Antony And Cleopatra Power Play
Power play is featured in human experience at all levels, from the public world of politics to the private world of personal relationships. Textual portrayal of power as a complex social force, has intoxicated the human disposition encapsulating the composers vision of power play being destructive and self serving. Through Anthony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare demonstrates the interplay of political power among the triumvirate, intertwined with Cleopatra's sexual power play which controls Anthony as he gets transformed into a "strumpets fool", highlighting the manipulating nature of power play. Similarly in, Elizabeth (1998), Shekhar Kapur showcases, the triumphing rise of Elizabeth from her rotten beginnings to being one of England's most powerful monarchs, through use of various power play tactics.
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Power play essentially belongs to the pragmatic and the ruthless and this is demonstrated in Antony and Cleopatra.
Octavious Caesar is portrayed as very powerful character through his deceive language, his clear identification of effective strategies and characterization of being someone who is capable of great ruthlessness. In order to fulfill his objectives Caesar establishes a power play stragedy which involves taking advantage of opponents weakness. This is evident when he tells Octavia "he has given his empire up to whore" which shows how he utilizes the personal to attack Antony's political power. Caesar's actions, imprisoning Lepidus and therefore depriving him of his power after "having made use of him in the wars" against Pompey, highlighting his duplicating façade as well as his dispassionate nature. Many of the men who are placed in the front line by Caesar are the very men who have previously deserted from Antony's ranks, accentuating the shifting balance of political power and emphasizing that one need's to exploit opportunities and weaknesses in others to
succeeded.
Similarly in film Elizabeth, the concept of political power play through taking advantage of opponents weaknesses is apparent. After succeeding to the throne of England, Elizabeth struggles to maintain power and leadership as her enemies try to wipe out her position. Like Caesar the Duck of Molfok is able to exploit Elizabeth's weak position of power. His highly effective tactic of intimidating Elizabeth during the discussion of the war between England and Scotland is showcased by a low camera shot and his commanding tone. Using this duplication façade, like Caesar, the Duke's ability to persuade Elizabeth allows him to manipulate their relationship and taking it to his advantage.
Shakespeare in Antony and Cleopatra highlights how the interplay of power play can lead to political downfall Antony's fundamental flaw is that he is unable to maintain a balance between duty and desire, thus moving himself from the "tipple pillars of the world". This is highlighted by the contrast of Antony to his earlier greatness and how he was compared to godly images "have glowed like plated Mars" and "Hercules" giving Antony's status a mystical and powerful figure. Shakespeare's Antony stoops' from the Roman politics to reach Cleopatra in her sensually indulgent world. This is highlighted in Act 3 when he flees the Battle of Actium as he is attracted to Cleopatra's "strong Egyptian fetters". This imagery emphasizes Cleopatra's strong hold over Antony and that he cannot completely break away from her even when "honour calls". Also the imagery of the "ranged empire fall" emphasizes the political decline of Antony, showing his instability to maintain power and leadership.
However in Kapur's film, Elizabeth realizes that she had to be "no man's Elizabeth" to retain her power and sacrifices her love relationship with Robert. This is accentuated by Roberts graphic image which is visually juxtaposed with flames, in the scene where Elizabeth meets him, bringing out the idea that her passion for him is burning away'. However Shakespeare's Cleopatra is portrayed as strongly manipulative in her characterization and uses her sexual power to cause Antony's downfall that symbolically makes him "lay his sword down'. Unlike the play and demise of Anthony's military and political power Elizabeth rises in power as she assets her authority as Queen in the film Elizabeth. Unlike Anthony's initial powerful position, originally Kapur portrays Elizabeth status as weak. Elizabeth's lack of political power is seen through Duke of Norfolk's disregard of the Queen's servants and how she forcefully persuades her to go to war with France. Panning shots of the dead and rich imagery of the blood flowing into the river both literally and symbolically illustrates the loss of military power and Elizabeth's continuing downfall, proving she is "unfit to rule'. When Elizabeth is practicing her address to the senate, its shown her wearing white, symbolizing her original disempowerment, which is juxtaposed to the bishops, who through camera angles appear higher and more grouped, highlighting their higher power. As the film progresses Elizabeth is shown wearing red- symbolic color of power as she takes control of the bishops through powerful dialogue and sarcasm and wit to ridicule the dukes "you have been divorced twice?"
