"Myth and Reality" in Antony and Cleopatra - publié le 17/01/2020

Résumé du document

William Shakespeare, Londonien writer from end of XVIth century, beginning of XVIIth, is considered to be one of the most important playwright of all times. He is one of the most translated writer in the world, and has been studied for generations worldwide. His plays are played in many different countries, with various interpretations, whether it is in movies, plays, or other artistic works.

Extraits

[...] She represents Egypt, and its past magnificence. We know for a fact that Cleopatra had several love stories during her lifetime, including Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. She actually had several children with the two of them, however those are completely occulted in Shakespeare's play, to focus on their relationship. In the facts as in the play, Cleopatra participated in the civil war between Marc Antony and Octavius Caesar. In the play, all characters are named only using one part of the name, which can be a little bit confusing without the historical knowledge Cleopatra is the Cleopatra VII, Caesar is Octavius Caesar (not to be confounded with Julius who was is adopted father, and the lover of Cleopatra), and Antony is Marc Antony. [...]

[...] The most obvious one is Romeo and Juliet, which was first published around ten years before the first representation of Antony and Cleopatra. The first thing that strikes the eye is the title : it is like a mirror. Shakespeare's titles are usually simple, and often refers to the main characters of the play (MacBeth, King Lear). Here the focus is made on the two characters who are also emblematic lovers : first the man's name, then the woman's. We can imagine that Romeo and Juliet was a preparatory work, with fictional characters, leading later to the creation of Antony and Cleopatra, who are the Romeo and Juliet of their time, and actually existed. [...]

[...] Even though inspired from the actual History, Shakespeare romanticized the facts in order to make it an entertaining tale. The story happens at a time when mythology was an important part of individual's life, which is also retranscrided in the play. Throughout the read of the play, one main problematic concerning this aspect comes in mind : how does Shakespeare incorporate several elements, both real and fictif, in order to make it a consistent story ? First, we will focus on the historical aspect of the play : the characters, especially Cleopatra and Antony, but also the overall events, roles of the characters, and the complexity of the war between the triumvirat, Pompeus Cassius and Cleopatra. [...]

[...] He is reading the palms of Charmian and Iras, close acquaintances of Cleopatra. Lamprius is accurately guessing what is going to happen to them in the future. He advised Antony to get back to Egypt while he is in Rome ; according to him there is an outside spirit which look after Antony, and he this spirit does not have the same protective powers in the presence of Caesar. From the beginning of the play, Antony is compared to Mars, the god of war. [...]

[...] Marc Antony is the cousin of Julius Caesar. He is one of Rome emperors, part of the second triumvirate made by him, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus. His wife Fluvia is at the origin of a war against Octavius, jeopardizing the fragile peace of the empire at the time. He is depicted in the play as completely under the influence of Cleopatra, who he loves deeply. He does however marry the sister of Caesar, Octavia, in the facts as in the play. [...]