Category: Antony and Cleopatra

In ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ Enobarbus is a trusted follower and close friend of Antony’s, who has the freedom of speaking openly about personal issues that Antony confides in him about. Although he has limited influence over Antony when compared with the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, overall Enobarbus has an extremely important role in the play, acting as the face of the audience, as well as being used by Shakespeare to build tension through the subtle foreshadowing in Enobarbus’ dialogue.

Enobarbus’ most important role in the play is taking the job of a narrator whilst continuing to be a character which Shakespeare does skillfully and successfully. Enobarbus is the voice of reason and explains what is going on in certain scenes. In Act 4 Scene 2, Cleopatra speaks aside to Enobarbus, questioning what Antony is doing. Enobarbus explains that he is trying “to make his followers week”. Of course, Enobarbus isn’t really explaining to Cleopatra what is happening (unless she hadn’t read the script beforehand), he is actually informing the audience of Antony’s real intensions. The fact that Enobarbus uses the word “followers” to describe Antony’s crying servants, and he himself isn’t crying, reinforces the idea that Enobarbus is more than just a follower. As Enobarbus is a friend of Antony’s as well as a follower, he is able to voice his own opinions, and, due to the fact he is not infatuated with a female or the idea of ruling the Roman Empire, he gives us a clear overview of each character’s personalities. Enobarbus is also used commonly by Shakespeare for dramatic irony, increasing the effectiveness of the play further.

Along with the soothsayer in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’, Enobarbus occasionally creates a lighter atmosphere within the play when Shakespeare cleverly uses humor to allow the audience a break from the politics, love and war that fills the rest of the performance. Shakespeare uses satire when Enobarbus mocks Lepidus for being intoxicated in Act 2 Scene 7 when he ironically calls him a “strong fellow” and in Act 3 Scene 2 when he and Agrippa ridicule Lepidus, expressing “how he loves Caesar!” and “adores Mark Antony!”. To both a Shakespearean and modern audience this is a humorous scene in the play. In the past, critics have disapproved of Shakespeare commonly giving this feature to his secondary characters: in 1710, Charles Gildon wrote “Grief and Laughter are so very incompatible that to join these two wou’d be monstrous”. Nicholas Rowe also wrote in 1709 that “the generality of our audiences seem to be better pleased with it than with exact tragedy” however “the severer Critiques among us cannot bear it”. Despite critics often finding fault with it, it does make Enobarbus an extremely important character in the play as, by making the 05.2022, 16:05 Enobarbus In Shakespeare’s “Antony And Cleopatra”: His Role in the Play – Essay Example at GradesFixer GradesFixer https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-importance-of-enobarbus-in-antony-and-cleopatra/ 2/3 audience like him through his sense of humor and his relatability, he sets himself up as a minor tragic character which heightens his downfall and therefore increases the effectiveness of the tragic play, ‘Antony and Cleopatra’.

Shakespeare skillfully foreshadows future events such as the fate of the hero and heroine of the play, Antony and Cleopatra, through Enobarbus. This makes Enobarbus an essential character as through him the audience receives subtle hints to what is going to happen next. Enobarbus is aware of the fragility of the marriage between Antony and Octavia, which is also tying the friendly relationship between Antony and Caesar together. From this he recognizes that “the band that seems to tie their friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity”, due to the fact that Antony “will to his Egyptian dish again”. The use of the disrespectful words ‘Egyptian dish’ imply that Cleopatra is simply a meal that will not last forever, possibly referring to her past lovers, none of whom had stayed. Before Antony’s first fight against Caesar, in Act 3 Scene 7 Enobarbus explains to Cleopatra that her presence in the camp will be a distraction to Antony: “If we should serve with horse…a soldier and his horse”. Through imagery of a male a female horse, Enobarbus foreshadows the fact that Cleopatra being involved in his fight will sacrifice Antony’s triumph. Moreover, Enobarbus also hints at the upcoming Battle of Actium, which takes place after Caesar declares war against Cleopatra, when he says Antony and Caesar will “grind the one the other”.

Roman views on friendship are based on multiple critics. Aristotle recognized that a friendship is based on certain terms: pleasure, utility or virtue, whilst others believed that friendship only survived if there is something to be rewarded with from it, and it is over when it is no longer useful to/pleasant for the ‘participants’. Enobarbus is an indispensable character for proving the existence of true friendship. By doing this, he also sets himself up for an intensified downfall, despite being a secondary character. In spite of Enobarbus’ betrayal of Mark Antony in Act 4 Scene 6, he dies in Act 4 Scene 9 from guilt and heartbreak. Although Shakespeare never clarifies why Enobarbus sinks to the floor and dies, we are able to infer that he ended his life due to the culpability of abandoning his friend. Enobarbus’ last words are “O Antony! O Antony!” which reinforces the poignant moment of his death and alludes to Antony being the last person on his mind. The repetition of Antony’s name also draws attention to Enobarbus’ desperation for forgiveness. The tragic passing of a likable character would have affected the audience in a negative manner and also begins the downfall of Antony – Shakespeare uses Enobarbus to foreshadow future events even through his death.

Enobarbus is vital in expressing certain Roman views. Shakespeare communicates female ideals through the character of Enobarbus, specifically in Act 1 Scene 2. Having found out his wife, Fulvia, has died, Antony reveals the news to Enobarbus. His most valuable soldier then explains that this is fortunate for Antony, that “when old robes are worn out, there are members to make new”. Enobarbus then proceeds to describe Fulvia as an “old smock” and Cleopatra as a “new petticoat”. This metaphoric representation of Antony’s deceased wife and Egypt’s Queen as items of clothing that are easily removed suggests women are simply objects that men can discard of whenever they like. A Shakespearean audience would not have reacted as though this was such a terrible attitude towards women – they experienced women getting married as young as 12 years old and believed wives belonged to their husbands. However, a modern audience would not react so kindly to this as, in the present day, women are equal to men. Furthermore, Enobarbus reports to Menas that Octavia is “of a holy, cold and still conversation”. Octavia is an obedient and therefore ideal wife (despite later being illustrated as lifeless due to her statue-like physicality), however Enobarbus openly insults her, calling her quiet and gentle, however also dull.

Despite the harsh descriptions of Fulvia, Octaiva and Cleopatra, in Act 2 Scene 2, Shakespeare quotes almost directly from Plutarch through Enobarbus’ character to describe his and Antony’s first meeting with Cleopatra after she arrived sitting on the barge like it was a “burnished throne”. Enobarbus explains to Agrippa and Maecenas how the “pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids” fanned Cleopatra and how the Queen made even the winds fall for her. These two juxtaposing descriptions of Cleopatra highlight Enobarbus’ importance in displaying Roman ideas on woman, however it also shows how, when Cleopatra travelled up the river Cydnus, she was a goddess, not a woman.

