Antony And Cleopatra

Front 1

"This dotage...."

Back 1

"PHILO: This dotage of out general's

O'erflows the measure:"

^ Fluid magery associated with Egypt +Nile applied to ANT, dotage - implies old and weak, both Him and CLEO. Introduces the play with a contrasting ANT to that seen in JC.

Front 2

Flowing imagery

Back 2

"PHILO: now bend, now turn" A1S1

"ANT: Rome in Tiber melt" A1S1

"CLEO: Melt Egypt into Nile" A2S5

^ Fluidity associted with Egypt, rigidity with Rome, shows how ANT has changed and semantic field of melting and fluid. Shows how far ANT has given up his dutys in Rome for CLEO.

Front 3

"There's beggary...."

"I'll set...."

Back 3

ANT: "There's beggary in love that can be recon'd"

CLEO: "I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved"

^ Suggests CLEO controls the relationship, some productions have her physically dragging him onto stage with a lead and collar.

Front 4

"I'll seem...

Back 4

"CLEO: I'll seem the fool I am not,

Antony shall be himself.

ANT: But stirred by Cleopatra!"

^ ANT defining his identity by CLEO, has become dependent on her. CLEO controlling again and stating both of their positions.

Front 5

"when he is not Antony.."

Back 5

"PHILO: Sir, when he is not Antony,

He comes too short of that great property,

Which still should go with Antony"

^ "ANT's reply means "I shall be fully myself only if inspired by CLEO." Throughout this dialogue CLEO provokes ANT and he turns her taunts in such a way as to flatter her." - John Wilders

Front 6

"Friends...."

Back 6

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears;"

^ Powerful speech emphasizes the change in ANT, also how he approaches his people and his more down to earth style of leadership and comradery vs CAE's politics

Front 7

"Turn of....

Back 7

"Turn of tippling with the slave."

^ CAE dislikes how close ANT is with him men who he believes should be separated absolutely, comp with COR "That do corrupt my air, I banish you."

Front 8

"Thou art...... more"

Back 8

"ANT: Thou art a soldier only: Speak no more"

^ How frustrated ANT is and how his attitude towards his common soldiers has changed, his attitude become more Egyptian aka leaders = Gods.

Front 9

"We are..."

Back 9

"We are women's men"

^ Plutarch "the Romans were fighting this war against Mardian the eunach, Iras, who waas CLEO's hairdresser, and Charmian, her wiating woman." or Roman belief that ANT was controlled by CLEO

Front 10

"I'll......none better"

Back 10

"ANT: I'll fight at sea.

CLEO: I have sixty sails, Caesar none better."

^ Roman belief that ANT was controlled by CLEO and has lost himself in her.

Front 11

"I have a ship......."

Back 11

"ANT: I have a ship,

Laden with gold; take that, divide it, fly,

And make your peace with Caesar."

^ ANT returned more to himself, looking after his men in defeat and sending them away to save themselves, isolating himself = quality of Shakespeare's tragic hero's "

Front 12

"Observe...."

Back 12

"CAE: Observe how Antony becomes his flaw."

^ ANT's self absorption and rejection of his duties has caused him to lose the people, his arrogance and foolishness have lost him his war and honour and eventually his life.

Front 13

"sword against...."

Back 13

"ANT: Sword against sword,

Ourselves alone."

^ ANT is desperately trying to claw back his honour but he has lost the war against CAE and refuses to admit it, "an unreal, histrionic effort, for CAE is no interested in this public display of bravery." - Maurice Charney

Front 14

"All is lost....."

Back 14

"ANT: All is lost;

This foul Egyptian has betrayed me."

^ Finding himself alone and betrayed ANT is isolated and reduces CLEO to an egyptian, to distance himself from her when angry with words like "Queen" and "Egypt" eg "fie wrangling Queen!"

Front 15

"There is left......"

Back 15

"There is left us

Ourselves to end ourselves."

^ Trying to make himself Roman in his death ANT asks Eros to kill him, to spare him from the humiliation of CAE and (mostly) to follow CLEO who he believes has killed herself in repentance for her betrayal of him.

Front 16

“I talk of you:
...... I am.”

Back 16

COR: “I talk of you:
Why did you wish me milder? Would you have me
False to my nature? Rather say I play
The man I am.”

^ Compare COR and CAE who both despise their people but CAE goes about his leadership much more like ANT, refusing to change himself to suit politics and popularity.

Front 17

"A Roman......"

Back 17

"A Roman by a Roman

Valiantly vanquished. Now my spirit is going:

I can no more."

^ ANT's final speech ends with pride in his Roman death, one that would be familiar to CLEO who, being of Greek heritage, would have been taught suicide as a valiant death to save oneself from suffering.