‘Antony and Cleopatra is the story of Cleopatra’s tragedy.’ To what extent does your reading of Act 1 support this statement?

The story of Antony and Cleopatra is presented as a tragedy through the frequent dramatic irony and foreshadowing within Act 1. The bittersweet picture painted by Shakespeare as a love that is obsessive and utterly dependant wills the reader, as an outside observer, to wish that the love will succeed. Thus relying on how susceptible our emotions become as a result of the characters development. Furthermore we can witness how devastating the effect of the separation from each other would be on the characters mental health. Similarly the presentation of Cleopatra as the embodiment of Egypt convinces us of her sensuality and invincibility as one of the great powers of the world, a direct juxtaposition to the severe Roman Empire. The presence of Cleopatra’s aura and vivacious personality solidifies the piece as specifically her tragedy due to the state she is reduced to in the very first act. As we live her dramatic fall from control and power within her relationship, and acknowledge the loss of manipulation she wields against Antony at the start of Act 1, we learn that perhaps her power is down to a man after all. This constant creation of discrete stereotypes allows for a much more tragic story as we are lead to believe she is infinite and eternal.

The creation of Cleopatra’s illustrious character from the very beginning of the play presents to us a constant glorified persona, publicising her greatness from the very start of the play. We are instantly greeted with the controversial conclusion by Philo that Antony, one of the world’s greatest warriors is reduced to “the bellows and the fan” by a female. The instantaneous introduction to Cleopatra as a over powering  presence we have yet to meet, generates not only a divine characteristic but a prominent character deemed suitable for a male topic of conversation. The reference to her as a “Gypsy”, although intended as derogatory, presents a mystical fascinating woman of whom is incredibly sensual fuelled further by the mention of a growing “fire” consequently suggesting passion and danger. Immediately from the beginning of the play we are introduced to this woman as a bold, strong character. She is presented as a formidable force, a woman who is in control of one of the world’s most powerful men. She appears almost mythical. By creating such an imperative character it is even more tragic when we discover her vulnerability. As a female whom appears to break female stereotypes is subsequently a disappointment to the audience, focusing the play on her fall from grace, making it a tragedy about both her loss of love and her loss of supremacy. If we delve further however, we can derive that her power is not appreciated nor solely as a result of herself. The Luxurious Egypt as a manifestation of sensuality and mystery perhaps fools the reader or audience in to believing that she is this daunting phantom like being. But it is this lack of clarity in the descritiption and understanding of the East that can lead us to believe she is much more than what she truly is. Her strong criticism from Philo and the rest of the Roman empire suggests that she is being allowed to behave like this by Rome and the male population, she is talked about like an adult describing a small badly behaved child advocating perhaps she is not as influential and domineering as her reputation leads us to believe. This condescending monologue of speech reveals that she is not as potent or mighty as previously described dramatising her impending fall.

 The revolutionary behaviour of Cleopatra is accentuated further at its most basic level by allowing her much larger quantities of speech than a typical female Shakespearean character. This is essential in instigating a relationship between the audience and Cleopatra as we are invited to form a judgement or emotional association with her personality. She is a possible inspirational figure presenting, particularly to other women, a superior presence to represent the best of the gender. Subsequently when she is then reduced to an immature, incoherent condition at the end of Act 1 scene 3 we are bitterly disappointed that this durable and resilient woman is no different from the rest of us. This divine characteristic is emphasised in the demonic or witch language such as “siren” demonstrating not only her sensuality but her dangerous nature lost when faced with love. Thus we are presented with not necessarily a common theme of tragedy as yet, but rather a reference to a different kind of tragedy, the loss of female empowerment.

 The irrationality of Cleopatra’s emotions and actions furthers the bond between character and reader in manipulation of feelings. Her actions are so incredulous that we are drawn into her thoughts and reasoning’s in order to from an understanding of this ridiculous behaviour. Upon hearing of Antony’s plan to leave Egypt, and as a result her, she tries to blackmail him into remaining with her ‘Oh never was there a Queen so mightily betrayed!’ Her power is revealed through her manipulation and ability to domineer characters and audience alike demonstrating the disparity driving her to make Antony stay. Her solution to lower herself to such petty behaviour is indication of her true vulnerability. She is behaving like a child in a desperate attempt to make Antony stay. Although initially this can be perceived as her control over Antony and manipulation of his feeling, as her in control, we can more alternatively suggest that this is her greatest revelation of weakness allowing others to witness her immature behaviour if it will make him stay.

Finally the constant dramatic irony and foreshadowing in reference to Cleopatra’s death centres the play as the tragedy of her fall and her death. Although we are lead to believe there will be a war for Antony we are not concerned with his wellbeing. The introduction of a soothsayer claiming that Charmian will “outlive the lady whom you serve’ introduces the first mention of Cleopatra’s death, of which we are then repetitively reminded of after this scene. This also solidifies the presence of Cleopatra in the room even without her present, haunting the scene as perhaps another reference to her death. Furthermore the mention of Antony’s departure causing “death” and his mention of “a serpents poison” reaffirms the audience’s previous knowledge of the story foreshadowing a near death. Subsequently by this point we are reminded that she is going to die, however by this point we have formed relationships and bonds with her character making it a tragic tale. The specific mention to her demise makes it her tragedy alone as we are constantly reminded of her fragility as a woman but as a life form. Use of language from the lexical group of death, and her endless haunting of places and scenes is a reference to her ghoul like quality concluding frequently that she will die.

Therefore to conclude, Antony and Cleopatra can be described as solely Cleopatra’s tragedy due to Shakespear's revolutionary creation of Cleopatra’s character. Her destructive tendencies and emotional response allow insight in to a more exposed helplessness of which we are not aware of at the start of Act 1. Her powerful response to any situation involving Antony is such a direct Juxtaposition to her strong female character at the start of the play that as an audience, and personally as a female, it is disappointing to witness her failing resolve and susceptibility to the actions of a man. Although the tragedy is not necessarily currently about her death, there is tragedy in her downfall alongside constant reminders that her fate is not positive. Consequently by the end of Act 1 we are prepared to witness her further demise and reminded of her impending death.