Explore Shakespeare's Presentation of the Three Great Leaders: Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Through the Changing Fortunes of Acts Iii and Iv. Explain How the Balance of Audience Sympathy Shifts Essay Example
During the scenes depicting the Battle of Actium, Shakespeare's presentation of Octavius Caesar, Mark Antony and Cleopatra cause the balance of audience sympathy to change between the three great leaders. Audience sympathy never lies by any real amount with Caesar, and in Acts III and IV, the audience feels increasingly alienated from him. This is largely due to his calculated, ruthless style of leadership, which becomes more evident during the battle. Caesar judges wisely, and is successful because of this, and by Act III, Scene 7 he has already defeated Toryne previously one of Antony's territories. In Act III, Scene 12, Shakespeare presents Caesar as a callous and cruel leader, as he hears the requests of Antony for peace and ignores them, declaring, "For Antony, / I have no ears to his request", which indicates his determination to destroy Antony.
Additionally, Shakespeare further alienates the audience from Caesar through his display of his treacherous nature, "she / From Egypt drive her all-disgracèd friend / Or take his life there From Antony win Cleopatra". This illustrates his sly, brutal and merciless nature, and further enforces the separation the audience feels from him. Moreover, Caesar's treachery creates a rift between Antony and Cleopatra, and this causes the audience's sympathy to shift even further away from Caesar. In addition, Shakespeare guides audience sympathy away from Caesar through the perfidious tactic that he uses of placing "those that served Mark Antony but late" at the front of the battle in order to demoralise Antony's army, and thus "fetch him in". Shakespeare directs the audience to feel sympathy with Antony and to pity him, rather than Caesar, as the audience believe Antony will be defeated in battle, as in Act IV, Scene 3, a company of Antony's soldiers claim to hear "Music i'th'air", which they view as a bad omen.
Prior to the Battle of Actium sequence, the audience's view of Antony is one of a weak and feeble leader, who
Additionally, Shakespeare further alienates the audience from Caesar through his display of his treacherous nature, "she / From Egypt drive her all-disgracèd friend / Or take his life there From Antony win Cleopatra". This illustrates his sly, brutal and merciless nature, and further enforces the separation the audience feels from him. Moreover, Caesar's treachery creates a rift between Antony and Cleopatra, and this causes the audience's sympathy to shift even further away from Caesar. In addition, Shakespeare guides audience sympathy away from Caesar through the perfidious tactic that he uses of placing "those that served Mark Antony but late" at the front of the battle in order to demoralise Antony's army, and thus "fetch him in". Shakespeare directs the audience to feel sympathy with Antony and to pity him, rather than Caesar, as the audience believe Antony will be defeated in battle, as in Act IV, Scene 3, a company of Antony's soldiers claim to hear "Music i'th'air", which they view as a bad omen.
Prior to the Battle of Actium sequence, the audience's view of Antony is one of a weak and feeble leader, who