Anthony the lover is presented as a very passionate man who isn’t afraid to express himself. He often uses grand images to express his feelings to his beloved Cleopatra, such as the phrase,
‘Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch
Of the rang’d empire fall!’
illustrates. This use of hyperbole is typical of Anthony and it reveals how expressive and articulate he can be. On the other hand it also makes him appear overly dramatic and excessively theatrical. It is interesting to note that even when Anthony is being romantic his leadership qualities are still visible. From the confident way in which he expresses himself it is apparent that he is used to conveying his thoughts to others. This phrase also reveals that Rome is on Anthony’s mind, for he evokes the grandeur of the city even whilst rejecting it. Shakespeare has used this speech to enhance the internal conflict that Anthony experiences. He is clearly passionately in love with Cleopatra as his exalted language suggests, but he can’t forget his obligations to the Roman Empire. Shakespeare has been careful not to fully present Anthony as an obdurate ruler and as a result the audience begin to sympathise with him.
Shakespeare uses Anthony’s language to further enhance the caring side of his character. His vocabulary includes many tender words including,
‘Love, heaven, passion, charming, heart, enchanting, precious, sweet, pleasure and desire.’
In addition to these words Anthony’s use of alliteration has a similar effect. He speaks of the,
‘ World to weet’ and ‘pain of punishment.’
This technique results in his speech becoming more flowing and eloquent.
Although Shakespeare presents this emotional side to Anthony, it is done in a subtle way so the audience still have respect for him as a leader. His love for Cleopatra may be presented as sincere, but the fact that he is in love with ‘a strumpet’ makes his affections appear foolish. Shakespeare’s ultimate reason for portraying Anthony as a devoted lover is to enhance the character’s depth and the audience’s opinion of him.
Anthony the leader has a significant appearance within the first act and his position as a triumvir can’t easily escape the audience’s notice. Throughout the scene he uses many commands and even when addressing the bewitching Cleopatra he orders her to,
‘Come, my queen.’
This is certainly not the way in which lovers would traditionally converse and the audience again sees both sides of Anthony within one short sentence. Anthony’s final speech in scene two sees him take on a professional, businesslike tone. After learning of his wife’s death he decides on a definite course of action,
‘Say our pleasure,
To such whose place is under us, requires
Our quick remove from hence.’
Anthony now uses none of the extravagant language he previously did with Cleopatra and he shows that once his mind is made up he can be a very decisive and focused character. The audience gain respect for Anthony as a leader, especially considering he is altruistic enough to admit,
‘These strong Egyptian fetters I must break.’
In this case Anthony the leader is presented in a positive light, however at various other points throughout the scene the opposite occurs. Anthony’s syntax consists of short, barking statements that leaders typically utilise.
‘Kingdoms are clay!’
Is a prime example of one of these statements and would serve to aggravate the audience. The fact that he uses such short, matter of fact statements suggests that he is self-confident and holds himself in high regard. It is extremely clever of Shakespeare to also present negative aspects of Anthony’s character. Not only does it add tension to the play, but it also gets the audience pondering the idea that successful leaders aren’t generally well-liked individuals. He suggests that leaders need to be cocksure in order to have the conviction to make decisions and to possess authority.
Shakespeare has equipped Anthony with a vocabulary befitting his role as leader, as well as one for his role as the lover. It consists of many command words and words concerning business and battles.
‘Tell, truth, death, malice, power, must, business, officers, urgent, command, soldier and war’
all feature heavily in his speech. These individual words that Anthony uses reveal a great deal about his character, as does his reaction to his wife’s death.
Upon hearing that Fulvia has passed away Anthony is clearly upset and he states that,
‘What our contempts doth often hurl from us
We wish it ours again.’
Anthony is definitely experiencing self-realisation and regrets rejecting Fulvia, however he proceeds to generalise the situation. By using the words ‘we’ and ‘us’ he attempts to make his course of action seem less damaging and implies that everybody is guilty of a similar crime. The fact that he does this makes him appear unable to accept responsibility for his own actions. Shakespeare once again uses Anthony’s actions to provoke thought in the audience. They wonder if they are in fact guilty of what Anthony accuses them of and they further analyse the character of Mark Anthony.
