How Does Antony Use Power In Macbeth

In both ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ and ‘Macbeth’ sexuality is presented as a dangerous weapon that can cause great harm, it appears to frighten others however whilst Lady Macbeth is able to isolate her venomous sexual manipulation to her husband, Cleopatra is objectified for being an Egyptian woman – something that Antony is mocked for frequently by Ceaser. Cleopatra is viewed outrageously because of her sexuality. Cleopatra degrades herself when she refers to herself as “serpent of old Nile” which also physically links her to her land. This suggests that perhaps Cleopatra sees her sexuality as being the biggest factor in her life due to the large scale of Egypt. When Alexas is speaking to Cleopatra about what Antony has said in her absence,

In both plays, power battles in domestic relationships ultimately lead to the downfall of the characters – thus showing how power can intoxicate a relationship. The decline of power is seen in both Antony and Cleopatra; however, it is Mark Antony who appears to suffer more because of his abuse of power. Antony is the supreme solider and the first speech in the play compares him to the characteristics of Mars; Cleopatra announces he is the “greatest soldier in the world”; in addition to this Caesar pays an admiring tribute to Antony’s heroic soldiership. These attributes, however, do not on their own make for a sturdy base of power, as the individual must be able to sustain these qualities. The tributes of recognition above are symbolic of the fact that he is in decline and no longer the supreme soldier he once was. Shakespeare shows Antony’s decline of power perhaps nowhere better than when he depicts Antony as man who involves himself in wild, directed violence. This kind of behaviour suggest incompetence rather than strength. When Antony sees the servant Thidias kiss the hand of Cleopatra, he orders for him to be

In conclusion, William Shakespeare presents the theme of power in both Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra and discusses the impact of sexuality has on power dynamics in the plays. We learn as readers that in both plays, power can be dangerous and damage those who become accustomed to using it – and more often than less, they abuse the virtue. Power can lead to greed and disillusion those who become vindictive enough to try and control it. However, what many of the characters fail to recognise in both Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra is, you cannot control power, it