Antony and Cleopatra Essay

Throughout ‘Antony and Cleopatra’s’ long theatrical history, many generations have perceived the represented conflict between eastern and western values in the light of their own concerns, often concluding that one sphere is innately more ‘moral’ than its converse. This is heightened by Shakespeare’s ambiguity in his portrayal of the characters of Caesar and Cleopatra, who embody ‘West’ and ‘East’ respectively. Many of Shakespeare’s contemporaries saw striking parallels between Caesar and the new King James, who had expressed a wish to become a new, English Augustus. Audiences, therefore, could infer that through the author’s portrayal of Caesar as a cold force, lacking empathy and humanity but proffering peace and unity, Shakespeare was alluding to James as representative of a new Western value system that he could not fully endorse. Audiences may have understood the idea that with the heralding of a new era, a key element – which the ‘east’ in the play represents – had been repressed from the British consciousness. Some would have associated this with the death of Queen Elizabeth, a popular, enigmatic ruler who, in retrospect seemed to embody the last of a ‘Golden Age,’ where mystery and splendour existed alongside reason and politics. Often, priggish Victorian audiences found the play rather challenging to their notion of the innate supremacy of British civilisation and Western values. By the 19th century, Britain had metamorphosed into a dominant world power similar to that controlled by Caesar, and many features, such as a rampant imperialism, a strive for power, and a tendency to frequently moralise, were in common with that of the Rome presented by Shakespeare. Their Western perspective, and the absence of any moral conclusion by Shakespeare, led many Victorians to adopt the Roman viewpoint – ultimately empathise with Caesar and condemn the protagonists’ love as innately immoral. Many Victorians were repelled by an East that was practically the antithesis of their society – the frank portrayal of sexuality, the fraternisation of royals with commoners, and the overall decadence of the Alexandrian court were condemned, and although audiences were still fascinated by Cleopatra, she was cast as the villain of the piece, who; ‘The triple pillar of the world transformed  Into a strumpet’s fool.’  The 20th century saw a diverse range of responses towards the antithesis, many corresponding with the perspectives from which theatrical productions approached the problem. There is still sometimes the tendency to moralise the concepts of Rome and Egypt, arguing one must be ‘good’ and the other automatically ‘bad,’ and many productions focus on either the political (Roman) or the emotional (Egyptian) aspects of the play. Since the tragedy of September 11th, the media have largely exaggerated the notion of an inherent conflict between the ‘Christian West’ and the ‘Islamic East,’ and this adds a new dimension to the play for current viewers.  The antithesis between Rome and Egypt tears them apart, but also inextricably entangles them. As without light, there would be no darkness, where ‘East’ does not exist, the concept of ‘West’ is nullified. Both are essential components of complete humanity, and Caesar’s apparent victory over Egypt is notable only for its superficiality – the ‘East’ can never be expunged, and will always be a key element of human consciousness. However, through their deaths, Antony and Cleopatra transcend these converse forces, and in reconciling ‘East’ and ‘West’ to reach the ultimate potential of their humanity are propelled into the realms of mythology. The conclusion is one merging tragedy and supreme divinity, where the lovers are seemingly destroyed by the world yet truly conquer it, exalted into immortality and splendour as the magnificent lovers that the tumultuous, paradoxical mortal world could never allow them to be. Bibliography Antony and Cleopatra – William Shakespeare  Antony and Cleopatra: A Shakespearean adjustment -John F Danby  Macmillan Master Guides: Antony and Cleopatra – Martin Wine