Therefore, she is the true tragic figure and deserves to die in the fifth act. L. T. Fitz complains about the sexist attitudes of critics: In analysis of Shakespeare’s plays critics often employ comparisons of characters from different plays; for example, Hamlet has a more complicated state of mind, is more pensive and more calculating than Othello; or, while King Lear dies almost altruistic, Hamlet does ever self-centered. As for Cleopatra, noone ever rightfully compares her with Hamlet, Othello, or King Lear instead of generically unsuitable female characters (298). Fitz is right in her complaints because most of the critics focus on Antony as if the play were a tragedy of only his. Contrary to those critics who argue that Cleopatra only fulfills Antony’s tragedy, I think his tragedy is rather subservient to her tragedy. Therefore, she should be mentioned with Lear or Othello – Othello’s tragic motive is especially similar to hers – as eminent tragic figures and be taken into that canon of male tragic characters. Antony dies in the fourth act, but Shakespeare reserves an act more in order to prepare Cleopatra as a tragic character and achieves to reverse her notorious representation in the four acts by making her deserve right to be more heroic than Anthony. This extension deliberately serves to get the audience’s attention to the splendor of the lovers (Rozett 159). Until the fifth act the focus is on Antony and the outcome is a clumsy suicide, but a single act suffices her to not only prove her nobility and redeem Antony’s honor, but also outwit Caesar with her triumphant suicide and immortalize their love. However, Shakespeare’s daring design causes ambiguities especially in terms of characterization. Phyllis Rackin refers her “ambivalence,” a “strange combination of degradation and sublimity” to “mysterious powers” she possesses like Shakespeare (205). Shakespeare employs Cleopatra to show the duality of good and evil in Egyptian context. Experience as a whole comprises a continuous existance of, say, the favorable and unfavorable, or pain and pleasure. Antony, calling Cleopatra serpent of Nile, reveals mysterious truths about her being quintessence of fertility of the Nile and abundant sexuality, but at the same time being destructive, death-summoning cause (Payne 270). Within the serpent imagery, the oxymoron “delicious poison” summarizes her nature as juxtaposition of poison and medicine. Having such power, it is not unpredictable that she could annihilate or aggrandize both Antony and herself. Her elaborate suicide is worthy of notice. The serpent exhibits her dual nature with the basket brought for her; figs and asps together in it explicitly represent fruitfulness and death. Rather than the goddess Isis, she is like the god Osiris, who is a life-giver and destroyer and whose annual death and resurrection owing to his dual nature is applicable to her as Enobarbus says “I have seen her die twenty / times” (I. ii. xxx). She then can have pleasure of both figs and asps in the same basket. Ceasar’s diminishing Antony to effeminacy and his elevating Cleopatra to manly worthiness may also suggest Shakespeare’s subtlety.

A late and sudden twist in Cleopatra’s character can really strain our credibility, but of Cleopatra J. Leeds Barroll writes, “rather than praising her pluckiness while secretly scorning or being startled by those other responses painted so vividly by Shakespeare . . . we can do the queen the honor of taking her seriously as a tragic character fashioned by the world’s greatest playwright” (qtd. in Hageman 257). Shakespeare devotes strenuous efforts to stretch human nature but in the boundaries of probability thus to make us believe his twist and apotheosis: even the shrewd Caesar appreciates her virtues, intelligence, and genuine love for Antony.

What happens to Cleopatra is probably an epiphany; she recognizes the merit of the Antony who had been described by many when he was alive as a godlike hero. “But she is in many ways still the former Cleopatra; she schemes” (Mills 156), hiding some of her property, with the assistance of her treasurer Seleucus, from Caesar, so she tests him and the deceitful Proculeius (who Antony, as one of his misjudgments, has said to be reliable), as Caesar and Thyreus has tested her. Also she uses her old trick of begging pity. She kneels before Caesar but this is a feigned plea for mercy as she has already recognized that Caesar talks differently from Dolabella. The “serpent of the old Nile” has a plan to beguile Caesar and has “immortal longings” to eternalize her and Antony’s love. She hears Antony’s call and dressed like a bride-queen replies “Husband,” announcing their eternal marriage (V. ii. 315-322), which can be taken as a metaphor that signifies the marriage of the West and the East and the reconciliation of opposites in Coleridge’s terms. Eugene M. Waith’s observation supports the apotheosis: “in the poetry of her dying speeches there is a magnificent synthesis of the exalted love and courage which both hero and heroine finally achieve” (273). Also, she emphasizes how she has mocked lucky Caesar, somehow takes Antony’s revenge on him, and how she has acted nobly like Romans. “The interpretation of the hero’s character again rests on an antithesis of a broad and a narrow concept of human nature – in this case on the opposition of Cleopatra’s ideal to Caesar’s” (269). What she achieves really astonishes Caesar, who for a moment has to leave his inhuman rationality so as to conceive the exceptional histrionics. Her “infinite variety” fully reveals itself at the end; even with a smile for us as she hastens her death applying more asps to her body when she is jealous of Iras, who might get the first kiss from Anthony in heaven (V. ii. 338-39).

At the end of the play the lovers redeem “their failings … we share in their triumph over Caesar and join Cleopatra in celebrating a love that defies time and circumstance” (Rozett 159). Cleopatra’s imagination of Antony’s triumph over Caesar comes true when Antony’s “magnanimity” transcends “the world of time and change and luck” (Rackin 210). Caesar then recognizes what treasure Antony found in Egypt (211).

Immediately after the release of Anjan Dutt’s film Srijit Mujhkerjee’s Zulfiqar came out in October 2016 and the audience witnessed a combination of Julius Caesar and Anthony and Cleopatra [Figure 29]. The first half of the film adapts Julius Caesar, while the latter half adapts the plot of Anthony and Cleopatra and the two halves are skillfully linked instead of mixing them throughout the film. In Zulfiqar, the city of Rome is replaced with the brutal politics of the dock area of Kolkata (Calcutta), the Senate is replaced with Syndicate, which is an organization like Mafioso, operating from the Muslim dock area ok Kolkata. The members of the Syndicate deal in smuggling, illegal real estate, extortion and many other criminal activities. The members are egalitarian in nature, sharing equal status and power and executing any member who begins to gain more popularity. This is what led to Zulfiqar’s (Julius Caesar, played by Prosenjit Chatterjee) death. Kassinath (Cassius) is an illegal promoter who turns the Syndicate against Zulfiqar and conspires to kill him. Bashir khan (Brutus) is a very loyal friend of Zulfiqar who has always stood beside Zulfiqar or Zulfi as he calls him. Just as Cassius provokes Brutus in the play, Kassinath lies to Bashir about Zulfiqar letting in terrorists and thus appeals to Bashir’s patriotic sentiments. Thus, Bashir joins the conspiracy in killing Zulfiqar. In the pretence of a meeting, the members shoot him at the back on by one, and finally Bashir pulls the last trigger which kills Zulfiqar.

