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Essay on The Role Of Enobarbus In Acts I And II Of Antony And Cleopatra
| Date: |
11-10-98 7:35am |
| Subject: |
English |
| Word Count: |
801 |
| Page Count: |
3.2 |
The Role of Enobarbus in Acts I and II of "Antony and Cleopatra"
The
Role of Enobarbus in Acts I and II of "Antony and Cleopatra"
In Shakespeare’s tragedy/history/Roman
play Antony and Cleopatra, we are told the story of two passionate and
power-hungry lovers. In the first two Acts of the play we are introduced
to some of the problems and dilemmas facing the couple (such as the fact
that they are entwined in an adulterous relationship, and that both of
them are forced to show their devotion to Caesar). Along with being introduced
to Antony and Cleopatra’s strange love affair, we are introduced to some
interesting secondary characters.
One of these characters is Enobarbus. Enobarbus
is a high-ranking soldier in Antony’s army who it seems is very close to
his commander. We know this by the way Enobarbus is permitted to speak
freely (at least in private) with Antony, and often is used as a person
to whom Antony confides in. We see Antony confiding in Enobarbus in Act
I, Scene ii, as Antony explains how Cleopatra is "cunning past man’s thought"
(I.ii.146). In reply to this Enobarbus speaks very freely of his view of
Cleopatra, even if what he says is very positive:
...her passions are made of nothing
but the finest part of pure love. We cannot call her winds
and waters sighs and tears; they are greater storms and tempests
than almanacs can report. This cannot be cunning in her; if it be
she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove.
(I, ii, 147-152)
After Antony reveals that he has just
heard news of his wife’s death, we are once again offered an example of
Enobarbus’ freedom to speak his mind, in that he tells Antony to "give
the gods a thankful sacrifice" (I.ii.162), essentially saying that Fulvia’s
death is a good thing. Obviously, someone would never say something like
this unless they were in very close company.
While acting as a friend and promoter of
Antony, Enobarbus lets the audience in on some of the myth and legend surrounding
Cleopatra. Probably his biggest role in the play is to exaggerate Anthony
and Cleopatra’s relationship. Which he does so well in the following statements:
When she first met Mark Antony, she
pursed up his heart, upon the river of Cydnus.
(II.ii.188-189) The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne,
Burned on the water: the poop was beaten gold; Purple the sails,
and so perfumed that The winds were lovesick with them; the oars
were silver, (II.ii.193-197)
And, for his ordinary, pays his heart For what his eyes eat only.
(II.ii.227-228) Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her
infinite variety.... (II.ii.237-238)
In these passages, Enobarbus turns Antony’s
and Cleopatra’s meeting into a fairy tale and leads the audience into believing
the two are inseparable. His speeches in Act II are absolutely vital to
the play in that this is what Shakespeare wants the audience to view Antony
and Cleopatra. Also, in these passages, Cleopatra is described as irresistible
and beautiful beyond belief -- another view that is necessary for us to
believe in order to buy the fact that a man with so much to lose would
be willing to risk it all in order to win her love.
Quite possibly, these passages may hint
that Enobarbus is himself in love with Cleopatra. After all, it would be
hard to come up with such flowery language if a person were not inspired.
Enobarbus may be lamenting his own passions vicariously through the eyes
of Antony. This would be convenient in questioning Enobarbus’ loyalty,
which becomes very important later on in the play (considering he kills
himself over grief from fearing he betrayed his leader). The loyalty of
Enobarbus is indeed questionable. Even though we never hear him utter a
single disparaging remark against Antony, he does admit to Menas that he"will praise any man that will praise me" (II.iii.88), suggesting that
his honor and loyalty may just be simple brown-nosing.
Shakespeare probably fashioned Enobarbus
as a means of relaying information to the audience that would otherwise
be difficult or awkward to bring forth from other characters (such as Cleopatra’s
beauty and the story of her betrayal of Caesar), but he also uses him as
way to inject some levity and humor in the play, showing the characters
eagerness to have a good time. Evidence of this comes in Enobarbus’ affinity
for drunkenness. In both Act I and Act II Enobarbus purports the joys of
drink:
Bring in the banquet quickly: wine enough
Cleopatra’s health to drink. (I.ii.13-24)
Mine, and most of our fortunes, tonight, shall be -- drunk to bed.
(I.ii.47-48)
He even caps off Act II with a song for
Bacchus and a request for drunken celebration.
In short, Enobarbus is used as any good
secondary character should be; he relays information between characters,
exposes other characters and their traits, gives background information,
and lets the audience in on his surroundings and the general moods and
beliefs of the times he lived in. He is not just used as a database however,
through his speeches and his actions we find a fully developed person,
someone with thoughts, motives, and feelings all his own -- a character
who can’t be summed up in just a few sentences.
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