Cleopatra and Octavia Essay

Examine the contrast amid Cleopatra and Octavia. How do they confirm different aspects of womanhood and how is this opposition useful in developing the themes and actions of the play? How might the distinction be given different emphases in performance? Antony and Cleopatra is one of Shakespe ars most dramatic plays besides it has non been staged nearly as many as plays much(prenominal) as Hamlet or Macbeth because it is such a hard play to produce due to its enormous variety of content.However the mere specialism of the characters within the play creates intense tragic possibilities, despite the difficulties that may be faced in production. Cleopatra and Octavia are contrasting characters in the play Antony and Cleopatra. Each embodies different aspects of womanhood each is a model of the qualities that should be seen from the country and culture they belong to. The play centres around the contrast between the lavishness of Egypt with the lineal qualities of the roman type E mpire. Egypt is a country of luxurious feasts where eight wild boars are roasted for a breakfast for 12 people (2. 2.189-90) and parties it is a very sexualised place whereas Rome is a country characterised by politics, scenes of intellectuals and battles, thus the lives and crawl ins of a Roman stand in opposition to the lives and loves of an Egyptian. Cleopatra is a symbol of Egyptian luxury, passion and lust she is a highly sexualised woman and is not afraid or embarrassed to show this this is shown in her sexual insinuation in reference to Antonys war horse Happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony Her own diction often betrays her own sexual nature this can be seen where Cleopatra speaks to the Messenger from RomeRam metre thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, that long time have been barren. (2. 5. 23-24) Egypt is a place reign by sinewy-minded mature female sexuality thus making this play one of Shakespeares remarkable works due to its attitude to female sexuality as som ething natural, beautiful and open. Although Cleopatra is described by some in the play as nothing more than a gypsy slut to calm a gypsys lust (1. 1. 9) we understand from the differences between Egypt and Rome and their understandings of each other, that Cleopatra embodies Egypt and all it stands for and so cant be controlled or categorised as a Roman can be.Cleopatra allows workforce who have grown up in a world where expressing sexual ideas and fantasies is frowned upon, such as that of the guess of Puritans in the time in which Shakespeare would have been writing this play to contact their emotional centres and celebrate erotic possibilities. Cleopatra is one of Shakespeares most complex and elaborate female characters he derives his information about her straight off from Plutarchs portrait of her and the reputation she left behind.Cleopatra is a mixed character and has sudden switches of behaviour from one mood to another, for instances the arrival of a messenger from Ro me telling Cleopatra of Octavia, Antonys new bride. Cleopatra harasses the messenger for news, and is waste and abusive to him as she hasnt heard what she wants to, once her servants have calmed her down she feels remorseful and sorry for her actions that were must un comparable a royal action should be. Cleopatra is a irrational and irratic character who often reacts to menial things, however this can be seen as her way of reacting to the fear of losing what she knows Egypt and Antony.Her fear for losing and her sense of insecurity is seen through her jealously, that Shakespeare presents all the way in her wish to know what Octavia looks like, she is driven by these uncontrollable passions she feels towards Antony. Her feelings of insecurity are not settled by Antony, and his treatment of both his wives Octavia and Fulvia doesnt settle her fears but instead gives her little cause for complacency, forthwith I see, I see, In Fulvias death how mine received shall be. (1. 3. 66) Cleopatra is both seductive and around repellent and it is this mix that makes her such a mysterious and puzzling mixture.Even Antony on occasions doesnt know how she will react and cant predict her actions or behaviour either. Antony loves Cleopatra because he wants to, not for any political reasons there is nothing or any reason why he should love Cleopatra, it is merely his choice. Our deep understanding of Cleopatras charm and enchantment comes from the descriptions we are given of her many of which are taken directly from The Life of Marcus Antonius in Sir Thomas Norths translation of the Roman historian Plutarchs Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans (1579). Here Cleopatra is compared to Venus, the goddess of Love.Shakespeare has taken Norths basic ideas and developed them to a baksheesh that the bag of Cleopatra is seen almost as supernatural. It is these descriptive speeches of Cleopatra that help the audience to understand the infatuation that Antony and others before, have had with Cleopatra For the individual of herself She was laid under a pavilion of cloth of gold of tissue, apparelled and attired like the goddess Venus (North) It is this beauty that Cleopatra relies on to win over men she feels herself to be the human incarnation of Isis Now from head to home I am marble constant.Now the fleeting moon no planet is of mine (5. 2. 237-240) and and then men are captivated by her and become addicted by the strange power of Cleopatras attractiveness. It is said by some that Cleopatra used her beauty and her body to gain what she necessary and what she felt was needed for Egypt, as Hughes-Hallet observed She captivates Antony and then uses her power over him to demand the Kingdoms of Syria and Arabia. (Hughes-Hallet, 165) Cleopatra is portrayed as a strong leader of Egypt and in this respect has similarities with Elizabeth I who was on the throne of England through Shakespeares early life.She like Cleopatra was a dominant figure and felt she e mbodied Britain as Cleopatra embodied Egypt. How unlike Cleopatra, Elizabeth I was hustling to listen and take advice from others who were experts in the field in question this resulted in her defeating the Spanish Armada. Unlike Cleopatra who although demanded to be treated as a general upon the war field refused to listen to advice which resulted in awful consequences and subsequently the lose of life for her and Antony. Rome is a place where the need for order and discipline is the norm there isnt room amongst the Politics and duties for sensuality and pleasure like in Egypt.It is this that causes Antony to be torn between the military honour and familial duty of Rome and the sensuality and luxurious life-style of Egypt. Rome is a predominantly male society which women have no say it is associated with action, mainly military and political action. Charney describes it as a place of conference tables, armour, political decisions and hard materials objects (102) Octavia is a m odel of Roman qualities, of obedience and duty. In Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra, her role is reduced greatly in comparison to that of the Octavia described in Plutarchs version.In this version she is seen as more of an independent figure rather than one completely dominated by male relations as portrayed by Shakespeare. By moving Octavia into background Shakespeare allows a greater contrast between Octavia and Cleopatra, thus highlighting the great differences of lives in Egypt and lives in Rome. Plutrach wrote of Octavias domestic virtues, whereas in Shakespeares play Octavia is ridiculed especially by Cleopatra as seen in act 3 scene 3 Messenger Madam, I heard her speak she is low-voiced Cleopatra Thats not so good. He cannot like her long.