• Figure 29: Poster of Zulfiqar

Zulfiqar’s loyal and trusted comrades, Marcus and Tony, along with Laltu (Lepidus), a corrupt policeman of the film, avenge his death along with Zulfiqar’s nephew Akhtar (Octavius, played by Ankush Hazra) [Figure 30]. After the destruction of the Syndicate, Akhtar succeeds to the post which Zulfiqar once enjoyed, but soon he kills off his allies and obliterates any possibility of threat to his new earned position of a dictator. This film is where Srijit Mukherjee has shown his skill in portraying human characters when he dissects Mark Anthony’s character into two parts- one, the romantic and the vandal which is Marcus, and second, the clever financer which is Tony [Figure 31]. Mukherjee clearly distinguishes between the character and personality of Mark Antony, a scheming soldier in Julius Caesar, and a hopeless romantic in Antony and Cleopatra. Both the parts of Mark Antony, Marcus and Tony, are seen to deliver the speech where they show respect to Bashir khan as “honorable man” and also brings justice to Zulfiqar and his services to the community [Figure 32].

• Figure 30: Marcus, Akhtar and Tony seeking revenge
• Figure 31: The two halves of Mark Antony
• Figure 32: Marcus and Tony delivering eulogy in Zulfiqar’s funeral

One of the masterpieces of Zulfiqar is when Bashir dreams about Zulfiqar in the meeting point of two rivers i.e. Rangit and Teesta [Figure 33]. Rangit river, signifying the deceased Zulfiqar’s state of mind, appears to be a contrast to tempestuous Teesta waters, signifying the conflict Bashir experiences.

• Figure 33: Bashir’s dream

Another very interesting element of the film is the wife of Zulfiqar, Karishma Ahmed (Calpurnia) and his mistress, Rani Talapatra (Cleopatra). The director reasons out Karishma’s (Calpurnia’s) dreams of tigress, and fire rains as effects of drug addiction. The film links her hallucinations with Calpurnia’s dreams [Figure 34] and she fails to stop Zulfiqar to visit the meeting where he is killed. Rani Talapatra is a new twist in the film which is deliberately used to link the two plays. Rani Talapatra is also deeply in love with Marcus, thus appealing to the romantic side of Mark Antony. She portrays her inner struggle, her inability to choose true love over social security. She remains being used by Akhtar as a sexual object which ultimately leads to her suicide.

• Figure 34: Karishma’s dream

The film lacks the flow between the two adaptations and some characters are not explored enough. In fact, the film seems to slow down as most of the primary characters are dead following a climax, and the time Antony and Cleopatra begins the progression becomes agonizingly monotonous and wearisome. The ease with which Prosenjit fits into the role of Zulfiqar or Caesar is quite lacking in Ankush. In spite of some poorly written scenes and lack of inconsistency, some actors like Dev, Parambrata, Jisshu, Koushik and Prosenjit have managed to pull off Zulfiqar as a unique adaptation of Shakespeare’s plays with the backdrop of the minority community in Kolkata.

Conclusion

While going through Stanley Wells’ essay Why Study Shakespeare in Shakespeare: An Oxford Guide, he mentions two things which rouses interest- “his influence on the…global culture” and “the thousand popular films and television sitcoms that make allusions to Shakespeare”. Shakespeare’s theatrical plays, which were at first introduced in English education and staged as a part of political strategy, cannot simply be assessed as colonial imposition. Today, in post independent India, his works are still relevant and are respected and appreciated by Indians. The ability to adapt and easy transculturation in diverse cultural context of his works were the primary reason of such continuing presence even to this day. The bard is able to become “global” and “popular” because of his skillful representation of the human and human emotions which remains timeless. Some critics consider him to be universal, but his universality comes from the ageless and unchanging “human” which made Shakespeare the most read, published, translated, adapted and staged/ screened. (Sen A. , 2019) (Sultana, 2014). Laura (2018) cites Singh while saying “Shakespeare is still “read” because he deals with “human beings, [with] their sentiments and feelings [that] do not change in any real sense,” and, as his plays raise issues and depict clashes of values that are relevant across time, his appeal seems bound to endure (Singh, 1989)”. The Indian films mentioned in the chapter adopt the plots and story lines from the Bard’s plays as well as adapt them to the contemporary political, social and economic circumstances. Saptapadi shows the blossoming of love between two doctors which started with the murder scene of Othello, Bhranti Bilas beautifully indianizes The Comedy of Errors and Srimati Bhayankari represents the The Taming of the Shrew in a commercial Tollywood film. After more than a decade, Shakespeare returned to the Bengali screen with Hridmajhare, adapting Othello to the contemporary modern relationships in the heart of Kolkata, Arshinagar adapted Romeo and Juliet to represent a resolve of communal riots with the death of lovers, Hemanta adapts Hamlet to tell the tale of jealousy and competitiveness of two brothers and Zulfiqar takes on Julius Caesar and Antony Cleopatra to represent the underworld gangster culture of Kolkata Port. His plays still continue to instigate wonder and admiration among all because they can relate to the emotional sways and complexities of life shown in his works. Stanley Wells has justly observed how far is the reach of Shakespeare’s influence in global culture till the present date.

According to the OED, the etymology of the word ‘grave’ illuminates that it originates from Germanic dissent and can be traced back to the Old English word ‘graef’, the Dutch word ‘graf’, and the German word ‘grab’. Adding on, grave also comes from the Old English root, ‘grafan’, which means to dig, or to engrave. Similarly, the Old High German word graban has meanings such as to dig and to carve. The modern versions of the word ‘grave’ include the noun, adjective, and verb forms. The noun form means a place of burial, whereas the adjective form has a meaning of having weight or importance; Being influential as well as respected. The verb form means to dig, to bury, or to carve. However, through some extensive research upon literary works, the meanings of the word grave are seemingly endless, as it is displayed in different works with a wide assortment of implications.

To start, the word ‘grave’ can have meanings related to time; Such as aging and maturity. For example in the play Hamlet, Shakespeare portrays the word in this way when Claudius states, “A very riband in the cap of youth- / Yet needful too; for youth no less becomes / The light and careless livery that it wears / Than settled age his stables and his weeds, / Importing health and graveness.” (4.7.88-92). Here, grave represents the passing of time, specifically maturity. Claudius is speaking of how the youth are associated with casual attire through ‘careless livery’ whereas formal attire promotes ‘graveness’, or maturity. Adding on Shakespeare once again employs the word grave with the meaning of time in his poem The Rape of Lucrece, when he writes, “There pleading might you see grave Nestor stand, / As ‘twere encouraging the Greeks to fight; / Making such sober action with his hand.” (1470-1472). The word grave in this passage is used to describe Nestor, specifically representing that he is of old age, which is in fact a true and a proven statement. In addition, Shakespeare again uses this version of the word grave in his play Coriolanus, when the character Menenius pleads, “Hath thus stood for his country: therefore, / please you, / Most reverend and grave elders, to desire / The present consol, and last general /.” (2.2.42-45). When Menenius is speaking to the elders, he refers to them as ‘grave’ meaning old and probably wise as well, since those are traits commonly associated with the elders at the time. These examples thus prove how the word ‘grave’ can also embody meanings relating to time and not only the modern ones used today.

