"Antony seems totally dominated by Cleopatra, and as such loses any sympathy or respect we have for him in the play"
"Antony seems totally dominated by Cleopatra, and as such loses any sympathy or respect we have for him in the play". Do you agree/disagree with this statement? I don't agree with this statement as Antony is proven time after time, to have a huge amount of respect from his peers. For example in the opening scene of the play, we are presented with two guards talking of "His goodly eyes......have glowed like plated Mars". This hero worship shows how powerfully Antony's reputation is respected and admired, and it is not just these two guards. The enemy in the form of Pompey recognises Antony's potential to sway the end result of the upcoming battle. He can see that if Antony were to be drawn away from Egypt to help Rome, then his hope of victory would be gone. Another example of Antony's respect is when he is dying and a number of guards stumble across him. He is lying there covered in blood and probably looking rather pathetic, and yet his reputation precedes this and he is referred to as being "the star" that has fallen. Antony asks them to finish the job, but the guards cannot bring themselves to do it. The god Hercules may have been said to have left him, but antonym is still a god to them, and they are not worthy to strike down upon such a figure. Decretas, once a follower of Antony wants to become a traitor and take Antony's sword, to show to Caesar. In doing so,
How does Shakespeare present the action in Act three?
How does Shakespeare present the action in Act three? The point of Act three Scene one is to show the audience the political side of Antony and Cleopatra. All of the triumvirate are worried about their reputations and this short scene suggests that they are not that generous. Shakespeare makes Scene two seem comic because Enobarbus and Agrippa mock Lepidus and say that he is Caesar and Antony's 'beetle', 'They are his shards, and he their beetle'. The way in which Shakespeare has presents Enobarbus's and Agrippa's speech, allow the audience to have a bit more background information about the main characters from a completely different, unbiased point of view. Shakespeare gets rid of Lepidus quickly and quietly. Act three Scene two is his last scene and he only speaks one line. I think Shakespeare wants to get rid of Lepidus to emphasise the action that is about to happen between Caesar and Antony and other main characters. At the end of this scene, Enobarbus begins to mock Antony. Shakespeare is making it seem as though Antony is fake and he isn't what he says he is. Scene three concentrates on Cleopatra's messenger giving Cleopatra the description of Octavia. It is a very comic scene because the messenger was 'scared out of his wits' last time he was with Cleopatra and so this time, he tells Cleopatra everything that will make her feel happy and friendly towards him. I
Antony & Cleopatra - Cleopatra
A critical commentary on all the poetic descriptions of Cleopatra by Enobarbus - Act 2 Scene 2 Line 183 - end Shakespeare created Enobarbus in order to project our own judgmental dilemma onto a character whose very life depends on a comparable choice. Enobarbus's speech being analysed shows how he responds, like Antony and his great predecessors, to Cleopatra's power to provoke desire and compel the imagination. Enobarbus is also often a chorus to the action, from time to time he voices that common-sense wisdom which is usually forgotten. His descriptions of Cleopatra's magic fascination; both appreciative and critical, which is why the reader believes and trusts what he says. As a result of this, with his commentary on Cleopatra he is able to lead the audience into believing the two are inseparable without the reader presuming exaggeration. Firstly, in these speeches Cleopatra is described as irresistible and beautiful beyond belief, a view that is necessary for us to believe in order to buy the fact that a man with so much to lose would be willing to risk it all in order to win her love. Consequently Enobarbus is of great importance as Shakespeare fashioned the character as a means of relaying information to the audience that would otherwise be difficult or awkward to bring forth from other characters - Cleopatra's beauty. The picture of Cleopatra that emerges is not
The Character of Enorbarbus
The Character of Enorbarbus Enobarbus's character can be seen as the most striking invention of Shakespeare. As the lieutenant of Antony, he contributes to the drama in a number of ways. He is sympathetic to Antony from the start, loyal and fellow feeling. Instead of agreeing with Antony at the beginning where he says he wishes he had never met Cleopatra, Enobarbus replies that, had that been the case, Antony would have missed "a wonderful piece of work". (I.2.154-5). He does not share the perspective of his fellow Roman soldiers Philo and Demetrius in the opening scene, in fact he seems to enjoy life in Egypt contributing with appreciative comments on Cleopatra. "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety. (149 II.2.245) When Antony says of Cleopatra, "She is cunning past man's thought", Enobarbus disagrees, "Alack, sir, no: her passions are made of/ nothing but the finest part of pure love" (I.2.146-8). In their conversations at the beginning and in his role throughout, Enobarbus seems to represent an ordinary reflection of something in Antony himself, as in a mirror. His humour in response to the announcement of Fulvia's death, anticipate the jovial side of Antony that will manifest itself in the galley scene. Before the triumvirs meet, the diplomatic Lepidus tries to persuade Enobarbus to keep Antony calm. Enobarbus however refuses saying that he
An exploration of the concept of Power in the play "Antony and Cleopatra".
