Antony and Cleopatra

Grief is expressed in many way. Some of which are related to how one perceives loss and how one deals with it. Loss can be caused by love of another, love of one's self, romantic love, or even just loss in general. Love is a powerful emotion as is grief. And although many films, plays, and stories portray the loss of love and grief, no one quite does it like William Shakespeare.

Hamilton correctly deliberates in one article how accounts of defeat, loss and most frequently, gone love, drive intricacy and determination in characters. "Contrary to this assumption however, there exists among the works of poets and storytellers writing of love a rich supply of references, as laudatory as Chaucer's ranking Antony and Cleopatra with other famous lovers of antiquity as exemplars of truth and faithfulness ." (Hamilton 245) Tale of loss and heart ache possesses an inherent ability to generate passion and a state of imbalance that therefore, especially during the time of Shakespeare make it appear accurate to have characters expire solely from sadness.

"…it helps us to grasp another dimension of the artistry of the play, for in his manipulation of this tradition the dramatist enhances and controls its complexity."(Hamilton 245) Audience crave a good story. They wish to feel the character's pain and see what they may not ordinarily in their everyday lives. Consequently writers will then generate emotionally powerful scenes to get the desired reaction from the audience. Reactions are what promote a play.

The type of play that normally shows the kind of emotional and intense dramatic scenes are called Jacobean plays. "The disjunctive dramaturgical effects which color Antony and Cleopatra can be found to a greater or lesser degree in many Jacobean plays." (Shapiro 1-15) Jacobean plays, which were popular during Shakespeare's time demonstrate grief and loss vividly and in such a way that makes it memorable. Still, Antony and Cleopatra distinguishes itself from others: "Even those modern critics who would side with Coleridge against Bradley recognize some fundamental differences between Antony and Cleopatra and the other four tragedies: the sprawling untidiness, the double catastrophe, the unique style, and the transcendental view of death which foreshadows late romances." (Shapiro 1-15)

Paper

The character of Enobarbus from William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra deserts Antony and in his grief expires. This is one of the most memorable scenes of Antony and Cleopatra. Grief as seen through the actions and sentiments of Enobarbus was accomplished in such a way that a play of this kind can be seen as a predecessor of modern day soap operas. The scene of Enobarbus, along with others, showcase what Jacobean plays promoted in their stories, but also how Shakespeare felt about grief, specifically guilt and betrayal. Several times in Antony and Cleopatra, characters go insane fueled by feelings of despair and grief.

This research paper discusses Antony and Cleopatra in the context of grief and how people during Shakespeare's time viewed grief. Moreover it will focus on what encouraged Shakespeare to generate characters that act and think like Enobarbus and why these divergent and fantastic reactions spawn from them. The articles highlight and explain in greater detail the death of Enobarbus, how Jacobean plays inspired William Shakespeare, as well as distinguish some central variances in plays like Antony and Cleopatra along with other works by Shakespeare.

Jacobean plays during Shakespeare's time focused on Roman themes. Some of which centered on Cesar and Pompey. (Sabatier 181) the aftermath of rivalry between Pompey and Cesar both written by Shakespeare and other authors, illustrates the loss of political turmoil as seen in Antony and Cleopatra. "The violent struggle between the two suns has spread chaos and confusion and ends in bloodshed. Nevertheless, Caesar rejects this world peopled with mutilated bodies and wishes to build his new empire on solid stony funerary monuments." (Sabatier 185) Not only have several people died because of Caesar's run for supremacy, but they have also sacrificed. Opposed ideologies or views are often met in these kinds of plays with loss and death. After the rivalry with Pompey ceased, a new conflict emerged from the loss of, what Romans perceived within the play, freedom. To further add to the Roman theme and Caesar, Caesar becomes an antagonist in Antony and Cleopatra. Along with Octavian and other characters, they provide the source of pain for the protagonists and supporting characters within the play.

What are Jacobean plays? Where does this term stem from? The term Jacobean comes from the Jacobean era. In this era, many of Shakespeare's plays were written. Plays like Macbeth spawned popularity and positive response from audiences. During the Jacobean era, especially toward its end, the Bubonic plague took place and an economic depression. Since Shakespeare was often funded by the royalty of the time, he did to some extent, have to cater to some of their interests and desires, that which included stories of grief and loss.

Grief and loss motivate not just the actions of Enobarbus but that of Cleopatra and Antony. Antony gravely wounds himself because he thinks Cleopatra committed suicide. Enobarbus guilt ridden by Antony's kindness dies from grief literally with the emotion itself being the only catalyst to his death. Cleopatra, although motivated by other things as well as grief, kills herself to be with Antony. Grief in this sense is shown through three lenses.

In the play Antony falls madly in love with Cleopatra. The love becomes all-consuming and he starts to neglect his duties all to spend time and show love to Cleopatra. Octavian, one of Antony's supporters than becomes an enemy after Antony displeases him concerning a politically motivated action. (Antony feels Octavian did not give a fair share of the conquered Sextus' land) Is through the loss of Octavian as an ally that spells the end of Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus as they are all tied together through love and loyalty.