ANTONY
Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch
Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space!
Kingdoms are clay! Our dungy earth alike
Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life
Is to do thus, and when such a mutual pair
And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet
We stand up peerless.
This is Antony's response to Cleopatra's teasing admonitions for Antony to call in his messengers, who she presumes will be delivering orders and reprimands from Caesar and Fulvia, his wife. Rather than face these realities, Antony wishes Rome and the empire into oblivion, and commits himself to "this space"--in Alexandria, with Cleopatra, where together, he declares, they have achieved the highest possible "nobleness of life."
Have Antony and Cleopatra created something "noble" together? Considering their passion, their playfulness, their extravagance, and their theatricality... I would say that they are excellent in their enjoyment of each other. They are fun to watch, and to be with, as Charmian's and Enobarbus' responses show us. This, too, is excellent.
I admire Antony and Cleopatra's success in creating a space like this--where beauty, wit, and pleasure can thrive. I'd much rather have them over for dinner than, say, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus! A short dinner--since my enjoyment of their gamesmanship would wear thin after a few rounds.
At the same time that I enjoy Antony and Cleopatra's passionate love-making, I can also see that their mutual admiration is solipsistic, addictive, and ultimately destructive.
This has me thinking of my own pursuit of "nobility" in certain areas of life. Passion, wholeheartedness, and a dedication to excellence can curdle when they become too narrow and possessive.
What are your initial responses to the play? What does the language suggest to you about the characters, their choices, and the relevance of all this to your own experience?
Post your comments here.
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