week 6 seminar 6 - antony and cleopatra

How are Rome and Egypt represented? What kinds of places do they seem to be? How do they relate to one another?

• Rome represents duty, order, reason, and political ambition. It is a world of war, discipline, and masculinity, which values honour and responsibility

• Egypt symbolises pleasure, sensuality, indulgence, and emotional freedom. It is a realm of love, passion, and personal fulfillment, associated with Cleopatra’s charisma and luxury.

• The tension between these places reflects the conflict within Mark Antony, who is torn between his Roman identity as a soldier and his desire for Cleopatra and the Egyptian way of life.

What patterns of imagery are used for them?

• Rome is depicted with images of war, politics, and duty. Words like "sword," "battle," "duty," and "honour" frequently appear. The Romans, especially Octavius Caesar, see Egypt as weak and decadent.

• Egypt is associated with water, fertility, excess, and exotic luxury. Cleopatra is often linked to the Nile, serpents, and feasting, creating an atmosphere of sensuality and mysticism.

• The play sets up binaries (reason vs. passion, duty vs. desire, war vs. love) to emphasise the conflict between Rome and Egypt.

Why do you think Cleopatra loves Antony and vice versa?

• Antony - drawn to Cleopatra’s charisma, wit, and sensuality, she represents freedom from the rigid expectations of Rome, offering him a life of indulgence and pleasure. He admires her intelligence and theatricality, Cleopatra is not just a lover but a force of nature, constantly keeping him emotionally engaged. However, his love is conflicted: he struggles between his duty as a Roman leader and his passion for her, which ultimately leads to his downfall.

• Cleopatra’s - love is dramatic but not insincere, thrives on passion and spectacle, and Antony provides both. She is also politically savvy—her relationship with Antony strengthens Egypt’s position against Rome but by the end, her grief at his death suggests that love, not politics, was her true motivation.

To what extent is their love textured by politics?

• Their love is never entirely separate from politics:

• Antony’s alliance with Cleopatra alienates him from Rome and ultimately leads to his defeat.

• Cleopatra, as queen of Egypt, must always consider the political consequences of her actions, even in romance. She is aware that her power partly depends on her ability to captivate Antony.

• Caesar sees their love as a threat to Rome, using it to justify war against them.

Which is stronger and which is weaker: their romance or their alliance?

• Their romance is more powerful than their alliance. They are both flawed rulers because they let their emotions interfere with strategy.

• Antony makes poor military decisions because of his devotion to Cleopatra (following her ships at Actium instead of leading his fleet properly).

• Cleopatra, despite being a shrewd leader, ultimately chooses love over survival by taking her own life rather than becoming a Roman captive.

• In the end, their love proves stronger than their political ambitions, but it is also their undoing.

How do they speak? Do they approach language differently?

• Cleopatra speaks in rich, poetic, and hyperbolic language, full of imagery, contrasts, and unpredictability. She often performs through her words, using exaggeration to manipulate or captivate others. She shifts between playfulness, seduction, rage, and despair, depending on the situation. When speaking to Roman messengers or enemies, she is more political and calculating but still maintains a sense of grandeur.

• ‘Eternity was in our lips and eyes.’ (Act 1, Scene 3). She describes love in cosmic terms, elevating passion to something divine.

• Antony’s speech is heroic and formal when speaking as a Roman general, but when he is with Cleopatra, it becomes more poetic and romantic. His words often reveal inner conflict—he struggles between duty and passion. When speaking to Roman figures like Octavius or soldiers, he uses more direct, military language.

• ‘Here is my space. Kingdoms are clay.’ (Act 1, Scene 1). He dismisses Rome’s political world in favour of love, but this changes when duty calls.

Does this change with others?

• With each other: Their language is ornate, emotional, and grand, filled with metaphors of gods, nature, and eternity.

• With Romans: Antony speaks in military, duty-driven language, and Cleopatra, though still theatrical, adapts to the political setting.

• In private vs. public: Cleopatra is more emotionally expressive in private, while Antony tries (but often fails) to maintain a strong front in public.