The calculating and manipulative nature of a women's sexual power play in Antony and Cleopatra is portrayed through the characterization of Cleopatra. Cleopatra's beauty and sexuality becomes her political weapons that enable her to capture' Anthony's lust and bring him entirely under her control. A women of infinite variety' Cleopatra's ability to exert power over Antony sexually, is represented through her hyperbolic language with sexual innuendo, seen in the bawdy suggestion of the word play on inches in "I would had thy inches". Shakespeare develops Cleopatra as a powerful manipulator through the use of animal imagery as she is metaphorically referred to as the "serpent of the old Nile". Cleopatra uses both her feminity and manipulation to take control of Antony, as the "buckles on his breast" are use to "cool a gypsies lust". Cleopatra also wrestles control over Antony through conversation, the dashes at the end of Antony's lines indicate that his words are being cut off my Cleopatra's lamenting'.
In the film Elizabeth, the female protagonist Elizabeth is manipulative of her feminity similar to Cleopatra, but instead she uses it to show weakness. Her subtle sarcastic tone "how can I force your grace? I am a women", leads the Bishops to believe she is weak, appealing to them allowing Elizabeth to take advantage. The quote " I have become virgin" is powerful due to the fact that is illustrates the power Elizabeth has to change her status. The virgin is symbolic as it shows a comparison to Virgin Mary, who was one women people looked up to and held great power. Unlike Cleopatra, Elizabeth sees her feminity as a weakness and the dramatic scene of her== cutting off her hair and coloring her skin white shows shift in power by taking her sexuality and feminity away, and replacing it with the cold and ruthless personality, similar to a man. "I may be a woman but I have the heart of man" enforces the idea that she has taken the role of a man to achieve greater power, because it is more desirable for a man to be in power over a women. The character Elizabeth shows us the sacrifices that a person needs to make to achieve and maintain power.
Although power play exists in many forms, whether is be political or sexual its egoistic and manipulative nature is conveyed by composers through effective characterization.
Power play essentially belongs to the pragmatic and the ruthless and this is demonstrated in Antony and Cleopatra.
Octavious Caesar is portrayed as very powerful character through his deceive language, his clear identification of effective strategies and characterization of being someone who is capable of great ruthlessness. In order to fulfill his objectives Caesar establishes a power play stragedy which involves taking advantage of opponents weakness. This is evident when he tells Octavia "he has given his empire up to whore" which shows how he utilizes the personal to attack Antony's political power. Caesar's actions, imprisoning Lepidus and therefore depriving him of his power after "having made use of him in the wars" against Pompey, highlighting his duplicating façade as well as his dispassionate nature. Many of the men who are placed in the front line by Caesar are the very men who have previously deserted from Antony's ranks, accentuating the shifting balance of political power and emphasizing that one need's to exploit opportunities and weaknesses in others to
succeeded.
Similarly in film Elizabeth, the concept of political power play through taking advantage of opponents weaknesses is apparent. After succeeding to the throne of England, Elizabeth struggles to maintain power and leadership as her enemies try to wipe out her position. Like Caesar the Duck of Molfok is able to exploit Elizabeth's weak position of power. His highly effective tactic of intimidating Elizabeth during the discussion of the war between England and Scotland is showcased by a low camera shot and his commanding tone. Using this duplication façade, like Caesar, the Duke's ability to persuade Elizabeth allows him to manipulate their relationship and taking it to his advantage.
