Shakespeare's Presentation of Action in Act Three

Shakespeare's Presentation of Action in Act Three

The point of Act three Scene one is to show the audience the political

side of Antony and Cleopatra. All of the triumvirate are worried about

their reputations and this short scene suggests that they are not that

generous.

Shakespeare makes Scene two seem comic because Enobarbus and Agrippa

mock Lepidus and say that he is Caesar and Antony's 'beetle', 'They

are his shards, and he their beetle'. The way in which Shakespeare has

presents Enobarbus's and Agrippa's speech, allow the audience to have

a bit more background information about the main characters from a

completely different, unbiased point of view.

Shakespeare gets rid of Lepidus quickly and quietly. Act three Scene

two is his last scene and he only speaks one line. I think Shakespeare

wants to get rid of Lepidus to emphasise the action that is about to

happen between Caesar and Antony and other main characters. At the end

of this scene, Enobarbus begins to mock Antony. Shakespeare is making

it seem as though Antony is fake and he isn't what he says he is.

Scene three concentrates on Cleopatra's messenger giving Cleopatra the

description of Octavia. It is a very comic scene because the messenger

was 'scared out of his wits' last time he was with Cleopatra and so

this time, he tells Cleopatra everything that will make her feel happy

and friendly towards him. I think Shakespeare has put this particular

scene here because it breaks up the more important action between the

triumvirate and Pompey. The audience find it comical and it reinforces

how serious and determined the other characters are in the following

scenes. In scene four this is especially emphasised when we find out

that Caesar has 'waged a war' with Pompey and made Antony look bad in

public. In this scene, we realise that the triumvirate is no longer

and things are falling apart. I think Shakespeare reinforces the fact

that the audience will be shocked by placing this scene immediately

after a comic scene which trails off from the more important action.