• Their speech patterns mirror their power dynamics—Cleopatra’s unpredictability often keeps Antony off balance.

• The shift in Antony’s speech from commanding warrior to desperate lover reflects his downfall.

• Cleopatra’s final speech before death is calm, poetic, and regal, showing that she controls her narrative even in death.

• Their speech isn’t just about communication—it’s about power, performance, and identity.

Do you find Antony and/or Cleopatra appealing?

• Antony is a once-great warrior whose love for Cleopatra weakens his political standing, yet his reckless passion and nobility make him compelling. His internal struggle between duty and desire is very human and tragic.

• Cleopatra is mesmerising—brilliant, theatrical, witty, and manipulative, yet undeniably regal and powerful. Her unpredictability keeps both Antony and the audience entranced.

• Even when they make terrible decisions, their sheer magnetism makes it hard to look away. They are not perfect heroes but romantic figures who burn brightly before their fall.

Why do you think they inspire loyalty from their followers?

• Antony’s soldiers remain loyal despite his decline because of his past greatness and his genuine connection with them. Enobarbus follows him for a long time, despite recognizing Antony’s flaws.

• Cleopatra’s servants (Charmian and Iras) remain utterly devoted. Even after Antony’s death, they choose to die with her rather than serve Rome.

• Their followers are not just loyal out of duty but because they love them as people—their personalities, their passion, their larger-than-life presence.

To what extent is this a play about fading celebrity?

• Antony was once Rome’s greatest general, but his reputation fades as he is consumed by love and indulgence. His struggle is not just about war but about his legacy slipping away.

• Cleopatra, too, is obsessed with how she will be remembered. She fears being paraded through Rome as a captive, reduced to a mockery of her former glory. She chooses a grand, dramatic death to cement her legend rather than face humiliation.

• Their story is like that of ageing Hollywood icons, desperately trying to hold on to their youth, passion, and relevance in a world that is moving on without them.

How does this play depict middle age?

• The tension between past glory and inevitable decline:

• Antony is no longer at his peak, and he knows it. He tries to prove he still has strength, but his mistakes in battle show that he is losing his touch. His tragedy is partly about not knowing when to let go.

• Cleopatra is still a powerful figure, but there are hints that she, too, feels time catching up with her. She plays the role of the eternal seductress, but the urgency in her relationship with Antony suggests an awareness that they are no longer young lovers.

• Unlike Shakespeare’s younger tragic lovers (Romeo and Juliet), Antony and Cleopatra’s love is complicated by history, regrets, and the weight of past decisions—a deeply mature, bittersweet love rather than an innocent one.

What do you think of the play’s portrayal of Octavius?

• Octavius Caesar (Augustus) is portrayed as shrewd, disciplined, and politically ruthless—the exact opposite of Antony. While Antony is ruled by passion and impulse, Octavius is defined by control, pragmatism, and ambition.

• He rarely lets emotions interfere with his plans. Unlike Antony, who is distracted by love, Octavius always prioritizes Rome, power, and order.

• Ruthless and Manipulative: He uses his sister Octavia as a political tool to bind Antony to him through marriage. When that fails, he turns public opinion against Antony and Cleopatra.

• A Symbol of Rome’s Future: His victory represents the triumph of rational, bureaucratic Rome over the wild, passionate East. Yet, there’s little joy in his success—his Rome is orderly but lacks Antony and Cleopatra’s grandeur and humanity.

• He does what is necessary for Rome, but he lacks warmth. Unlike Antony and Cleopatra, who inspire love and loyalty, Octavius inspires obedience and fear. His final words about Cleopatra show some admiration, but he remains more politician than poet.

What do you think of the play’s portrayal of Enobarbus?

• A tragic side character

• Antony’s friend and follower, but also the play’s most honest voice—a man who sees Antony’s flaws but loves him anyway.

• He often serves as a commentator, mocking the absurdity of Antony and Cleopatra’s excesses. Yet, despite his cynicism, he remains devoted.

