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"Antony and Cleopatra is drama in the shape of chronicle, All For Love is drama in the shape of drama. " (Bailey 16) This quote simply sums up the reason why Dryden's play grasps the reader to finish his verse long before Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Obviously unable to take away from Shakespeare and his verse, Dryden makes up for his inferiority in verse in other ways. One example is his use of characters. While the reader is constantly checking back to find who's who in Antony and Cleopatra, Dryden has simplified his cast of characters allowing for smoother reading. While Dryden sticks with tradition and formulates his play within a 24 -hour period, Shakespeare goes from place to place forcing the reader to constantly check the status of the situation.
Shakespeare has more underlying themes in his verse such as the attack on the triumvirate, whereas Dryden focuses more on the love and drama of Antony and Cleopatra allowing the reader to be more involved in the drama instead of figuring out where the stories going next. While both texts ultimately speak of true love at its finest, the refinery of their characters is quite different. Dryden portrays an, although love stricken, heroic soldier never lacking in pride for his person, and on the other hand a love struck queen who is at the mercy of her brave hero. On the opposite end of the spectrum Shakespeare chooses the opposite route. His feminine lead is selfish and manipulative, although she ultimately loves Marc Antony, she is always thinking of her selfish pride first, while Shakespeare's hopeless hero is at the mercy of the Egyptian queen influencing him to be awkward and clumsy beside a gleaming reputation. While both authors perceive Marc Antony as unfocused, self-destructive, and irresponsible in love it is clear that one develops a more noble vision of the soldier, husband, father, and friend: Marc Antony.
Dryden's Antony is more noble than the cross dresser we see in Shakespeare's original. Dryden concurs with the 18 th century theme of duty. It is essential and warranted of Marc Antony to take responsibility for his duties as a general, husband, father, and his greater duty to Rome. In All For Love he ultimately does all of the above as a noble man should; yet in the end he is ruled by his heart which turns to Cleopatra. This is shown by example toward the end when he curses her for loving Dolabella, maintaining his pride and moving forward to his duty as general. Only when Alexa's brings him the false news of his beloved's death does he succumb to his heart's true feelings and relinquish all power to Caesar.
His marriage to Octavia is also an example of the importance of duty in Dryden. He emphasizes this importance by allowing Antony to be persuaded back to his wife and children, while in Shakespeare the marriage to Octavia was a quick fix for damage already done with Caesar. Shakespeare's Antony is much more distracted and deliberate in his actions toward his friend Enobarbus, his wife Fulvia then Octavia, and last but not least Cleopatra. He marries Octavia out of duty to Rome, yet dismisses her practically with a wave of the hand. His love for Cleopatra is out of control deeming it practical to dress in her clothes while she fancies his sword, or pretending to be slaves in town. These actions do not condone the noble soldier that everyone has thought him to be.
Cleopatra has control of him on sight feeling Antony into decisions that are not for the good of Rome. In Antony's world of clumsy disillusionment it is easy to place Cleopatra as selfish and manipulative. Shakespeare delves into her past setting up Cleopatra as the harlot to his readers. Antony is perceived as her type when you discover her past lovers being Caesar and Pompey the Great. All men are well known, powerful, and wealthy. All these characteristics fit Marc Antony.
Cleopatra is constantly chastising him and selfish in her successions. From the very beginning when she says, "If it be love indeed, tell me how much" the reader can sense the upper hand she has over him. While one can presume her love for Antony is great, her woes when he returns to Octavia, one can also presume her love for herself is greater. Shakespeare expands on the idea of her killing herself not only as a painless sacrifice to her lover, but more so she will not be a prize to Caesar. The reader comes to this idea in Shakespeare more than in Dryden because the character of Cleopatra is harsher throughout Shakespeare's play allowing the reader to develop Cleopatra as a manipulative mind.
In Dryden the reader is allotted more time to know Cleopatra. She is a humbled woman, weak in confidence and unable to survive without Antony. Although her character is not as manipulative than in Shakespeare, the reader is able to conceive a clearer idea of the love shared between the two. Dryden allows us to view Cleopatra more because she is with Antony.
Unfortunately, we learn that she is weak without him. This is portrayed well when Octavia confronts her about Antony. Although he "professed to imitate the divine Shakespeare" Dryden did not do a slovenly job. There is no doubt that Shakespeare has a wonderful talent and beautiful verse, yet Dryden produces an excellent portrait of a well-told love story. There are many thought provoking comparisons and contrasts that can be made between the two works. Dryden has done a role reversal in his version, All For Love.
Shakespeare has Cleopatra with the upper hand while Antony is a fool in love. Dryden draws Antony as a noble soldier in love with a fragile woman who acts on the mercy of one man. Since the reader rarely sees Antony and Cleopatra together in Shakespeare it is hard to see the basis for their love; especially the love of Cleopatra to Antony. We see her as a whiny selfish character that can't have what she wants. Dryden is able to capture their love by allowing the two to be together the majority of the play.
The reader is in this way able to see the trueness of Cleopatra's character and respect her love for Antony.
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Research essay sample on Analysis Of Dryden Antony And Shakespeare Cleopatra