Shakespeare in Antony and Cleopatra highlights how the interplay of power play can lead to political downfall Antony's fundamental flaw is that he is unable to maintain a balance between duty and desire, thus moving himself from the "tipple pillars of the world". This is highlighted by the contrast of Antony to his earlier greatness and how he was compared to godly images "have glowed like plated Mars" and "Hercules" giving Antony's status a mystical and powerful figure. Shakespeare's Antony stoops' from the Roman politics to reach Cleopatra in her sensually indulgent world. This is highlighted in Act 3 when he flees the Battle of Actium as he is attracted to Cleopatra's "strong Egyptian fetters". This imagery emphasizes Cleopatra's strong hold over Antony and that he cannot completely break away from her even when "honour calls". Also the imagery of the "ranged empire fall" emphasizes the political decline of Antony, showing his instability to maintain power and leadership.
However in Kapur's film, Elizabeth realizes that she had to be "no man's Elizabeth" to retain her power and sacrifices her love relationship with Robert. This is accentuated by Roberts graphic image which is visually juxtaposed with flames, in the scene where Elizabeth meets him, bringing out the idea that her passion for him is burning away'. However Shakespeare's Cleopatra is portrayed as strongly manipulative in her characterization and uses her sexual power to cause Antony's downfall that symbolically makes him "lay his sword down'. Unlike the play and demise of Anthony's military and political power Elizabeth rises in power as she assets her authority as Queen in the film Elizabeth. Unlike Anthony's initial powerful position, originally Kapur portrays Elizabeth status as weak. Elizabeth's lack of political power is seen through Duke of Norfolk's disregard of the Queen's servants and how she forcefully persuades her to go to war with France. Panning shots of the dead and rich imagery of the blood flowing into the river both literally and symbolically illustrates the loss of military power and Elizabeth's continuing downfall, proving she is "unfit to rule'. When Elizabeth is practicing her address to the senate, its shown her wearing white, symbolizing her original disempowerment, which is juxtaposed to the bishops, who through camera angles appear higher and more grouped, highlighting their higher power. As the film progresses Elizabeth is shown wearing red- symbolic color of power as she takes control of the bishops through powerful dialogue and sarcasm and wit to ridicule the dukes "you have been divorced twice?"
The calculating and manipulative nature of a women's sexual power play in Antony and Cleopatra is portrayed through the characterization of Cleopatra. Cleopatra's beauty and sexuality becomes her political weapons that enable her to capture' Anthony's lust and bring him entirely under her control. A women of infinite variety' Cleopatra's ability to exert power over Antony sexually, is represented through her hyperbolic language with sexual innuendo, seen in the bawdy suggestion of the word play on inches in "I would had thy inches". Shakespeare develops Cleopatra as a powerful manipulator through the use of animal imagery as she is metaphorically referred to as the "serpent of the old Nile". Cleopatra uses both her feminity and manipulation to take control of Antony, as the "buckles on his breast" are use to "cool a gypsies lust". Cleopatra also wrestles control over Antony through conversation, the dashes at the end of Antony's lines indicate that his words are being cut off my Cleopatra's lamenting'.
In the film Elizabeth, the female protagonist Elizabeth is manipulative of her feminity similar to Cleopatra, but instead she uses it to show weakness. Her subtle sarcastic tone "how can I force your grace? I am a women", leads the Bishops to believe she is weak, appealing to them allowing Elizabeth to take advantage. The quote " I have become virgin" is powerful due to the fact that is illustrates the power Elizabeth has to change her status. The virgin is symbolic as it shows a comparison to Virgin Mary, who was one women people looked up to and held great power. Unlike Cleopatra, Elizabeth sees her feminity as a weakness and the dramatic scene of her== cutting off her hair and coloring her skin white shows shift in power by taking her sexuality and feminity away, and replacing it with the cold and ruthless personality, similar to a man. "I may be a woman but I have the heart of man" enforces the idea that she has taken the role of a man to achieve greater power, because it is more desirable for a man to be in power over a women. The character Elizabeth shows us the sacrifices that a person needs to make to achieve and maintain power.
Although power play exists in many forms, whether is be political or sexual its egoistic and manipulative nature is conveyed by composers through effective characterization.