Cleopatra: ‘ … none but Antony
Should conquer Antony.’ (Act 4 sc 15 lines16-17)
From an examination of the relationships of Antony and Cleopatra, Antony and Caesar and Antony and Enobarbus, discuss the quotation above.
Antony and Cleopatra - Summary, Characters & Themes Analysis
Antony and Cleopatra Summary
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Topic 3
As Cleopatra is so multi-faceted: manipulative temptress, epic lover, politician
and self-absorbed, her power lies outside norms of rules and rational behaviour.
An analysis of her sense of self, manipulating personality and irrational
behaviour will show her as an ‘ultimate exception to all the rules.’
Cleopatra refers to herself as the “serpent of old Nile.” The symbol of the serpent
is associated with power and thus Cleopatra is aware of her power as a politician
and noble ruler but also as a powerful manipulator. Philo refers to Cleopatra as a
lustful “gipsy”. Gipsy’s were seen in a lower manner and this emphasises
Cleopatra’s sense of self and open sexuality as she uses her manipulating
personality without fear.
Cleopatra is referred to as a ‘rare Egyptian’. Egyptians, by nature, were believed
to be spontaneous and passionate. Although Cleopatra shares genuine love for
Antony, she also regarded as his manipulator because powerful men, such as
Julius Caesar, are attracted to her. As Cleopatra controls Antony, the Roman
soldiers become ‘woman’s men’, she ‘robs[s] Antony of [his] sword’ and Antony
becomes a ‘noble ruin of her magic.’ ‘This enchanting queen’ convinced Antony to
fight on sea with her by his side and flees for reasons unknown. Antony’s rage is
quickly writhed by a single kiss from Cleopatra, emphasising that Cleopatra is
Antony’s ‘captain.’ Cleopatra also manipulates Caesar; by referring to his as ‘Sole
sir o’th’world’, ‘master’ and ‘lord’; into believing that she will not kill herself in
order to escape becoming his trophy to display in Rome. Her manipulation and
irrational behaviour often collide throughout the play.
Enobarbus refers to Cleopatra as “the moon.” In the same way that the moon
waxes and wanes so to does Cleopatra remain unpredictable and inconsistent in
her behaviours. Cleopatra is ready to give up her empire of power for the empire
of love with Antony as she exclaims ‘melt Egypt into Nile, and kindly creatures
turn all to serpents!’ Cleopatra decides to kill herself in order to transcend into
love with Antony, after he killed himself when he thought Cleopatra was dead.
Cleopatra’s intense emotion and passion often leads her into irrational behaviour
that causes her to be an ‘exception to the rules.’
It is this ability to be the perfect embodiment of all things – beauty, vice, virtue
and manipulation – that create this complex character that is Cleopatra.
Cleopatra often behaves childishly with relentless self-absorption and un
changing manipulation that makes her ‘embodiment of the irrational’ and the
‘ultimate exception to the rules.’
417 words
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