Explore the ways Shakespeare uses imagery to produce the viv
Throughout the duration of Shakespeare's tragedy, 'Anthony and Cleopatra', a tool adopted by the playwright keenly is the grand scope of settings that are presented to the audience. These locations vary throughout, but it is Rome and Egypt that feature most predominantly, these are the dwellings of the protagonists of the play. Seemingly united by the amorous love between Anthony and Cleopatra, these two places become increasingly remote from one another. This feeling is constructed purely from Shakespeare's ability to convey the pointed contrast between Rome and Egypt; one way in which he achieves this is by using imagery to produce the chasm that divides the two places.When Domitius Enobarbus, one of Anthony's faithful followers and a usually plain-speaking soldier initially describes the Egyptian queen in Act II Scene ii, it goes on to truly define what becomes representative of the Roman outlook of the East, and this is why this speech's importance is paramount in understanding primarily the difference between Egypt and the West. He decadently paints the image of Cleopatra sitting in a 'burnished throne/ [that] Burned on the water'. In this speech, the alliterative 'b' sound adds to the overall poetic stress of Enobarbus'
By crafting images through speech, the playwright manages to manipulate the views of the chief characters, Anthony, Caesar and Cleopatra. It is Philo who first introduces the audience to the Roman ideals, with his preamble to Anthony's character at the play's commence, when he refers to 'his goodly eyes/ . These two Gods are of great importance within the everyday lives of normal Romans, but are of polar opposites themselves. This idea of merging reality with the dreamlike is a further theme that with the play's progression becomes synonymous with Cleopatra's native soil. In terms of language and structure, this speech is saturated with sensual, rich imagery that is quite dissimilar to the language that is usually associated with any Roman characters, for when Enobarbus refers to the Queen as: 'her own person/ It beggar'd all description'. ' herself, which is unusual as it unites the East with Rome using the aid of Roman Mythology. The representation of the sword rings apparent in the audiences mind, instantly images of leadership, power and brutality are provoked, but this is then contrasted with the reference to a 'bed'. When she is informed that Anthony is 'bound unto Octavia', sister of Caesar, she is enraged and exclaims, 'The most infectious pestilence upon thee!' to a blameless messenger. Also, the exceedingly intricate expression that is embraced here is a reflection of the extravagance that not only he employs, but the whole of Rome, when referring to Egypt and its queen. Rome is a far more material realm, and does not ally itself with soaring imagery, but is rather more concerned with the values of earthly belongings and property. The image of the sword is often referred to in the play, and for the audience at the time it was performed; it would have not solely represented a commanding weapon but also inferred a symbol of personal manhood. Shakespeare adopts a variety of tools to help construct these blatant differences but using imagery is the instrument most skilfully used. It is filled with a sense of awe and sensation, and the people of Rome normally consider emotions as a sign of weakness. Notably, the language here is not only vivid, but also wholly bizarre, crafting visions that are of absolute unreality: 'The water which they beat to follow faster'. There is further confirmation here of the gaping chasm that divides Rome and Egypt, which is verified by the derogatory language that is used when referring to the 'gipsy' kingdom, fashioning only negative imagery of the place.
Common topics in this essay:
Rome Egypt,
Egypt West,
Queen Egypt,
Rome Rome,
Roman Egyptian,
Rome Notably,
Julius Caesar,
Anthony Lepidus,
Rome Philo,
Octavius Caesar,
rome egypt,
roman ideals,
venus goddess love,
compared venus,
venus goddess,
using imagery,
goddess love,
anthony cleopatra,
chasm divides,
compared venus goddess,
audiences mind,
egyptian queen,
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Acceptance Essays
