“O noble emperor, do not fight by sea/Trust not to rotten planks”
Sweeping, flamboyant gestures, such as his challenge to single combat and his declarations of the love he feels for Cleopatra (which he sees as liberating and life enhancing – “The nobleness of life is to do thus” Act 1 scene1) provide a stark contrast to the behaviour of Caesar. Another element that is central to Antony as a leader, is the constant conflict between duty and desire. This conflict results in a felling of guilt, a sense that he has neglected his duty to his people. It is only in the final stages that we see these emotions expressed. In Act 3, after Antony’s defeat in battle, for the first time we see an Antony full of self-disgust, confusion and an overall sense of failure. The responsibility that he feels for his men, and the fact that his actions determine the fate of all of them, obviously makes defeat even worse. In some instances however, Antony’s honest acknowledgement of his faults increases our respect for him, as when he admits that “poisoned hours” (Act 1, scene 2) caused him to forget himself and lose his sense of duty. Another aspect to the burden that all leaders must face is that of being replaced. The endless cycle of the old being overthrown by the young, is one of the hardest things a leader has to face, partly due to its inevitability. In Act 3 scene 11, Antony addresses an imaginary listener, and takes comfort in recalling the military success he achieved at Philip, whilst the inexperienced Caesar relied on his officers to fight for him and wore his sword as an ornament, “like a dancer”.
Though Antony does have negative aspects to his character, he has a warmth, human passion and engaging personality that is totally lacking in Octavius Caesar. He is in general represented in an unflattering light. He is shown to be an unemotional, strict character who is quick to turn on Antony when he steps out of line. This seems all the more heartless when we realise that Antony was a close and dear friend to Octavius’s father, Julius Caesar. However at the same time he is shown as the successful strategist and ruler. This pehaps is meant to demonstate the idea that a truly great leader cannot be an overly emotionally figure. He represents Roman efficiency and Duty to the state, whose interests must be held before all others, and achieved by whatever means necessary. This manipulative nature is shown through his reconciliation with Antony. Caesar needs Antony’s military skill in the war against Pompey, and can see that the Roman people, who do not love Caesar (“Caesar gets money where/ he loses hearts” Act2 Scene1), will follow the heroic Antony into battle. The marriage that he orchestrates between his sister and Antony shows that he is a figure who is only able to gain loyalty through his manipulation of others. We must still recognise, however, that Caesar has all the qualities necessary to be a good leader. Indeed he seems not to feel any of the psychological burdens that come with leadership. He seems to be sufficiently focused on the success of Rome, to think that any burdens he does feel must be tolerated out of a sense of duty, but also to satisfy his ambition. He sees Antony as having become a “strumpet’s fool”, and his pursuit of pleasure being an intolerable burden placed on the triumvirate.
As well as the contrast between Antony and Caesar, we also see several stark contrasts between Cleopatra and Caesar. She represents indulgence, extravagance and pleasure, whilst Caesar (as said before) represents duty and self-control. Cleopatra’s royalty and power is emphasised by her own self-preservation, bolstered by her followers and maidservants. We are constantly reminded of her position, through what is said and the general grandeur that surrounds her. Antony calls her “your royalty” (Act1 scene 3), and Cleopatra reminds the helpless messenger in Act 3:
“Remember/If e’er thou look’st on majesty”
She is a traditional Queen, believing that she rules by a divine right, and owes nothing to her people. As a result she is much more likely not to suffer from the guilt and duty to her people that both Antony and Caesar show. Caesar is a democratically elected leader, is meant to represent the people, and thus the sense of having a duty toward them is much stronger. Like Antony, Cleopatra is ruled by passion. She is capable at points in the play of inspiring intense admiration, whilst at others, of showing a common humanity. Indeed this is demonstrated perfectly in Enobarbus’ speech in act 2 scene 2, which describes both sides to her personality. In this speech she is said to bewitch the very elements:
“The winds were lovesick”
“The water was amorous of their stokes”
“The air had gone to gaze upon her too”
She seems to “outwork nature”, indeed she is depicted a goddess. In the second half of the speech he adopts more crude and lusty language
“And for his ordinary, pays his heart for what his eyes eat only”
“Other women cloy the appetites they feed, but she makes hungry where most she satisfies”
Where earlier Agrippa describes her as a “Venus”, she is now called a “royal wench”. Cleopatra’s power as a leader, as it is shown in the play, is not military or political, but sexual and passionate. Indeed there is little said to imply that Cleopatra participates much in the running of her country at all, apart from her whimsical desire to fight at Actium. The only strain we can see in Cleopatra is that of her love for Antony being totally unviable due to their positions on the world stage. We see the disastrous effects on Cleopatra’s personality, when she believes that Antony has fallen out of love with her (such as when he returns to Fulvia). At points in the play we see her in the deepest depths of depression, sobbing and wailing over Antony. At other points she is overcome by total elation. Indeed throughout history, Cleopatra has often been viewed as a volatile, fickle figure. In the Play Shakespeare has depicted both Antony and Cleopatra being totally overcome by their love for one another. These great leaders of the world are taken off their pedestals and shown to be just as vulnerable as the rest of us, to be normal people. We see that because of the responsibilities their position carry, they are not free to have their love affair.
As well as these three central leadership roles in the play, there are also the characters of Lepidus and Pompey
Lepidus, though a peaceful and diplomatic figure, is the weakest of the triumvirate. He becomes a figure of fun at the banquet and through the continual comments of Agrippa and Enobarbus. In act 3, scene 2, Enobarbus comments disparagingly:
“They are his shards, and he their beetle”. There is also an innocence about Lepidus in his defence of Antony:
“I must not think there are/ Evils enough to darken his goodness”
This could however, just be an example of generous tolerance. Even so, neither generous tolerance, nor any other of the humane qualities that Lepidus shows, are seen (at least in Shakespeare’s eyes) to be insignificant on the grand scale of events. Our last image of him, is the sight of the third “pillar of the world” being carried out drunk. Lepidus’s eventual imprisonment by Caesar acts as an example that, in the world of politics and power, benevolence will always be crushed by ruthlessness.
Pompey, like Lepidus is another slightly mediocre leader. His reputation and power stem from the esteem in which his father Pompey the Great was held. Indeed the strong position he is in only exists because of the total disarray that the triumvirate is in. Despite this he accepts the terms he is offered by them very readily (largely due to Antony’s presence), a decision that causes Menas to doubt his judgement: “the father, Pompey, would ne’er have made this treaty”. Pompey’s refusal to sanction the murder of the triumvirs, whilst admitting that he would have welcomed its being done without his knowledge, reveals a lot about Pompey. It shows at once a cowardice and lack of ruthlessness that, (like Lepidus) means that he can never be a truly successful leader.
Through the characterisation of the different leaders mentioned above, Shakespeare manages to demonstrate the different strains that those in positions of power must tolerate, and we see that in the end there is no room for romantic compassion or weakness, if one wants to become a successful leader.