Next, the word ‘grave’ also has the ability to uphold the meaning of seriousness. This can be seen within Shakespeare’s poem Venus and Adonis, when he composes, “I KNOW not how I should offend in dedicating my / unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will / censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a / burden only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account / myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle / hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour.” (6-14). Grave is employed in this passage to mean serious and worthy. If the king is pleased with the author’s poem in which he has prepared, the author will write a ‘graver’ or more serious and worthy poem to dedicate to the king because he is of great importance. Furthermore, Shakespeare also employs this meaning of the word grave in his play Antony and Cleopatra, when Caesar proclaims, “Good brother, / Let me request you off: our graver business / Frowns at this levity.” (2.7.141-143). Grave in this context means serious and of importance. Caesar tells Antony to come off the boat because they have ‘graver’ or serious business and that it’s no time for ‘levity’ or messing around due to its high importance. Henceforth, in another one of Shakespeare’s plays titled Coriolanus, the word grave with a meaning of seriousness is displayed when the character Menenius says, “I can’t say your worships have / delivered the matter well, when I find the ass in / compound with the major part of your syllables: and / though I must be content to bear with those that say / you are reverend grave men, yet they lie deadly that / tell you you have good faces.” (2.1.54-59). The word grave in this context can be interpreted as great and serious. Menenius is insulting the two gentlemen by talking of how their heads are getting mixed up with their asses and that they are not ‘grave’ as in great and serious in any sense whatsoever; Which happens to be contradictory to what others believe of them. He then continues the insults by calling them ugly as well.

Very similarly, in Harper Lee’s famous fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the word grave is used an abundance of times, many of which associate with the meaning of seriousness. To start, when Atticus was talking to Scout, “Atticus’s face was grave. “Has anybody been calling you that?” (Lee 59). Before this, Scout asks Atticus what it meant to be a nigger-lover; Which then led to Atticus’s face being ‘grave’, or very serious and in this context angered too. This is because at the time being a ‘nigger-lover’ was seen in a negative context and was often frowned upon by the majority. Again, the same definition of the word grave is shown when Lee writes that “Constance Jackson had better watch her ways-she was in grave danger for quarreling with her neighbors; she had erected the only spite fence in the history of the Quarters.” (Lee 65). In this passage, the word grave is used to exemplify that Constance Jackson was in some ‘grave’ or serious and relevant danger due to the arguments she has had with her neighbors in the past. Continuing on, Lee once again uses the word grave with this same meaning when she prints, “Jem got up and padded across the rug. He motioned me to follow. He led me to his room and closed the door. His face was grave.” (Lee 73). Jem and Scout were witnessing an encounter between Aunt Alexandrea and Atticus that was getting a little intense, and so they went into another room. Entering the room, Jem’s face was ‘grave’ in a sense that he was very serious about the situation that was taking place. Likewise, later on within the novel when Scout is thinking to herself she narrates to the reader, “The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious-because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority.” (Lee 109). ‘Gravely’ in this passage once again represents the meaning seriously, as Scout is explaining how educators will ‘gravely’ or seriously emphasize that all men are created equal. However, in this situation the meaning is being used in a sarcastic sense, as Scout establishes this in the beginning when calling this the ‘most ridiculous example’ she can think of when referring to the use of this phrase. And finally, further on when Scout is having a conversation with Mrs. Maudie in front of the class, she makes a smart remark and tells the reader, “I hadn’t meant to be funny, but the ladies laughed. My cheeks grew hot as I realized my mistake, but Mrs. Maudie looked gravely down at me.” (Lee 122). The use of the word ‘gravely’ in this passage can be associated with the words sternly and seriously; As Scout has made a somewhat disrespectful remark that the teacher is not pleased with. So, she describes Mrs. Maudie’s look down on her as ‘gravely’ or with a stern and serious intent. Overall the word ‘grave’ can also clearly be used as a description word relating to the word seriousness and can as well be used to illuminate emotions that one is experiencing.

At the same time, the word ‘grave’ can also entail the meanings of not being able to, out of reach, and lost forever. For instance, in the poem Venus and Adonis, Shakespeare embodies, “‘Give me my hand,’ saith he, ‘why dost thou feel it?’ / ‘Give me my heart,’ saith she, ‘and thou shalt have it: / O, give it me, lest thy hard heart do steel it, / And being steel’d, soft sighs can never grave it: / Then love’s deep groans I never shall regard, / Because Adonis’ heart hath made mine hard.’” (397-402). Grave in this context is referring to not being able to, and almost impossible. The characters are speaking of how they are intertwined to each other through love, and the man proclaims that if the woman doesn’t let go of his hand, his heart will be hardened with eternal love; Thus leading to his heart becoming ‘grave’ as in impossible to detach or not being able to fall in love forevermore. Also in another one of Shakespeare’s plays titled All’s Well That Ends Well, the use of grave suggests a meaning of being lost and gone forever when the King proclaims, “Our rash faults / Make trivial price of serious things we have, / Not knowing them until we know their grave: / Oft our displeasures, to ourselves unjust, / Destroy our friends and after weep their dust / Our own love waking cries to see what’s done, / While shame full late sleeps out the afternoon.” (5.3.71-77). The passage is explaining how many people don’t always realize what they have and the gifts that are within their lives until they notice they’re ‘grave’ or that they’re gone and lost forever. Therefore, through these two examples, the word ‘grave’ can be further employed to represent loss, not being able to achieve something, and being set in stone.

Moreover, ‘grave’ may also contain the meanings of deadly as well as silence. To illustrate, in Shakespeare’s play Antony and Cleopatra, Antony is speaking, “Betray’d I am: / O this false soul of Egypt! This grave charm,- / Whose eye beck’d forth my wars, and call’d them home; / Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,- / Like a right gipsy, hath, at fast and loose, / Beguiled me to the very heart of loss.” (4.12.26-31). The use of grave in this passage means deadly. When Antony is describing the queen, he proclaims how he has been betrayed by this ‘grave’ or deadly ‘charm’ or witch. He then furthers his point by telling of how she’s the one who decides whether he wins or loses in war, and that she has tricked him into being in a sort of way her puppet. Equally important, in another one of Shakespeare’s plays titled Coriolanus, the meaning of the word ‘grave’ is portrayed differently as seen when Cominius says to Marcius, “You shall not be / The grave of your deserving; Rome must know / The value of her own:” (1.9.23-25). Within this passage, the word grave can be associated with the word silence. Cominius is explaining to Marcius that he shouldn’t be the ‘grave’ or the silencing of his praise which he deserves from the people of Rome. Finally, through these two instances as well, the meaning of the word grave is expressed in different versions with different meanings.