• When Antony begins making disastrous mistakes, Enobarbus finally defects to Octavius—not because he loves Caesar, but because he sees that Antony is doomed.

• Unlike other characters who die in grand, dramatic ways, Enobarbus dies in quiet despair. Overcome with regret for betraying Antony, he dies alone, proving that, in the end, his love for Antony was stronger than his pragmatism.

• He represents the rational, middle ground between Rome and Egypt, between duty and passion.

• His tragic arc emphasises Antony’s fatal charisma—even those who see his flaws are drawn to him.

What is the role of comedy in the play?

• Satire of Power and Politics – Roman messengers and soldiers often mock the excesses of Egypt, while Octavius’s cold calculations contrast with Antony’s grandeur.

• Humanizing the Characters – Cleopatra, especially, is witty, theatrical, and playful, making her a more complex and engaging character.

• Setting Up the Tragedy – By allowing moments of humour, Shakespeare makes the eventual downfall feel more poignant—the contrast sharpens the pathos.

How purely tragic do we find Antony and Cleopatra?

• High Tragedy – The lovers’ deaths are deeply romanticised, with Antony as the doomed warrior and Cleopatra as the queen who dies on her own terms.

• Political Tragedy – Antony’s loss of power and honour is just as tragic as his love story. His downfall is a mix of fate and personal flaws.

• Theatrical Tragedy – Cleopatra stages her own death, making it an act of performance as much as despair. Her final moments feel almost mythic rather than purely tragic.

Do elements of ridiculousness enhance or deflate the tragedy?

• Absurd Tragedy: Antony’s botched suicide is both heartbreaking and darkly comedic—he tries to die nobly but ends up needing help. This makes his fate even more pitiful.

• Cleopatra’s Over-the-Top Grief: She mourns Antony in wildly exaggerated terms (*“The crown o’ the earth doth melt”*), which might seem excessive, but this makes her love feel more real—she experiences loss theatrically, not quietly.

• The Clown with the Asp: Cleopatra’s death is interrupted by a bumbling clown delivering the fatal asp. This moment of awkwardness makes her final, poetic death even more striking by contrast.

• By mixing the tragic with the ridiculous, Shakespeare emphasizes the grandeur and the downfall—making Antony and Cleopatra not just doomed lovers, but aging celebrities, fading warriors, and people who die desperately trying to control their own narrative.

What do you think of the play’s pacing?

• Pacing is dynamic and unpredictable reflecting its themes of political upheaval, shifting allegiances, and emotional instability. Shakespeare frequently cuts between locations and perspectives, making it feel almost cinematic—especially in Acts III and IV.

What is the effect of the rapid changing of scenes in Acts III and IV

• These acts are filled with short, fast-paced scenes, often jumping between Rome, Egypt, and the battlefield.

• This rapid scene-shifting creates a sense of urgency and chaos, mirroring Antony’s unraveling fortunes.

• The audience is constantly disoriented, much like Antony, as we move between grand decisions, betrayals, and moments of self-doubt.

• The Battle of Actium and its aftermath feel particularly fragmented, reinforcing Antony’s loss of control—his world is breaking apart, and the structure of the play reflects that.

• The effect? Breathlessness, tension, and the sense that events are spiraling beyond Antony’s grasp.

Compared with Act V?

- Once Antony is dead, the scene structure shifts—the play slows down dramatically in Act V.

- Cleopatra’s final moments are given extended focus, allowing for reflection, grandeur, and theatricality.

- The play gives Cleopatra full control over the final act, just as she controls her own death. Unlike Antony’s frantic demise, hers is deliberate, poetic, and mythic.

- The pacing shift forces the audience to sit with the tragedy, emphasizing Cleopatra’s transformation from a lover and politician into a legendary figure who will not be conquered.

Why Does This Pacing Matter?

• The rapid cuts of Acts III and IV heighten the sense of instability and Antony’s downfall.

• The slower, more measured Act V gives Cleopatra’s death the weight of a carefully orchestrated finale.

• This contrast makes the final moments feel grand and inevitable, rather than just chaotic destruction.