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"Antony and Cleopatra" Enobarbus

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J
J Aragonite

Enobarbus plays an important role in Antony and Cleopatra as the voice of reason and truth. Through his observations of the characters, he helps the audience understand their true intentions and foreshadows coming events. He sees Antony's marriage to Octavia as merely political and predicts Antony will return to Cleopatra. Enobarbus also warns that Antony and Caesar will escalate their conflict until nothing remains, foreshadowing their final battle. While some criticize his objectification of women, Enobarbus provides crucial insight and commentary throughout the play.

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Enobarbus¡¯ role in the play
? Often in the play, Enobarbus can be seen as the voice of reason as he frequently states character¡¯s true intensions. ? Thus through Enobarbus, the audience can see what each character is truly like, and sympathise with others (such as Antony) ? Through Enobarbus, Shakespeare foreshadows events to come within the play such as: the Battle of Actium, and the fates of Antony and Cleopatra
? Enobarbus states to Menas that the tension between Antony and Caesar has not gone away; but soon will grow ¡°the band that seems/ to tie their friendship together will be the very/ strangler of their amity¡± ? Though this is an image of Antony and Octavia¡¯s marriage, it also hints at future events to come ? Enobarbus also states that Antony ¡°will to his Egyptian dish again¡± implying that his marriage with Octavia will not last long as he will go back to Egypt ? Enobarbus sees Antony¡¯s marriage to Octavia as an ¡®Occasion¡¯ implying that Antony married for political reasons, as well as to keep peace with Caesar
¡°They¡¯ll grind the one the other¡± ? Enobarbus puts across his fears that Antony and Caesar will grind at each other until there is nothing left, foreshadowing the battle ? This phrase in particular enforces the contrast between the two characters (Antony and Caesar)
¡°The wounded chance of Antony¡± ? Enobarbus here, confirms Antony¡¯s loss of power and reversal of fortune ? This also makes the Soothsayer¡¯s warning (in Act II Scene III) seem more authentic as the voice of truth has now confirmed Antony¡¯s downfall
? A feminist critic would be very negative about Enobarbus¡¯ character as he treats woman as sexualised objects ? In Act I Scene II Enobarbus tells Antony ¡°when old robes are worn out, there are members to make new¡± ¡°your old smock brings forth a new petticoat¡± ? Enobarbus refers to Fluvia as an ¡®old robe¡¯ and an ¡®old smock¡¯; and refers to Cleopatra as a ¡®new petticoat¡¯ ? Here Enobarbus is comparing these women to pieces of clothing that can be easily slipped on and off, he is objectifying them to the extent where these women are emotionless
? Though Enobarbus is from a lower-status and in not noble, unlike Antony and Caesar ? He is the voice of truth in the play thus giving him a much important role ? Enobarbus, though he is not noble, he is moral in comparison to characters of a higher status like Caesar who imprisons Lepidus, under false accusations, in order to obtain power
? It is possible to see, from a psychoanalytic reading, that Enobarbus is subconsciously in love with Cleopatra. We can interpret this in ¡®the barge scene¡¯ Act II Scene II. In this scene Enobarbus talks about the first time he and Antony saw Cleopatra ? Enobarbus goes into detail, he remembers the purple sails, silver oars and gold cloths. ? He also describes the winds as being ¡°love-sick¡± in her presence ? Enobarbus describes Cleopatra as embodying the goddess, of Love, Venus: ¡°O¡¯erpicturing that Venus¡± ¡°On each side of her/ Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling cupids¡± ? This description, plus the ¡°burnish¡¯d throne¡±, is like he is idol worshipping Cleopatra
? He also describes the way in which Cleopatra spoke ¡°having lost her breath, she spoke and panted,/ That she did make defect perfection¡± ? It is as even her breathlessness spoke for her ? His emphasis on her panting could be seen as being sexualised as he is concentrating on her breathing and her mouth

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"Antony and Cleopatra" Enobarbus

  • 2. ? Often in the play, Enobarbus can be seen as the voice of reason as he frequently states character¡¯s true intensions. ? Thus through Enobarbus, the audience can see what each character is truly like, and sympathise with others (such as Antony) ? Through Enobarbus, Shakespeare foreshadows events to come within the play such as: the Battle of Actium, and the fates of Antony and Cleopatra
  • 3. ? Enobarbus states to Menas that the tension between Antony and Caesar has not gone away; but soon will grow ¡°the band that seems/ to tie their friendship together will be the very/ strangler of their amity¡± ? Though this is an image of Antony and Octavia¡¯s marriage, it also hints at future events to come ? Enobarbus also states that Antony ¡°will to his Egyptian dish again¡± implying that his marriage with Octavia will not last long as he will go back to Egypt ? Enobarbus sees Antony¡¯s marriage to Octavia as an ¡®Occasion¡¯ implying that Antony married for political reasons, as well as to keep peace with Caesar
  • 4. ¡°They¡¯ll grind the one the other¡± ? Enobarbus puts across his fears that Antony and Caesar will grind at each other until there is nothing left, foreshadowing the battle ? This phrase in particular enforces the contrast between the two characters (Antony and Caesar)
  • 5. ¡°The wounded chance of Antony¡± ? Enobarbus here, confirms Antony¡¯s loss of power and reversal of fortune ? This also makes the Soothsayer¡¯s warning (in Act II Scene III) seem more authentic as the voice of truth has now confirmed Antony¡¯s downfall
  • 6. ? A feminist critic would be very negative about Enobarbus¡¯ character as he treats woman as sexualised objects ? In Act I Scene II Enobarbus tells Antony ¡°when old robes are worn out, there are members to make new¡± ¡°your old smock brings forth a new petticoat¡± ? Enobarbus refers to Fluvia as an ¡®old robe¡¯ and an ¡®old smock¡¯; and refers to Cleopatra as a ¡®new petticoat¡¯ ? Here Enobarbus is comparing these women to pieces of clothing that can be easily slipped on and off, he is objectifying them to the extent where these women are emotionless
  • 7. ? Though Enobarbus is from a lower-status and in not noble, unlike Antony and Caesar ? He is the voice of truth in the play thus giving him a much important role ? Enobarbus, though he is not noble, he is moral in comparison to characters of a higher status like Caesar who imprisons Lepidus, under false accusations, in order to obtain power
  • 8. ? It is possible to see, from a psychoanalytic reading, that Enobarbus is subconsciously in love with Cleopatra. We can interpret this in ¡®the barge scene¡¯ Act II Scene II. In this scene Enobarbus talks about the first time he and Antony saw Cleopatra ? Enobarbus goes into detail, he remembers the purple sails, silver oars and gold cloths. ? He also describes the winds as being ¡°love-sick¡± in her presence ? Enobarbus describes Cleopatra as embodying the goddess, of Love, Venus: ¡°O¡¯erpicturing that Venus¡± ¡°On each side of her/ Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling cupids¡± ? This description, plus the ¡°burnish¡¯d throne¡±, is like he is idol worshipping Cleopatra
  • 9. ? He also describes the way in which Cleopatra spoke ¡°having lost her breath, she spoke and panted,/ That she did make defect perfection¡± ? It is as even her breathlessness spoke for her ? His emphasis on her panting could be seen as being sexualised as he is concentrating on her breathing and her mouth