of the play. The passage is one of the most accurate at showing the substantial differences between the people and life of Rome and Egypt. It begins with the soothsayer telling the fortune of Charmian and Iras however, the two joke about the predictions and it is in this part that Shakespeare instils the passage full of sexual innuendo between the women to show the nature of the Egyptian women. Shakespeare's famous wit with wordplay is seen clearly as Charmian hints at the sexual meaning behind the word 'inch' while Iras clearly confirms both their intentions with the statement that were she to have an extra inch it would 'Not [go] in my husband's nose'.
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra
Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents Cleopatra in 'Antony and Cleopatra' Shakespeare cleverly dupes the audience into something of a pre-disposed opinion of Cleopatra before we have even met her, based on the conversation in the opening scene between Philo and Demetrius. Philo, addressing his fellow Roman soldier, denounces Antony's love for Cleopatra, regarding it as nothing more than a demeaning infatuation with a lustful harlot which is tarnishing their general's former greatness. Philo's opinion that Antony's 'dotage o'erflows the measure', i.e. that his infatuation is out of control in its abundance, causes the audience to make an early judgement of their relationship before the couple have even come on stage. It should be noted that Philo's opinion, as a Roman soldier, is likely to be rather biased, because to Romans duty to the Empire came way before duty to one's lover. The matter of Roman and, by contrast, Egyptian values and attitudes is an important theme of the play, especially in acts 1 and 2. Philo's use of the word 'gipsy' with reference to Cleopatra is perhaps the most revealing of all about the Roman view of Cleopatra in this short passage. Gipsies were widely thought to have come from Egypt and had a reputation for cunning, fortune-telling and loose behaviour, and certainly shows she was hardly held in wide regard by Philo, and by representation
Antony and Cleopatra conveys a sense of both vastness and intimacy. Discuss.
Antony and Cleopatra essay: Antony and Cleopatra conveys a sense of both vastness and intimacy. Discuss. 'Antony and Cleopatra' takes place in both Rome, the political side of the play, and Egypt, the feminine, seductive aspect of the play. Then, of course, there are the battle scenes which take place in Actium and Syria. The important cities are a vast space away from each other, but even so, Antony and Cleopatra keep their love for each other, and show their intimacy, with other characters also. Even though the two major places are not other ends of the earth, they would seem a long way away from each other in Elizabethan times, as they did not have the travel we do now. We first see this vastness in Act 1: Scene 3, in one of Antony's speeches, where he tells Cleopatra: " my heart remains in full use with you", but decides that he must leave her for Rome. He tells of Italy, Rome and Egypt and his political duty. Shakespeare has placed this here to prepare us for the demands of Antony and how far Egypt and Rome seemed from each other. When Messengers, or other characters from the play, talk of different cities or lands, Shakespeare makes them seem very foreign and either exotic or military. As Pompey says: " Mark Antony in Egypt sits at dinner." he makes Egypt sound like a relaxing place, far away from the battles and politics of Rome. The word 'sits' gives us a picture
An exploration of how Shakespeare presents the relationship between Antony and Cleopatra throughout the play.
An exploration of how Shakespeare presents the relationship between Antony and Cleopatra throughout the play. As the title suggests Antony and Cleopatra are the two main characters of the play and have between them a relationship forged through love and torn apart through death. As expected of a play written by Shakespeare their relationship is not a simple one but one shrouded in lies, deceit, scandal and mystery. Echoing other Shakespearean relationships such as "Romeo and Juliet" Antony and Cleopatra are destined to be together through either life or death. From the very start of the play the audience is made aware of the main factor, capable of tearing Antony and Cleopatra apart, Antony's duty to Rome. In the opening scene of the play Antony receives a message from Octavius and is mocked by Cleopatra, who taunts Antony by imitating Octavius and saying "Do this or this, take in that kingdom". She makes Antony feel lesser than Octavius, whom she describes as "scarce bearded" implying that he is taking orders from a young boy. This shows the reader, from the very start of the play how manipulative Cleopatra can be, especially if she feels threatened and wants to get her own way. Cleopatra is threatened by Antony's link with Rome as she feels it has the potential to pull them apart, and she is right. Antony does not wish to give up anything, he is pulled by a life in Rome
'Ruthless leader....loving brother....boring Puritan....gracious victor.' Explore the way in which Shakespeare presents the character of Octavius Caesar in 'Antony
'Ruthless leader....loving brother....boring Puritan....gracious victor.' Explore the way in which Shakespeare presents the character of Octavius Caesar in 'Antony and Cleopatra' Shakespeare portrays Octavius Caesar as a very complex character in 'Antony and Cleopatra.' Shakespeare shows the audience how he has very strong feelings about War, leadership, the relationship between Antony and Cleopatra, and his sister Octavia. These attitudes can be seen as being too rational, too ambitious, and too efficient. However it is these characteristics which in some ways, form the particular contrast with Antony, which shows us his complex character, which also contributes to the conflicts which arise in the play. Shakespeare is very clever in the portrayal of Caesar; he uses Caesar as a foil for Antony, however he is a character in his own right. Shakespeare shows Caesar to be, what you could say, a contradiction. The audience see how Caesar respects Antony's soldier-ship yet still fights him; they see how he clearly loves his sister, but uses her unscrupulously as a political device; and they are shown how he is very rational and dull, yet he surprisingly tells his soldiers, as well as some Egyptians about how he would parade the defeated Cleopatra. He wants to do this because he feels that 'her life in Rome would be eternal in our triumph.' This shows the reader how Caesar has