Domitius Enobarbus is a significant character throughout the play and his presence serves many functions. Unlike Charmian and Iras, he doesn’t merely play a supportive role and he could be considered one of the main characters in the play. Shakespeare has developed the character of Enobarbus quite extensively and in doing so is able to use him as a tool to reveal more about the other characters.
Shakespeare has awarded Enobarbus with a sympathetic nature, and he is especially sympathetic to his closest companion, Anthony. He understands the inner turmoil that Anthony faces and when Anthony expresses that he is needed in Rome Enobarbus reminds him,
‘The business you have broached here cannot be
without you, especially that of Cleopatra’s.’
It is important that there is a character who is sensitive to Anthony and can sympathise with his situation, otherwise the audience may not fully comprehend Anthony’s actions. Enobarbus’ loyalty and fellow feeling for Anthony help to establish the humanity of his captain. Enobarbus doesn’t share the perspectives of his fellow Roman soldiers, Philo and Demetrius, that Anthony,
‘Comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Anthony.’
It is essential to have a counter balance against these views; otherwise the audience would be inclined to agree with them. Shakespeare doesn’t directly challenge Philo’s comment but through Enobarbus he makes the audience aware that not all of Anthony’s officers feel he has become inadequate.
Enobarbus is the only close confidant of Anthony’s present in the opening act and Anthony reveals information to him that he would refrain from telling anybody else. Enobarbus is the only person whom Anthony can be completely honest with and reveal his true feelings to. We can see an example of this when he informs Enobarbus,
‘Would I had never seen her!’
This is an essential thought for Anthony to reveal and if it weren’t for Enobarbus then Shakespeare couldn’t have allowed Anthony to say it, for whom would he have expressed it to? It is through Enobarbus’ ability to listen and not pass judgement that the audience are able to see a different side to Anthony and hear him speak in an honest manner.
Enobarbus seems to be enjoying life in Egypt and relishes the fact that,
‘Most of our fortunes tonight, shall be
drunk to bed.’
Shakespeare has created Enobarbus as such a relaxed character to enable him to contribute to the relaxed atmosphere of the Egyptian Court. His character also serves as a link between the two different worlds of Rome and Egypt. Although Anthony technically links the two regions, Enobarbus is the only character that can be relaxed and fully accepted in both communities.
Shakespeare presents Enobarbus as a witty and humorous character. An example of his wit can be observed when after hearing about Fulvia’s death he states,
‘Under a compelling occasion let women die.’
This use of word play is extremely clever and adds humour to a serious, somewhat depressing scene. The ability of a character to lighten the mood is an extremely valuable quality and must not be disregarded. An audience wish to be entertained and taken on an emotional roller coaster, experiencing the highs and lows of utter despair and joyous laughter. Enobarbus is the key to allowing Shakespeare to propel his audience into this latter emotion.
It is not only Anthony that Enobarbus is used to reveal more about, but also Cleopatra. When Anthony announces that she is,
‘Cunning past man’s thought’
Enobarbus points out that,
‘Her passions are made of nothing but
the finest part of pure love.’
Once again Shakespeare is using Enobarbus as a vehicle to ensure that the audience gain a rounded view of each character. It is this common sense that Enobarbus possesses that makes him such an important figure. When Anthony and Cleopatra are being overly dramatic, fuelled by their emotions, he can be relied upon to give an objective, reasoned view. It could be argued that the views of Shakespeare can be heard through Enobarbus’ words, and perhaps he is the character through which most of Shakespeare’s opinions of Anthony and Cleopatra are voiced.
Shakespeare has done an excellent job of presenting his audience with interesting, multi-faceted characters. The way in which he presents Anthony as both a lover and leader illustrates his extreme skill. He allows the audience to feel compassion for Anthony, yet at the same time respect him as a great leader. The presentation of Enobarbus is also successfully accomplished. Shakespeare doesn’t merely provide him with a supporting role but instead he intricately implicates him in the general design. The characters of Anthony and Enobarbus are strong in their own right but as a pair they compliment each other well.