The word ‘grave’ may only have around three main modern definitions that are listed within the OED, but it also has a copious amount of other meanings as well, as identified in various famous literary works. This also applies to an abundance of other words; So, in conclusion, a word may only have a certain number of ‘set’ definitions, but there is an eternity of alternative connotations that the word can adopt as well based upon the context in which it is used.

As seen in the first few sentences Shakespeare displays how shocked and confused Cleopatra is that the love of her life and the warrior and protector of so many has been defeated. It could be said that she feels that for this to happen the world must be changed, and for the worst as ‘young boys and girls are equal to men’ which in those times age came with experience and you had to earn your place. There is a sense of resentment towards Caesar as he is young himself and for him to be equal to the great men of the world, she believes there must be a malfunction in the world and reality. Antony resembled a symbol of war and without him the ‘glory’ has faded for her and the flags have fallen as she has nothing left to fight for. Cleopatras feelings may be summed up perfectly by this statement ‘there is nothing distinctive, nothing remarkable left in the world’, this powerful and saddening sentiment, makes the audience understand her feelings of loss and grief, showing how the only thing she found ‘remarkable’ in the world was Antony and for him to be described in such a way shows his importance.

Shakespeare presents a woman experiencing grief who is moved by her love for Antony and is determined to end her own life now that the ‘gods’ have ‘stol’n’ its ‘jewel’, Antony. The audience sees a vulnerable Cleopatra, which demonstrates, using a metaphor, how much Antony meant to her and how she believed it wasn’t his time to pass as his life has been ‘stol’n’ not from just her but from the people as she states he was ‘our jewel’. The imagery used to portray her feelings of anger, as she feels something has been stolen from her is particularly important as she blames the gods and wants to ‘throw (her) sceptre’ at them ‘to tell them that this world did equal theirs’ the emotion comes through clearly as Cleopatra believes earth is good enough for Antony just as their world and therefore, he should have stayed. Although there is a devotion to Antony through Cleopatra, devotion is also shown from Iris and Charmain to Cleopatra as they are willing to die with her as she is their whole world, their ‘empress’ as stated in the play.

Shakespeare is showing her mixed emotions through her determination to end her life and how she believes waiting for death to happen is ‘sottish’ so therefore they shall ‘rush into death’ even though it may be seen as a sin. As seen throughout the play, Cleopatra is a woman with great expectations and as a ruler when she sets her sights on things, she is stubborn to change direction, therefore this decision to die alongside her ‘ladies’ may display how throughout this passage the message of self-worth and the honourable ‘brave’ thing to do is being recognised as dying and not being paraded as a trophy at Caesar’s expense. As a women ruler and symbol of the goddess Iris, to Iris and Charmain she is inspirational and, in this passage, it could be said that she speaks from a place of devotion as well as power by inspiring the people she is willing to die with and bringing up their spirits telling them to ‘be brave’, this is displayed through the endearing phrase ‘my noblest girls’. She prizes her honour over her life and this is reflected on the people around her.

The end of the extract gives a sense of loneliness and powerlessness as Cleopatra claims that they have ‘no friend but resolution and the briefest end’. The personification of ‘resolution’ and the ‘end’ as friends emphasises how they are left with no one and how they must scheme against their enemies to get the resolution and the quick death they so desperately need. The audience may find it shocking how they believe this is the only way out and Shakespeare uses Cleopatras exaggerative, explosive personality to present an iconic death. Although Cleopatra embodies charm, beauty and is the leader of Egypt she is prepared to give that up and resign from the fight as she no longer has the love of her life.

In conclusion Shakespeare presents Cleopatras feelings remarkably well as when experiencing grief and pain a person can be obstructed from seeing in a rational way and therefore the different elements of anger, love, sorrow and loneliness are all displayed in the passage.

Cleopatra is described as someone with infinite variety. ‘age can not wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety’. The way in which Antonys own friend describes Cleopatra this way implies the idea that even though she is incredibly beautiful; which firstly attracted Antony she is in fact hard to work out and determine, due to her constant changing moods and the amount of them that she does have. This change in attitude could be seen as one of the main reasons Antonys interest in her continues to grow so strong, as throughout the play he becomes utterly infatuated by the unique person she is and in some ways envies the freedom she has, due to Egypt offering the large parties and banquets which he hasn’t been exposed to before. He ultimately falls into Cleopatras trap as she continues to gain a lot of control over Antony having an impact on the decisions he makes, leading to the end of his honour within Rome. The false representation and feminisation of Antony due to Cleopatras overwhelming domination, ultimately results in the overall feminisation of Rome, leading to Antonys downfall as this is seen as dishonourable.

Throughout the first two acts of Antony and Cleopatra we see Cleopatras mood constantly changing to keep Antony interested in her and the way in which her mind works.

We see her contradictory actions from the first time we are introduced to the characters as she questions ‘if it be love indeed. Tell me how much’. The use of this imperative sentence allows the audience to already have an understanding of the relationship between the two central characters being one of Cleopatras overall control and torment. The use of the emotive word ‘love’ should represent the passion between them but instead she uses it as a threat to Antony forcing him to prove his feelings are true. He evidently becomes aware of his lack of masculinity as he states ‘she stripped me of my sword’ indicating towards the dignity and honour which had been removed due to him abandoning Rome and battle for her.

This infinite variety she so strongly portrays could be seen as a disturbance of the Great Chain of Being as in the era everything had a set place, and if disturbed could cause on going effects. Cleopatra questioning Antonys masculinity effects his place on the chain as he is one of higher importance due to his role as well as his gender being more dominant then Cleopatras so for her to take control over both of these makes Antony evidently a lot weaker.

She continues to challenge his happiness as she beckons ‘when he is sad tell him I’m happy’ to constantly remind him that she is a part of his life even when he is mourning the death of his late wife. She enjoys mimicking Antony within situations where he shows his emotions to anyone but her, representing another change of her emotion being one of jealousy. This taunting behaviour reveals a side to Cleopatra that Antony may not have been aware of when he fell for her charm as she arrived in a barge like a ‘burnished throne’, emphasising her confidence and the power she believes she holds. It appears in the barge scene that Cleopatra used her entrance as a way to portray a certain image of government and force, whereas the lack of description of her may represent how she in fact is not how she seems and is actually a weaker character, who uses her appearance and presence as a distraction. This is further shown through her past relationship with Julia Ceasar as she arrived wrapped in a rug and was presented to him, also implying the idea that she sees her beauty as an advantage.

The way in which she wants to contradict his emotion within the quotation “when he is sad tell him I’m happy” explores her infinite variety as she believes this is a way to keep her love interest hooked on her and not allowing his focus to be on any other person or duties. Due to her being a woman of constantly changing moods she both enrages Antony as well as captures him as he can not resist her charm and persuasion and ultimately is backed into a corner by her. This infinite variety further indicates towards the characteristics of Egypt as a country, being erotic, passionate and hot headed. The difference in personality and morals within Cleopatra and Antony as individuals represents the difference of the countries they have control over, and their relationship becomes a heavy reflection of the issues the countries would face against each other.

