The Contrast Between Antony and Caesar in Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

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‘The open and lavish character of Antony is admirably contrasted with the heartless littleness of Octavius Caesar’ Evaluate the extent to which you would agree with Schlegel’s view of these characters, exploring carefully Shakespeare’s language, form and structure in his presentation of Antony and Caesar. Antony and Octavius Caesar’s relationship is a complex one, from historical accounts it is clear that the pair were not particularly fond of each other as Octavius believed Antony was partly responsible for the murder of his father, Julius Caesar. In the Ancient world, Rome was ruled by the triumvirate made up of Caesar, Antony and Lepidus. The fact that the triumvirs had a common aim in attempting to maintain the Roman Empire meant that it was necessary for them to work closely with each other. Due to this fact, the audience consistently witness the contrast between the dominant figures in the triumvirate, Caesar and Antony. Their political ideals and personalities make them completely separate, very different individuals which allow the audience to make assessments about each character. Caesar is extremely political and to a large extent represents Roman law and order, whereas Antony seems to be in conflict with himself, his love for Cleopatra is so vast that he neglects his political duties, this further polarises him from Caesar and perhaps gives him the “lavish” quality Schlegel comments upon. A key aspect of the play in which the contrast between Antony and Caesar is explicitly explored is the characters’ attitude to Rome and Egypt. The setting of the play alternates between Alexandria and Rome and whilst Caesar is rooted in Rome, Antony fluctuates between the two and different parts of his personality are illuminated in conjunction with where he is. The distinction between the two was effectively dramatised in a recent production of Antony in

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