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Love and politics are two themes central to the story of Antony and Cleopatra. Antony, the hero of the tragedy, is seen as a man caught between two worlds- the fantasy microcosm of Alexandria, and the titanic responsibilities and honors of the triumvirate, whilst his lover Cleopatra is the ruler of Egypt. Between them, they have political authority over half the known world, so theirs is a relationship embroiled in political significance. The language that Shakespeare uses to portray these two principle dimensions of the play is therefore integral, in order to evoke the tragedy the author intends.
For Antony and Cleopatra's tragedy explores almost a crown on death, a total, unprecedented political collapse. The two extremes, love and death, seem to unite in speech. The culmination of the play sees to die as symbolic of total love. Conversely, to love is also to die.
Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Cleopatra and Antony all die at the height of their love or loyalty. Clearly such tragedy of political and romantic importance requires a diverse and complex deployment of language, and it is this technique that I now seek to explore. The language of love in Antony and Cleopatra is one of the plays greatest pleasures. The magnificence of the poetic lexis is what elevates the characters in the imagination, and sustains their larger than life status. It is majestically exaggerated- take the picture of Cleopatra on her barge sailing down the river Cydnus to meet Antony, which ends in a praise of her infinite variety she herself envisages Antony as the demi-Atlas of this earth.
Her dream of Antony after he is dead his legs beatrix the ocean is similarly grand. Her response to the death of Antony, the crown oth earth doth melt, and her own words as she is about to commit suicide give me my robe, put on my crown, I have Immortal longings in me sustains the portrayal through language of the lovers, and their relationship, reaching beyond mortality. Certainly, this use of hyperbole in the language of love is one that is evident from the very start of the play, as Philo says of Antony this dotage of our generals overflows the measure and continues when Cleopatra says to her lover Ill set a born how far to be below, he replies Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. The reader can constantly see imagery in the text of the love being limitless, almost too much, and this can certainly be seen to contribute to the eventual downfall of them both. At this point it must also be noted that this amorous, image-laden language is archetypal of the world of love in Antony and Cleopatra. For Antony, Alexandria is a place where he can exert his imagination and dreams- where he becomes tempted by the soft life and his passion for Cleopatra.
This type of language is a necessity in portraying this, the hyperbole and other imagery all-contributing to Antony's dreamworld. Antony realizes this to an extent, as can be seen from his exclamations such as These strong Egyptian fetters I must break, or lose myself in dotage. The versatility of love in the play can be seen in the myriad of situations in which the lovers are placed, and the facets of their emotions that we see- egotism, envy, anger, jealousy, loyalty, trust, infatuation, passion, sexuality, and, most of all, companionship. In Act III, scene eleven, Antony reproaches Cleopatra, but when she begs his pardon he forgives her, showing loyalty and trust.
When he thinks she has been flirting with Caesars messenger, he flies into a rage You were half blasted ere I knew you: ha? Forborne the getting of a lawful race, and by a gem of women, to be abuse by one that looks on feeders displaying jealousy of his lover, anger at her, and a level of hurt and insecurity in the reaction. Perhaps the most harmonious scene between the two occurs when she is arming him for battle, in Act IV scene four. Following victory here, he salutes her in the presence of his victorious generals, an act of solemn respect in front of the people he trusts the most. Then, after the final defeat, he blames her betraying him (this time without foundation) in the strongest possible terms, an accusation which he only retracts after he thinks she has committed suicide.
This array of different emotional situations we see Antony and Cleopatra in adds that extra dimension of realism. The language used in their intercourse brings the world of love alive, in that not only are we presented with the idealistic portrayal of romantic exaggeration (Enobarbus speech, for instance, or Cleopatra's dream) but, as the situations listed above show, we see Antony berating his lover with strong, harsh language all is lost: this foul Egyptian hath betrayed me and vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving, and blemish Caesars triumph. Theirs is a real romance, and the strain of the political dimension to their characters brings this into the forefront of the story. The element of companionship and reminiscence in their language adds to this concept of realism, as we can see examples of playful competitiveness and teasing. A perfect example of this is when Cleopatra is musing of her lover in his absence with Charmian, and recalls a time when they had a fishing contest. Twas merry when you water on your angling, when your diver did hang a salt-fish on his hook which he with fervency drew up to which Cleopatra replies That time?
Oh times! I laugh him out of patience; and that night I laugh him into patience. The audience can see the way the two enjoy and cherish every moment they spend together through the language Cleopatra recalls it in. The witty innuendo is also typical of the linguistic style used when the subject is love- poetic often-involving wordplay. The humorous nature of the two cheats to beat each other in their contest highlights the quality of friendly companionship in the plays love. The argument the two have in Act One scene three reinforces this concept of friendly teasing and word play.
Antony teases Cleopatra, swearing by my sword (...
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Research essay sample on Love And Politics In Antony Cleopatra
