Anthony And Cleopatra Powerplay

Powerplay Essay

'Powerplay involves a conflict of interests'. How do the text you have studied and other related texts of your choosing establishes the nature of the interests that are brought into conflict?

Powerplay involves a conflict of interests, which brings the wielder of power has control and influence, yet places them in a vulnerable position from people desiring it thus resulting in a conflict to obtain power. This can be seen in the following texts: the play 'Antony and Cleopatra', the film 'Star Wars - A New Hope' and the novel "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".

An aspect explored in the three texts is how power is gained, and one way of achieving that is through military power and in Antony and Cleopatra Octavius Caesar uses military power to achieve absolute power as his decisions is influenced by reason not passion unlike Antony. An example is when Caesar strategically move Antony's own surrendered men in the front battle line during a battle against him as he says "Plant those who have revolted in the van, / That Antony may seem to spend his fury / Upon himself". The tense emotion on the battlefield manipulates the situation by making Antony feel he is fighting himself when fighting his deserted soldiers through metaphrasing them as himself and this illustrates Octavius cruel and ruthless nature.

George Lucas shows that only the power of the force can make someone gain power unlike Antony and Cleopatra where instead of using intelligence or skill to gain absolute power, in Star Wars only people born with the force can gain absolute power in the universe, as Darth Vader points out "The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force" and we see the effects of this as the use of body language and sound effects of Vader using the force to choke a man without no contact shows the force has given Vader incredible power and this brings fear to everyone not to mess with him throughout most of the film thus only giving him more power.

Rowling expresses military power in Harry Potter during the chess game Harry, Ron and Hermione must take where she uses thought dots '...' where it's huge usage in this section shows Ron's strategically power to advance onto the next task and unbeknownst to them they are helping Harry's power level rise as Harry could never had faced off with Voldemort and see his true power in work without their help and friendship, so Rowling symbolises through Ron's sacrifice to let Harry pass that in military power where Antony and Cleopatra power was achieved without passion like Caesar, his friendship with Ron and Hermione has helped Harry's power rise

Another aspect of power play is how people uses emotional power to achieve absolute power which Cleopatra clearly reflects this as Enobarbus reinforces Cleopatra's manipulative power to create an ambience of power that detracts men to forget about this and get caught up in her beauty as he recounts his first glance of Cleopatra "We cannot call her winds and waters sighs and tears; they are greater storms and tempts than almanacs can report". This use of imagery of the elements illustrates in Enobarbus' eyes of how she uses her emotions to manipulate others and gains power over them.

Lucas uses special effects and sound effects when the empire destroys the planet Alderaan to empathise the empire's way of getting power is by using emotional power by putting fear into the galaxy of their enormous power thus all planets are under their control and the loudness and brightness of the explosion reinforce the power they have as the governor says "no star system will dare oppose the empire now".

Dumbledore emerges as the most powerful person in the novel as he uses emotional power like when he wants Harry to stop visiting the Mirror of Erised, he asks Harry not to see it again and based on the kind and gentle tone of his voice, resembling a friendly nature rather than anger, Harry's agrees where contrast is used to contrast Harry's usual rebellious nature to his quick agreeable response to Dumbledore's request which illustrates his enormous powers and Harry only respects him even more giving Dumbledore more power.

Also Antony and Cleopatra explores how people lose power and he uses Antony to