The Way in Which the Character of Antony is Portrayed in Sha
Shakespeare introduces us to Antony in his very first scene, which starts and ends with a Roman viewpoint, which entraps Antony’s personality inside. Philo is the first on stage and his speech is engulfed in war and duty, ‘files and musters’, ‘plated’, ‘Mars’. This perception that Shakespeare has given us of the Romans is how the audiences is expecting Antony to be but their thoughts are questioned as Philo claims that ‘The triple pillar of the world transformed into a strumpets fool’. Antony was presumed to be strong and empowered is now shown to be so weak as to be brought down by a woman. What Philo has seen confirms his view that Antony has chosen lust rather than military honour. Antony seems equally convinced, ‘ Here is my space’, that he has chosen eternal love rather then worldly power. Shakespeare shows us Antony grandly entering the stage with Cleopatra on his arm obviously unashamed of being with Cleopatra and showing their affection towards one another. This entrance once again gives him strength, power and authority but Shakespeare shows us the contrast of his weakness when Cleopatra and Antony begin to talk about their love for each other, ‘beggary in the love’. As soon as a messenger enter
As Antony, Caesar and Octavia enter in Act 2, scene 2, the stage directions inform us that Octavia is between the two men. Shakespeare could be trying to portray here a women caught up between to powerful men. While Octavia is talking to Antony she uses the words ‘Gods’ and ‘prayers’, she seems to respect him and wants to obey him. At first the audience could be under the presumption that he respects her as well as Antony says ‘My Octavia’, he replies to her personally and he seems to want to be faithful towards her as he says ‘read not my blemishes in the world’s report’, ‘I have not kept my square’ but we begin to realise later and he tells her ‘Goodnight’ only minutes after we see them for the first time together that he was just trying to look respectful in front of her, powerful and important and he wanted to have his status back. We can see that already he is bored with her and that he will never think a lot of her as he said ‘Good night, dear lady’ and we normally hear him refer to Cleopatra as ‘Queen’. Antony seems to have no will power at all as the moment Octavia has excited the stage he begins to talk about Egypt once again. Moments after promising Octavia, his newly betroved wife, that he would mend his ways, Antony resolves to return to Cleopatra ‘I’th east my pleasure lies’. Antony seems to recent Octavia, as it is because of her that he has had to return to Rome. During Act 4, Scene 2 we can see Antony once again in Cleopatra’s palace but surrounded by his own people and those people below his status. He shows that he is determined to fight to his death through his words ‘by sea and land I’ll fight’. Antony also seems to feel empowered at this point, ‘Bathe my dying honour in the blood’. Enobarbus has never been easily swayed by blustering words. He replies ambiguously, ‘Strike’, when Antony asks him if he will fight. Antony is passionate towards Roman values as Shakespeare shows through the way he reacts to his servants and in return how they act towards Antony before he goes to war. The devotion of his followers and his real concern for them enhance the pathos of his situation. The way in which Antony says ‘Give me thy hand’ shows the audience his closeness to his servants and the respect he has towards them. The Play directions say that he shakes each of them by the hand. This would be a very powerful moment as a ruler of a country as he and his servants connect and with one simple
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,
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Approximate Word count = 1671
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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