An exploration of the concept of Power in the play Power is used throughout "Antony and Cleopatra" in many different ways, it brings people together yet also pushes others apart and whilst power can be a useful thing, too much power or the abuse of power can lead to great confusion or greed between people. Power is one of the main themes in the play and controls not only the movement of the characters. For example Antony moving between Rome and Egypt to control his empire and meet with the Triumvirate, power also controls people's relationships. The power of love plays a strong part in the play, mainly between Antony and Cleopatra. From the opening lines of the play we get an impression of Cleopatra's power as two of Antony's soldiers are talking about how she has changed him, they refer to Antony saying he was a god like "Mars" until he met Cleopatra, but now his eyes "turn the office and devotion of their view" to everything that Cleopatra does. The power of love has always affected some part of Antony's life; if it were not his love for Cleopatra it would be his love of soldiering. In Act 1 Scene 4 we hear Caesar's opinion of how Antony used to be, he describes Antony as a hero and has a lot of respect for him, he uses similes to describe his power as being " like the stag." The power of Antony's love for soldiering even made him do the strangest of things if called
"Rare Egyptian" or "Foul Egyptian"? Discuss how Cleopatra is presented to us. What is the audience's final judgement on her? - Antony and Cleopatra
Alice Fodor "Rare Egyptian" or "Foul Egyptian"? Discuss how Cleopatra is presented to us. What is the audience's final judgement on her? Antony and Cleopatra is a very unusual play for a number of reasons. It deals with many different issues and themes, for example the struggle to balance political and personal life, the unconventionality of a female ruler, the different worlds and values of Egypt and Rome, and the sense of identity and public reputation. Because of this, Cleopatra is forced into playing many different roles, such as queen, lover, woman and public icon. One main aspect of Cleopatra's presentation throughout the play is her charm, and powers of seduction. Even in Act 1 Scene 1 she is displaying this, when she first comes onto the stage, laughing and flirting with Antony. Her first line of the play is, "if it be love indeed, tell me how much". This conveys her as a happy, hedonistic, frivolous woman, with nothing to worry about except her love. We are endeared to this image, as it sets a positive tone for the beginning of the play, and most women either can or want to identify with Cleopatra's seemingly successful relationship. It appears successful because we see them giggling together and there is no suggestion of any tension between them; however, very soon after this we see Cleopatra ordering Antony to "hear the ambassadors" and we get the feeling of an
Discuss the 'variety' of Cleopatra, and how successfully Shakespeare presents the contribution, which this makes to the dramatic impact of the play.
"Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety". Discuss the 'variety' of Cleopatra, and how successfully Shakespeare presents the contribution, which this makes to the dramatic impact of the play. In this play, Shakespeare has created a uniquely fascinating character in the Egyptian Queen. Cleopatra is a very sensuously attractive woman whose past relationships with Julius Caesar and Pompey indicate that even before meeting Antony she is sexually experienced. Her 'variety', as Enobarbus indicates, has much to do with her theatrical temperament, her mood swings and highly sensual nature. She is capable of participating in vulgar jokes, feigning illness, outbursts of temper and physical violence, as well as tender expressions of love and nobility in the face of tragedy. The audience also see her behave in a cowardly way and play the diplomat. It is also not always easy to understand Cleopatra's motives or gauge her level of self-interest. Cleopatra is overall an awe-inspiring queen who leaves all audiences breathless. She may be called a "wrangling queen" and an "Egyptian dish", but such epithets alone do not do full justice to her character. In the opening scene of the play, the audiences' introduction to Cleopatra is as a "gypsy" and "strumpet". This is expressed by Philo, as very much the Roman view and Caesar agrees that: "Let's grant it is not Amiss to
Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents Rome and Egypt. How are the contrasts between them reflected in the characters of ‘Antony and Cleopatra?’