Antony and Cleopatra’s love for one another is the prominent theme throughout the play, and although both characters profess to an incomparable “peerless” love, they encourage doubt in the audience by acting in a manner that appears to contradict this. This is demonstrated by Cleopatra’s bullying, manipulative manner and also with the ease with which Antony dismisses their relationship in front of Caesar and his marriage to Octavia. Ultimately, Shakespeare intended for the audience to question the genuineness of Antony and Cleopatra’s feelings, to explore what really makes a loving relationship, and where the lines between love and desire (whether this be for power, sex or adoration) blur.

One of the themes that Shakespeare uses to promote suspicion within the audience as to the genuineness of Cleopatra’s feelings, is the controlling, belittling way in which she treats Antony. This is presented immediately with the introduction of the protagonists onto the stage, as Cleopatra asks Antony “If it be love indeed, tell me how much”. With such an early indication of Cleopatra’s demanding attitude, the audience quickly learns of the dynamics of their relationship, and Cleopatra’s selfish role within this. Shakespeare further prepares the audience for this, by presenting her as egotistical and dominant, “I’ll set a bourn how far to be belov’d”. Bold statements such as this mean that she is likely to be perceived by the audience as an authoritarian figure in a relationship that surely should be equal. A belief that is further supported by her often insulting Antony, “the greatest soldier in the world, art turn’d the greatest liar”, her ability to be so discourteous to her “man of men” perhaps suggests insincerity as to her alleged “love”, and that the attention, adulation and control she gains from their relationship is of greater importance to he than he is. Cleopatra’s manipulative and often game-playing approach to their relationship, allows Shakespeare to demonstrate her total power over Antony, and how she exploits this for her own benefit and entertainment, “If you find him sad, Say I am dancing.” Cleopatra is aware of how her moods dictate Antony’s happiness and appears to take only pleasure in this control, “I laughed him out of patience; and that night I laughed him into patience”. By demonstrating Cleopatra’s understanding of the power she has, Shakespeare makes it obvious to the audience that she is not ignorant of her authority over Antony, but instead exploits it, thus presenting her character as cunning and calculating. It is likely that, in contrast to her proclamations of love, “I might sleep out this great gap of time my Antony is away”, the audience would view her as simply in love with the power that his love brings her.

Another theme that Shakespeare uses to explore the motivation behind Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship is the submissive, passive manner in which Antony reacts to her bullying behavior. Even before he appears on the stage, the audience is forewarned of his weak, emasculated conduct through the exchange between Philo and Demetrius, where Antony is described as a “strumpets fool”. This early portrayal of his weak role within the relationship, emphasizes its importance as a permanent theme throughout the play, as it is the first description the audience hears of him. Their account of the situation is immediately confirmed by Antony’s introduction onto the stage, where he responds to Cleopatra’s demands with simpering devotion, “there’s not a moment of our lives should stretch without some pleasure now.” Even despite Cleopatra’s bullying treatment, Antony appears for the most part totally absorbed in his love for her that he can only respond with a meek, “most sweet queen.” Indeed, he appears to even love Cleopatra’s bad moods, “Every passion fully strives to make itself in thee, fair and admired!” Perhaps a device by Shakespeare to fully demonstrate his adoration for Cleopatra, that even the most unpleasant of qualities, he finds lovable in her.

Shakespeare’s presentation of Antony as the weaker of the couple, is also exemplified when he attempts to inform Cleopatra of Fulvia’s death, and is interrupted in doing so seven times before he finally manages to tell her. At no point during Cleopatra’s constant interjecting does Antony express any annoyance or frustration, perhaps verification of the respect and adoration he has for her. This pattern of behavior continues almost constantly throughout the play, where Cleopatra’s obvious power leaves Antony emasculated and in the shadow of her control, as seen when he acquiescently says “The purposes I bear; which are, or cease, As you shall give the advice”. Through this presentation of Antony, Shakespeare provides support for the suggestion that his feelings for Cleopatra are honest and genuine, and without hidden incentive as there appears to be nothing that Antony could gain that would act as motivation from allowing her to treat him in this disrespectful manner.

Another theme used by Shakespeare to explore the authenticity behind Antony and Cleopatra’s feelings for one another, is the hyperbolic, lavishly complimentary way in which they speak of each other. The audience is made aware of their habit for exaggerated, amorous declarations when Antony rejects his responsibilities in favor of Cleopatra and claims he would rather, “Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch of the rang’d empire fall!” This not only demonstrates his dedication to Cleopatra above all others, but also his dismissal of the typically restricting and inhibiting Roman attitude, as he adopts adorned language typical of the fluidity of Egypt, as seen in the use of the word “melt”. Cleopatra makes similarly histrionic statements when describing Antony’s absence, and professes that she would rather “unpeople Egypt” than have him not receive “every day a several greeting”.

The theme of hyperbolic, exaggerated statements is further developed through Antony and Cleopatra’s complimentary comparisons of one another to gods or cosmological beings. Cleopatra describes a dream where she saw Antony and “his face was as the heavens, and therein stuck a sun and moon.” In this imagery his very appearance is presented as God-like, and he is depicted as bigger and more powerful than both the sun and moon. She continues to describe how he lit “the little O, the earth”, thereby presenting Antony as actually being the cosmos, and the earth as a small, trivial orb in comparison. Shakespeare again presents their relationship as of, at least in their opinions, epic proportions when Cleopatra describes Antony as “the demi-Atlas of this earth”, again presenting him as a superior figure to the Earth.

Their powerfully hyperbolic affirmations of love could serve to convince the audience that their feelings for one another are genuine. Antony’s exaggerated claim that his and Cleopatra’s love is “peerless”, could demonstrate the passionate enthusiasm of one very much in love. The same can be said for Cleopatra’s romanticized, admiring portrayal of her “man of men”. However, it could also be interpreted that Cleopatra’s elaborate descriptions of Antony are not confirmation of love but simply an example of the extravagant, lavish Egyptian lifestyle spilling over into her language. Shakespeare also perhaps attempted to highlight the possible political motivation behind Cleopatra’s role in the relationship, as by presenting Antony as an important, influential figure, she may hope to enhance her status, even though the audience is aware that, as a result of their relationship, Antony is more mocked than respected.

The willingness Antony shows to sacrifice his military career, as Cleopatra becomes his main priority is a theme that Shakespeare uses to present his feelings for her as sincere and not governed by any other motivation. The opening scene shows Philo and Demetrius discussing Antony’s failings as a soldier, and the juxtaposition of “his goodly eyes…have glow’d like plated Mars” with “you shall see in him the triple pillar of the world transform’d into a strumpets fool”, accentuates the change in Antony’s priorities, as he favors Cleopatra over his responsibilities in Rome. The audience is frequently reminded throughout the play of Antony’s once great role as a powerful soldier, demonstrated by Caesar’s description of his gallant, heroic acts, “It is reported thou didst eat strange flesh, which some did die to look on”. The huge change in Antony’s fighting spirit since meeting Cleopatra is made apparent when the previous description is compared with the accusation that he “did pocket up [Caesar’s] letters; and with taunts did gibe my missive out of audience”. By the frequent juxtaposition of such contrasting judgments, Shakespeare makes the audience aware of the huge role that war played in Antony’s life before Cleopatra, and how he has dismissed this in preference of being in love. He also demonstrates the strength of desire and passion over all other responsibilities, and is likely to convince the audience of Antony’s love, as there appears to be no other explanation for why he would voluntarily sacrifice his authoritative position within Rome to be mocked and scorned.

