Antony and Cleopatra - Analysis of the first two scenes

“Antony and Cleopatra” is an historic tragedy of William Shakespeare. It is a tragedy because it talks on the fatal love between the two lovers, Mark Antony (Roman general and triumvir) and Cleopatra (Queen of Egypt). It is an historical tragedy because the events are set during the fight between Cesar and Pompey the Great. The tragedy is divided into 5 acts consist in a variable numbers of scenes, according to the Seneca theatrical structure.

We are in Alexandria, into a room of Cleopatra’s palace. Here, a messenger has some important news from Rome for Antony, but he does not want to hear him, and this makes a quarrel between him and Cleopatra. Next, when Cleopatra cannot hear him, he decided to listen to the messenger, and he discover that Fulvia (his wife) is death and he becomes aware of the Roman political crisis, so he decides to return home even if this is in opposition with Cleopatra’s desire.

Shakespeare told this without any kind of introduction or chorus, like “Romeo and Juliet” for example, but he began his play in media res: the reader / spectator does not know how events will go on. This was one of the Shakespeare gimmicks to capture the interest of the audience. A second trick was not to describe the stage in order to let the audience imagination flows, as in this case.

As a playwright, Shakespeare knew how important is to keep high the attention of the public. For this reason, he introduced conflict quickly. The conflict is between the rational and the emotive part of Antony. In one hand, the seductress Cleopatra chains him transforming him into “a strumpet’s lust”, but in the other hand, Antony knows to have important duties. In this case, his rationality prevails (indeed he decides to go back home).