Examine the ways in which tragedy is presented in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.
Examine the ways in which tragedy is presented in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra.
Shakespeare's presentation of tragedy in this play is very clear, in that he adheres to the accepted formula of what tragedy entails. However, to analyse thoroughly the means by which Shakespeare evokes the tragic elements of the plot, we must first understand what makes a tragedy.
Aristotle's Poetics presents a precise definition of what tragedy is. Tragedy involves a person having a negative change of fortune, often leading to their demise. However, this change does not occur because of some moral defect or depravity, rather due to an internal error within the person, which is also intrinsic to their personality. Antony's weakness seems to be his love for Cleopatra and his inability to decide whether he should pursue duty or personal pleasures, a fault made visible by Shakespeare's presentation of Rome and Egypt, and the rapid alternation of scenes between the two. Rome is quickly established as a metaphor for Antony's responsibilities, and of Egypt, represented by Cleopatra, we are told that the "beds ... are soft".
The differences between Rome and Egypt are made so apparent not only by the constant shift in scenery between the two, but also by the characters chosen by Shakespeare to represent the two places. The fact that Cleopatra is often called "Egypt", not only in reference to her political position, but also because of her love for revelling, immediately suggests that the people of Egypt must be of a similar nature to their queen.
Chosen to symbolize Rome is Caesar, the inevitable opposite of Cleopatra and near equal to Antony in terms of national importance. The first time that Octavius Caesar appears in the play, he condemns Antony for his extended stay in Alexandria. He even questions his character, saying that Antony is less "manlike than Cleopatra", thus providing a direct correlation between frivolity, and the present public opinion of Antony, highlighted at the beginning of the play by Philo, a "triple pillar of the world transformed into a strumpet's fool". Also, through this censure he presents himself in total opposition to everything denoted by Cleopatra, and by extension Egypt.
Therefore it can be seen vividly from the opening scenes that there is conflict between the two aspects that constitute the character of Mark Antony. These scenes are used by Shakespeare to prepare the audience for oncoming tragic events, as to provoke them into thought about why these events will take place - an element of didactic theatre. This also establishes Antony's position within the play, as a man caught between two contradictory aims
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Aristotle suggests that tragedy follows, or is an imitation of an admirable person; someone who is held in high ...
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Therefore it can be seen vividly from the opening scenes that there is conflict between the two aspects that constitute the character of Mark Antony. These scenes are used by Shakespeare to prepare the audience for oncoming tragic events, as to provoke them into thought about why these events will take place - an element of didactic theatre. This also establishes Antony's position within the play, as a man caught between two contradictory aims
Biniam Tedros
Aristotle suggests that tragedy follows, or is an imitation of an admirable person; someone who is held in high regard for whatever reason it may be. This adds to the magnitude, or size, of the tragedy - it would be un-entertaining to witness someone in an unfavourable position experience negative fortune.
This provides direct correspondence with Antony's esteemed position within the Roman army and society. His amazing feats of survival during the battle of Modena, previous to the play, are even spoken of by those who dislike him. Caesar's recollection of the battle, in which Antony "didst drink the stale of horses", is proof of his legend.
Indeed, Antony's earlier prominence seems to be an important element in the development of the play and it's tragic qualities. He is repeatedly called, by several characters, a "triple pillar of the world", not just in reference to his political position as a triumvar, but also his importance to Rome. His value to Rome and it's armies is presented through an impressive array of narrative techniques. The most predominant is the use of size related imagery to describe literally his apparently immense character. His legs were said to have "bestrid the ocean", and "His reared arm crested the world".
In relation to this is the oft-used God-like imagery used only in conversations concerning Antony, which is also important. Antony the "Herculean" is said to continue a "Jove" even after all of his mistakes during the wars between his armies and Caesar's, suggesting that his previous eminence must have been tremendous in comparison to his latter days.
Throughout the play, Enobarbus is portrayed and perceived as the epitome of truth and cynicism, and is used by Shakespeare not only to add humour to the performance, but also as a dramatic device to increase the magnitude, and therefore tragedy of the piece. Enobarbus's pragmatic views eventually lead to his emergence as a moral indicator for the audience, and therefore his death is seen as a tragedy in itself, as noted by Antony, "my fortunes have corrupted honest men". This adds to the tragedy of the play, because Enobarbus is the most consistent and honest character, but has been driven by Antony's faults to abscond and later die.
Antony's death is an example of how Shakespeare combines both the use of language and structure to consolidate all the previous dramatic devices used in the description of Mark Antony, and to make perfectly explicit the full meaning of such a loss. Antony's greatest enemy also seems to be the greatest mourner in the light of his death. Caesar immediately shows his admiration for Antony upon receiving news of his demise, through a series of short passionate dialogues hardly matched in their vernacular by speeches from Antony's loved ones. Cleopatra seems only to be concerned with how she shall "abide in this dull world", whereas Caesar exclaims that such an event should have made a "greater
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crack", and the "world should have shook". We are told that Antony's mere name was in possession of half of the world.
In terms of structure, the death of Antony is a key moment in the play. He has seemingly sacrificed his glorious past and followed a woman out of battle. After a final surge against the armies of Caesar, Antony admits defeat and decides to "die a Roman death". However, other than kill himself, he commands his soldier to do so, who also is unable and kills himself instead.
We now, as an audience, are witnessing Antony at his nadir in the play, which he also realises, pronouncing that he, greatest of all soldiers, now lacks "the courage of a woman", and is unable to even commit suicide successfully. This relates to the moment of self-realisation, or deduction, described by Aristotle in his Poetics.
The last two acts are pivotal in solidifying an audience's opinions of the character of Antony, whether he is really a great man undeserving of his fall, or simply more prone to the weaknesses that arise through human frailty due to his magnified importance to Rome. It is for this reason that we are not left with the image of Antony as a doting old fool, because then all other descriptions of his importance and strength of character would be forgotten. Therefore, the last act is strategically placed to combat the sour taste of Antony's fall, and to represent the more dominant views of his character, revealing that his downfall is in fact merely a result of his fame.
His mistakes during battle, when his "fleet...yielded to the foe" are evidence of the human properties of love and companionship he felt for Cleopatra, and work in counteraction to the descriptions of him as a god. His inability to decide seems to be his fatal flaw - he is a man caught between conflicting aims, an idea made literal by the personifications of his choices, Cleopatra and Caesar, during their sea battle.
Tragedy is portrayed so well in this play partly because of Shakespeare's adherence to Aristotle's guidelines, but also because of his use of narrative techniques to expand and develop Antony's personality, making him seem human, whilst preserving the God-like qualities mentioned in reference to him throughout the play. This enables an audience to feel empathy with him, and therefore with his problems. It is this empathy that ultimately leads to Shakespeare's triumph. The ability of an audience to be able to take events from the play and apply them to their own lives is key. Aristotle calls this universality, and says of it that if a play is truly tragic, it can be 'stripped' of all specifics and applied to any other situation.