"Antony and Cleopatra" is the tragic story of one of the triumvirs, Antony, who is deeply in love with the pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra, but their love seems doomed. This is due to problems in their relationship that are caused not only by these two lovers, but also by others in the two countries. In "Antony and Cleopatra," there are a number of contrasting impressions of the Egyptian and Roman cultures and society. The major differences are in the environments and the societies of both Egypt and Rome. This can be seen through the many characters in both Rome and Egypt. In Rome, the main characters consist of the triumvirs, which include Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar, and Lepidus. There are also both Antony's and Caesar's friends and followers, the other major character being Enobarbus, a close friend of Mark Antony. Egypt is ruled by the pharaoh, Cleopatra, who has had many known relationships with powerful men. Then there are her attendants, including Charmian, Iras, and Alexus. In Rome, the general society is full of military expenditures and strategy, and this leads to a great deal of tension and many problems arise from early on in the play, and this can frustrate Antony as they intrude into his life with Cleopatra. This is evident when he says, "let Rome in Tiber melt." This proves that Antony is frustrated with his responsibilities in Rome, and is one of the causes in
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of EITHER Cleopatra OR Antony in Act three Scene thirteen. How typical is their presentation here of the rest of the play?The presentation of Cleopatra in Act three Scene thirteen
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of EITHER Cleopatra OR Antony in Act three Scene thirteen. How typical is their presentation here of the rest of the play? The presentation of Cleopatra in Act three Scene thirteen is quite ambiguous. Her presentation in the rest of the play is also very contrasting and distinct. I believe Shakespeare concentrated on demonstrating Cleopatra's personality and ambiguity to emphasise that, being the only central female in the play, it is even more surprising that she manages to act the way she does, with such an alarming range of emotions, for example forging illness for attention and accusing Antony of leaving Egypt for the wrong reasons. I think that Shakespeare wanted her character to be spontaneous, dramatic and attractive towards men so that the audience would build up very strong opinions of her, whether they are good or bad. Throughout the play so far, Cleopatra has been presented as a very confident woman who adores playing numerous tricks with Antony. By Shakespeare creating the sense that Cleopatra controls Antony through her witty actions and words, it re-enforces her role in the novel as an independent, slightly deceitful woman. (1.1.14) 'If it be love indeed, tell me how much', this displays Cleopatra's clear determination in wanting to know how she is thought of by Antony. Shakespeare presents Cleopatra like this to prove that
To what purpose did Shakespeare create Enobarbus?
To what purpose did Shakespeare create Enobarbus? Enobarbus is a high-ranking soldier in Antony's army who it seems is very close to his commander. We know this by the way Enobarbus is permitted to speak freely (at least in private) with Antony. He is also a person who Antony confides in. For instance in Act I, Scene ii, as Antony explains who Cleopatra is "cunning past man's thought". In reply to this Enobarbus speaks freely of his view of Cleopatra, even if what he says is very positive. '...her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love. We cannot call her winds and waters sighs and tears; they are greater storms and tempests than almanacs can report. This cannot be cunning in her; if it be she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove.' Another example of his ability to speak freely is when Antony receives the news of Fulvias death Enobarbus tells Antony to 'give the gods a thankful sacrifice' in other words he is saying Fulvia's death is a good thing. Obviously, someone would never say something like this unless they were very close to one another. So Sharespeare has created this character for some one to whom Antony can confide in and to get a truthful opinion. Furthermore Enobarbus is also used to exaggerate Antony and Cleopatra's relationship. Which is done by his statements. (II.ii.) 'The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne, Burned on the