Shakespeare presents Mark Antony at the beginning of the play as
a man who is loyal, but after Caesar dies in the middle of the play’s action, he
becomes shrewd, and at by the end of the play, he is domineering and
dictatorial.
Antony is loyal to Caesar, both as a friend and as a patron.
Despite the brevity of his early appearances, it is very obvious that Antony
accepts Caesar as his master, as shown in his remark that, “When Caesar says” Do
this,”it is performed” (1.2.10)
Some of the conspirators seem wry of Antony, especially just
before the assassination. Cassius, more than anyone else in the play, recognizes
Antony's importance and calls him a "shrewd contriver," (2.1.158) who cannot be
trusted, and he wisely makes the arrangement to have Trebonius lure Antony out
of the way during the assassination.
After Caesar is killed, Antony’s fame begins to soar, to the
point of his becoming a dictator. Immediately Caesar dies, he seems to be
devastated by his friend and master’s death, and weeps over Caesar’s body. He
then quickly controls his emotions, evaluates the situation, and begins his
strategy of seeking power for himself, stating “A curse shall light upon the
limbs of men…Civil strife Shall cumber all the parts of Italy.”(3.1.262-264) He
outsmarts Brutus by pretendingto reconcile with the conspirators and shaking their bloody
hands. He makes Brutus think that he is on his side, then, he succeeds in
gaining permission to make a speech at Caesar's funeral. He quickly joins with
Octavius and Lepidus to form a new Triumvirate.
Antony’s new ambition makes him seem ruthless. He openly
acknowledges to Octavius that Lepidus, a member of the Triumvirates is unfit,”
slight and unmeritable” (4.1.12) to share in the threefold division of the world
and indicates his elimination from the scheme of things after he has served his
purpose. Not only does he seem ruthless, he is also a user, a manipulator who
always has to have his way. Antony's ego clashes with that of Octavius, but
Antony is able to hold his emotions in check in order to address the prime
concern of defeating Brutus and Cassius.
Antony’s loyalty to Caesar is unquestionable, however; after
Caesar dies, he becomes shrewd, ruthless and power-drunk. He is one of the
victors at the end of the play. With the suicides of Brutus and Cassius, he and
the other two Triumvirs are free to enforce their reign of terror upon Rome.
Antony, however; has revealed that he is not as strong a politician as Octavius,
who will soon be able to seize total control for himself.
a man who is loyal, but after Caesar dies in the middle of the play’s action, he
becomes shrewd, and at by the end of the play, he is domineering and
dictatorial.
Antony is loyal to Caesar, both as a friend and as a patron.
Despite the brevity of his early appearances, it is very obvious that Antony
accepts Caesar as his master, as shown in his remark that, “When Caesar says” Do
this,”it is performed” (1.2.10)
Some of the conspirators seem wry of Antony, especially just
before the assassination. Cassius, more than anyone else in the play, recognizes
Antony's importance and calls him a "shrewd contriver," (2.1.158) who cannot be
trusted, and he wisely makes the arrangement to have Trebonius lure Antony out
of the way during the assassination.
After Caesar is killed, Antony’s fame begins to soar, to the
point of his becoming a dictator. Immediately Caesar dies, he seems to be
devastated by his friend and master’s death, and weeps over Caesar’s body. He
then quickly controls his emotions, evaluates the situation, and begins his
strategy of seeking power for himself, stating “A curse shall light upon the
limbs of men…Civil strife Shall cumber all the parts of Italy.”(3.1.262-264) He
outsmarts Brutus by pretendingto reconcile with the conspirators and shaking their bloody
hands. He makes Brutus think that he is on his side, then, he succeeds in
gaining permission to make a speech at Caesar's funeral. He quickly joins with
Octavius and Lepidus to form a new Triumvirate.
Antony’s new ambition makes him seem ruthless. He openly
acknowledges to Octavius that Lepidus, a member of the Triumvirates is unfit,”
slight and unmeritable” (4.1.12) to share in the threefold division of the world
and indicates his elimination from the scheme of things after he has served his
purpose. Not only does he seem ruthless, he is also a user, a manipulator who
always has to have his way. Antony's ego clashes with that of Octavius, but
Antony is able to hold his emotions in check in order to address the prime
concern of defeating Brutus and Cassius.
Antony’s loyalty to Caesar is unquestionable, however; after
Caesar dies, he becomes shrewd, ruthless and power-drunk. He is one of the
victors at the end of the play. With the suicides of Brutus and Cassius, he and
the other two Triumvirs are free to enforce their reign of terror upon Rome.
Antony, however; has revealed that he is not as strong a politician as Octavius,
who will soon be able to seize total control for himself.