Antony’s visit to Rome, and his unexpected marriage to Octavia is the only obvious example in the play where Shakespeare demonstrates Antony’s awareness of the connection between politics and love, and how it can be used as a tool to satisfy one’s desires. When asked to explain why he had “broken the article of [his] oath” by ignoring letters and calls for aid from Caesar, Antony attempts to alleviate the blame by answering that his time with Cleopatra, was “poisoned”. Shakespeare demonstrates Antony’s attempts to distance himself from Egypt by his use of less evocative, poetic language, as he converses in a much more straightforward, uncomplicated manner. He also reverts back to using distinctively Roman language, when he describes how he had been “bound up from mine own knowledge”. The use of the word “bound” is typical of the constricting, hindering nature associated with Rome.

By presenting Antony as prepared to lay the entire blame for his lack of interest in Rome on Cleopatra, (even though in the opening scene, it is she that encourages him to “hear the messengers”), Shakespeare portrays Antony as cowardly and deceitful. He would rather attribute the blame to Cleopatra than admit to his own mistakes, therefore making his feelings for her seem insincere and he, uncaring. However, it is likely that Shakespeare intended the audience to conclude that Antony is aware that he has more to lose than Cleopatra from confessing to his behavior, as she is already a hated figure in Rome, and that he understands the importance of reconciling matters with Caesar, which would be less likely if he were to know the truth of his anti-Rome attitude whilst in Egypt. Therefore, Shakespeare perhaps intended Antony’s condemnation of Cleopatra to be viewed as a political move to protect their relationship from the battle that would be (and later is) inevitable if Antony and Caesar were not able to set aside their differences.

When Antony leaves for Egypt almost as soon as is feasibly possible, Shakespeare again presents the audience with an overlap between politics and love. Although Antony admits that “though I make this marriage for my peace, I’ the east my pleasure lies”, giving weight to the belief that he truly loves Cleopatra as he is prepared to offend and annoy Caesar just to see her, there is also the suggestion that his decision to be with her is politically motivated as he is influenced by the soothsayer’s suggestion that he should “make space enough between you”, when he forewarns of Caesar’s good fortune. Shakespeare does not offer a clear or comfortable answer to Antony’s actions in Rome; he does however continue to raise the question as to how the distinction between love and desire, (which in this case is for Antony salvaging his alliance with Caesar) can become ambiguous.

When Antony and Cleopatra are parted, a previously unseen side of her character is revealed as she begs her servant for “mandragora”, so that she “might sleep out this great gap of time my Antony is away”, showing her utter despair at being apart from him, that she would rather sleep than have to live through it. However romantic her complimentary talk of Antony appears, it is, on a literary level, a device by Shakespeare to juxtapose her devoted yearning for him with his thoughtless behavior in Rome in the next following act. Cleopatra muses over Antony at length, and her restless behavior as she flits between wanting music, billiards and fishing in the hope that this will distract her from missing him is perhaps an example of Cleopatra’s “infinite variety”, and also demonstrates the melodrama and passion associated with Egypt. Although her behavior could be argued as proof of love for Antony, I believe that her reputation as self-gratifying and over-the-top, and also that she has never been presented as so openly in love before, may go against her in the audience’s eyes, and her behavior viewed as an indication of her loving the attention and excitement of the situation.

Shakespeare offers the audience clues as to how genuine Cleopatra’s feelings are when she learns of Antony’s marriage to Octavia. Tellingly, her first request is to hear reports of the details of Octavia’s appearance; “her years, her inclination”, even “the colour of her hair”. It is peculiar, but very revealing, that Cleopatra barely mentions Antony in the aftermath of learning he’s married, but instead focuses on Octavia, perhaps the suggestion by Shakespeare that it is not ‘losing’ Antony that upsets her, but ‘losing’ him to another woman, and with this the loss of authority and control that she once enjoyed. When the messengers return, Cleopatra takes great comfort in learning Octavia is “dull of tongue, and dwarfish!” but again makes no reference to the man she is supposed to love. The anger she expresses when she learns that Antony is married could be viewed as proof of the strength of her feelings, though it is more likely that the audience will construe her behavior as shallow and trivial, and in support of the idea that she is upset over another woman having any sort of sway over Antony.

The most powerful and emotionally charged section of the play, and which demonstrate the strongest evidence for their love shows Antony and Cleopatra’s suicides. After Antony accuses her of betraying him and threatens to “let patient Octavia plough thy visage up with her prepared nails”, Cleopatra orders Mardian to “tell him I have slain myself”, in a plot to ensure he still loves her. In a manner that typifies Antony’s rash and thoughtless attitude he naively trusts her and his mood shifts immediately from anger to heartbreak, “all length is torture, since the torch is out”. Shakespeare presents Antony as loyal and devoted, although it is an uncomfortable scene for the audience as dramatic irony is rife as Antony condemns himself to lacking “the courage of a woman”, yet the audience is aware that Cleopatra is still alive, and through her characteristically tactical and plotting approach to their relationship she has caused tragic consequences. When Antony learns that Cleopatra has lied in a bid to protect herself from his anger, his reaction is typically forgiving and docile and he demonstrates his love for her as he begs death to delay, “until of many thousand kisses the poor last I lay upon thy lips.” Shakespeare also promotes support for Cleopatra’s love for Antony as she is presented as equally heartbroken and without hope when faced with her dying lover, “Shall I abide in this dull world, which in thy absence is no better than a sty?” Indeed, even the emotion of the situation is so great as to cause Cleopatra to faint with grief. It is a deeply moving scene, which Shakespeare prevents from becoming absurd as Antony is hoisted to meet her through the use of such poetic and emotionally charged language that lends the sequence dignity and power. Through this Shakespeare provides strong evidence that Antony and Cleopatra are truly dedicated to one another, a belief that is further supported through Cleopatra’s subsequent suicide.

Although the motivation behind Cleopatra’s death varies from Antony’s as she ends act four vowing to defy Caeasar’s plans to be his captive, she does die with Antony at the forefront of her thoughts, “I am again for Cydnus, to meet Mark Antony.” Throughout this scene, Shakespeare presents her as open, in control of her fate yet pitifully wretched at her loss as illustrated when she pleads, “Where art thou, death? Come hither, come; come, come”.

