Techniques On Cleopatra And Anthony Powerplay
Essay by 24 • July 7, 2011 • 1,375 Words (6 Pages) • 1,145 Views
Elective 2: Powerplay вЂ" Antony & Cleopatra
Consider representations of and the interplay of types of power
Analyse portrayals of the powerful
Consider how the depiction of particular relationships provides insight into the nature of politics
Consider the extent to which power resides with the people
Techniques
Suspense
Delays entry of main characters and Caesar
Caesar powerful- delayed entrance- magnifies his power for audience (dramatic technique)
Soothsayer foreshadowing/foretelling
“You shall outlive the lady whom you serve” (Cleopatra’s death)
“I thou dost play with him at any game, thou art sure to lose” (Antony’s fall to Caesar)
Soliloquy- dramatic monologue
climatic- heightened sense of the character’s soul being laid bare
Antony berating himself for not being strong enough to break the ties with Cleopatra- stupid enough to follow her ships
Foreshadowing his own death вЂ" “O’ Sun, thy uprise shall I see no more”
Sounds of battle
Cannon fire, trumpets, drums вЂ" dramatizes it, makes it more realistic
Dramatic terms- limited by stage, can’t have proper battle scene
Symbol of warfare
Dialogue
Cleopatra’s power over Antony seen when Antony tries to tell Cleopatra about Fulvia, but she constantly cuts him off.
Eg. “now, my dearest queen вЂ" “ ; “Cleopatra вЂ" “ ; “Most sweet queen вЂ" “ ; “Hear me queen:”
Dashes used to signal when he is being cut off and Cleopatra’s speech takes over
Trumpet flourishes/fanfares
Represents Caesar’s power
Ambiguity
“But stirred by Cleopatra” вЂ" moved by her emotionally and sexually
Simile
So extensive are the lands involved that on many occasions the word вЂ?world’ is employed with regard to the central characters eg Fulvia: “Wars twixt you twain would be As if the world should cleave”
Animal References
Horses:
“oh happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony!”
“he did’st drink the stale of horses”
Caesar describes himself and Antony as two war-horses that could not �stall together’
Snakes:
Prepares us for the вЂ?pretty worm of Nilus’ вЂ" the asp that frees Cleopatra from Caesar’s power
Eg �serpent of old nile’
Metaphor
“O’ thy vile lady! She has robbed me of my sword” вЂ" swordÐ" manhood which he sacrificed in his sojourn in Eqypt
dramatizes, imagery
Visual actions
Cleopatra beating messenger Ð" abuse of power
Adds drama/action and excitement to the play with the message being displayed visually
The play covers a period of several years making the rhythm rather vigorous- giving the audience the impression of perpetual shift in power.
Types of Power
Political Power
Military Power
The Power of Sex/Love
Power through Deception
Personal Power (suicide)
Political Power
Rome: democratic state, the senate ultimately decided what and what not was to be done. Leaders need the respect of the roman people to retain their power. Ð'
The three pillars of the world represent an image of power - a triumvirate - that has, by definition, to be shared but will, in fact, never be evenly distributed.
Powerplay existed strongly in the triumvirate - it was a constant battle for more power between the partners, especially between Antony & Caesar.
o Caesar defeated Lepidus illegally by claiming he was a traitor and put him in jail
o and Antony & Caesar went to war against each other, unable to rule alongside each other
As Caesar said (regretfully): “we could not stall together In the whole world”- the world was not big enough for them both to rule.
The nature of the relationship between Caesar & Antony: Caesar refers to Antony as “our great competitor”.
Example of Antony’s imperial power: he saw the world as property that he could carve up and do what he liked with
”I will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms. All the East…
shall call her Mistress.”
Unfortunately, such a large amount of power also requires responsibility- which Antony neglected. This misuse of power led to his downfall.
Caesar
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