Finishing up my over view of Antony and Cleopatra. I watched the 1981 version of the play. Watching the play adds a different feel to what the story is telling, then just reading it. In some ways Antony and Cleopatra's lines in the movie seemed to mushy, like they didn't really mean what they said. While in the play, when I read it, they seemed more heartfelt and sincere. Placing the play in a different time period, also adds different feelings to what is going on. The politics seem different, and perhaps the players motives are different as well.
As I watched the play again, I thought about the downfall of Antony and Cleopatra. In our discussion about tragedies, we talked about the 'flaw' that the protagonist/s find in themselves at the end of the play.
Antony's tragic flaw seems to be his love and dependence on Cleopatra. But, looking deeper, it is not only his dependence on her, but his own weakness. Antony cannot stand up for himself. When Augustus suggests he marries Caesar's sister, he does - even though he knows he loves Cleopatra, and that it will make her terribly upset. As well as betraying Cleopatra, he is constantly blaming her of being a traitor to him. He seems to reverse the actual roles. As he retreats after Cleopatra, or marries someone else instead of her - he blames her for all his problems! When he dies, it is because of his failure as a person - he has deserted his followers, killed the woman he loves (he thinks), and lost all his prestige and fame.
Cleopatra is harder. Although she loves Antony, she is ruled by more reason than he is. (- which, as a side noet is interesting as the masculine feminine roles are reversed in this way. Antony more emotional, Cleopatra more rational.) She is able to think through her own problems and try to work through them. When her kingdom is captured by Caesar, and Antony dies in her arms, she does not kill herself simply out of love and the knowledge that she has failed. There is something deeper, more prideful about Cleopatra. She sees her position as Egypt's queen and realizes that the only noble thing for her to do is kill herself. Her motives seem much more complex.
As i was thinking about this, as tragic as it is. Both of these 'heroes' are remembered in different ways. Their romance is legend, of course, but Antony is still viewed as more weak, and Cleopatra's death as a more noble way to die. Both situations at first glance seem similar, hope seems lost, the kingdoms are destroyed, they ultimately take the same courses of action - and yet, their motives are different. And that seems to make all the difference.
The true tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra is Antony's lack in being true to himself. Just as many other tragedies, he does not realize where his true allies lie and where his heart should lie. King Lear suffers the same realization, that he has put faith in and pleased the wrong people - and he now must suffer the consequences of his actions.
I think Shakespeare likes to toy with our heads. He wants us to think about this, think about relationships and what they really mean and are. So, what do you think?
- Also, as a side note. I really liked this clip of Antony and Cleopatra's deaths. I think the actors did a really good job.
Watching the scenes, and hearing the lines with the actors putting feeling and expression to the words makes a big difference in how they are interpreted, and makes them mean more.