Shakespeare’s presentation of Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship, and whether their feelings for one another are genuine is ambivalent. There is no certain answer by which to trust or discredit what one or the other claims, but I believe Shakespeare’s ambiguous presentation of them was intentionally used to allow the audience to reach their own conclusions as to the sincerity of their affection. I think it is likely that Antony, by Shakespeare’s portrayal of him as weak and desperate to please Cleopatra, will have his marriage to Octavia excused by the audience as a political move and be deemed as entirely genuine in his love for Cleopatra. However, I believe that Cleopatra is unlikely to be so well trusted by the audience. Although she makes very bold statements as apparent proof of her feelings, I think her changeable moods and game playing attitude, will make the audience more likely to reason that it is the drama, passion and conflict of the relationship that she loves, and not Antony himself. Like the hazy, mysterious nature of Egypt, Shakespeare’s exploration of Cleopatra’s true feelings is ambiguous, and without definite conclusion, though he does furnish the audience with enough information to allow them to come to an informed decision themselves, and one that is likely to see Antony viewed as sincere in his love, and an uncertainty surrounding Cleopatra’s declarations.

Cleopatra, “Egypt’s Queen,” is arguably Shakespeare’s most resilient and enchanting female protagonist. She is personified as the embodiment of her country, ‘the soul of Egypt’, and defies the reductive Jacobean “most monster-like” perspective of women. The Renaissance stereotype of the subordinate and inferior female is in total juxtaposition to the possessive and shrewd characteristics that Cleopatra possesses, as she is in fact “a wonderful piece of work.”

Cleopatra manipulates her associates and subordinates through her alluring sexuality and ‘infinite variety,’ transforming Antony into a ‘strumpet’s fool’ and a metaphorical ‘doting mallard.’ Antony is irrevocably devoted to and captivated by her, exposed through entrapment imagery, ‘tied to thy rudder.’ In turn, he neglects his Roman duties. Antony, like many of Cleopatra’s inferiors, is ultimately a victim of Cleopatra’s insatiable lust and magnetic personality, since ‘her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love’. The superlative of “finest” also exposes that, through her divine beauty, ‘that beggared all description’ and “breathless” enticement, she exercises complete domination over her subordinates. Consequently, Cleopatra is most emphatically not a “morsel for a monarch’ but an “enchanting queen.

Firstly, through the choric commentary of Philo in the opening scene, Cleopatra’s ability to emasculate Antony is captured through the mythological imagery of “Mars.” Antony embodies “Mars” as he fought valiantly in battle; however, he has transformed his military past into lustful enthrallment, as a result of his “dotage” for “Egypt’s Queen.” Philo despairs of Antony neglecting his Roman duties, and reveals his captive existence under Cleopatra’s command. His “goodly eyes” that “glow’d like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,” upon the “tawny front” of his “captains heart.” Accordingly, this paradoxical simile is evocative of Antony’s fatal flaw and is prophetic of his demise due to the life of decadence that has now become fundamental to his existence. The universal imagery of Antony’s association with Mars foreshadows his submission to Cleopatra, as she is a physical representation of Venus, and reincarnation of “sweet Isis,” “the fancy outwork of nature.” Philo and Demetrius’ choric function and classical allusions draw attention to Antony’s oscillation from “this Herculean Roman” to a disparaging “warrior,” who has been deprived of all military qualities to metaphorically become “the bellows and the fan/ To cool a gipsy’s lust.”

Furthermore, Antony’s humiliation is portrayed through stage directions, as Cleopatra “enters alongside [eunuchs fanning her],” indicating his effeminized status. Cleopatra admits through a bawdy, phallic innuendo that she has “no interest in anything a eunuch can do,” and that it is “a good thing being Castrated” so they can “concentrate better on her needs.” Therefore, the depiction of this “Eastern Star” as “a morsel for a monarch” is utterly unjust, as her excessive power challenged the patriarchal society. Furthermore, Cleopatra’s sovereignty is exemplified in “Alexandria,” a predominantly feminine sphere, where she can establish her omnipotence. Elizabeth I, the “virgin queen of England,” herself employed phallocentric imagery to express power and supremacy. In the famous “Tilbury Speech,” Elizabeth confessed that although she had the “body but of a weak and feeble woman” she had the “heart and stomach of a King and a King of England too.” Comparable to Cleopatra, the two domineering female leaders use the imagery of a masculine transfiguration to symbolize supremacy.

Consequently, Shakespeare’s antithetical structure allows the audience to interpret the heavily contrasted empires of Rome and Egypt. Cleopatra’s incredible emotional vicissitudes and at times barbaric style, “I will give thy bloody teeth,” allow Cleopatra to embody the stereotypical attributes of a wanton Egyptian. Furthermore, the employment of the plosive “bloody” indicates her loquacious speech, which Shakespeare created to represent her antithetical nature. Her satirical scorning of Antony challenges his military ability through the paradoxical use of the superlative of “the greatest soldier in the world,” who she claims has “Art turn’d the greatest liar.” Cleopatra’s hyperbolic language and imperative questioning “where is he?” force Antony to speak in short, succinct, stichomythic sentences – “Most sweet queen” – evocative of his failure to express any form of political conviction. Furthermore, he depicts himself as “thy soldier servant” using sibilance to draw attention to Cleopatra’s political and emotional domination, as she actively tries to usurp Antony’s control.

In even more ways, Cleopatra can be compared to Elizabeth I, who manipulated the prospect of royal alliance and internal leverage to her convenience. Elizabeth remained constantly alert to the frequently changing European instability, and furthermore capitalized on opportunities that arrived, such as Queen Mary Stuart’s papal opposition to the Anglican Church. Elizabeth I transformed Catholic England into a more reformed, Protestant country. Yet Cleopatra’s shrewdness supported a very different values system, at least for Shakespeare: the Egyptian culture of decadence, self pleasure and unfettered passion is viewed as a threat by Caesar and his disciplined army of political strategists. Cleopatra’s passionate rage challenges Caesar’s militant ability, and ironically she alludes to his effeminacies, undermining his authority in a satirical tone by describing “the scarce bearded Caesar.” This metaphorical language is also characteristic of her scathing stratagem to “play one scene/ Of excellent dissembling.” Cleopatra uses the imperative language “do this, and this”, employing repetition as a means of primarily conveying negative connotations surrounding the inferior and subsidiary leader.

Cleopatra is unquestionably not a “morsel for a monarch.” Contrastingly, she possesses the power to “overtop them all,” influence her fellow rulers, and subsequently control the audience through her unrelenting tenacity and emphatic character. Her subversive nature contrasts to the docile and obedient women constituted in the “Homily of the State of Matrimony,” the Elizabethan central statement on the duties of Husbands and Wives, in which women are erroneously ridiculed as the “weakest vessel”, “for the woman is a weak creature, not endued with like strength and mind” of a man. Moreover, Cleopatra is a metaphorical “thunderbolt,” whose lack of temperance and moderation simply conveys her deceptive and cunning political personality. Ultimately, Cleopatra is precocious actress who uses her emotions as a metaphorical weapon as a means of gaining control.