Inside Shakespeare’s Mind:

Mark Antony: A Limb of Caesar

In many instances, Shakespeare tries to connect two plays that are totally opposed to each other in story-value, history-based, time, characters, etc such as in Henry V and Juilius Caesar. Before finalising Henry V, he was already contemplating his next play based on Plutarch which was a translation of Sir Thomas North that was to be tragedy of two powerful men, the murdered Caesar and Marcus Brutus who was a liberal part patrician.

Like the fifth speech of Chorus from Henry V where London pours out her citizens like senators of the antique Rome to fetch their conquering Caesar. Up to the point of Caesar's assassination, Shakespeare makes Mark Antony remain in their shadow. Suddenly, he steps out in all vigour and power to master mind the situation as rebel rouser. He is given the best dialogue that was to prove popular and often quoted even when not in the threatre.

Synopsis

Mark Antony no longer the romantic orator, seizes the opportunity to rise. He is shocked and angered by the murder and remains cool allowing Brutus to restore order. Left alone with Caesar's body, he plans to get at everyone who committed the foul deed. He laments.

Mark Antony takes centre-stage after the assassination of Julius Caesar

‘O pardon me. Thou bleeding piece of earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers;

Thou art the ruins of the noble man

That ever lived in the tide of times.

Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood';

- ACT. III, Sc I)

There is unrest while Brutus attempts to explain why Caesar had to be put away. He says he loved Brutus but the people of Rome came first and had to take this decision as Caesar would have made them slaves. Though the citizens were skeptical, he spoke in such eloquence they believed him. Caesar was ambitious he tells them. Brutus makes the mistake by allowing Anthony to speak. This was the opportunity Antony was waiting for. He was already appeared at the scene with the body of Caesar. Contrary to what Brutus told the people, Antony explains simply though Caesar had to die, that he was an honest and generous man who refused the crown. But, he says, if Brutus and the rest say he was ambitious, they may be right. He waves Caesar's will and announce that the Emperor left all his wealth to the people. He continues to weep, whipping up their support for him. His words are so moving they all gather to support his cause. Antony orates to them;

Friends, Romans, countermen, lend me your ears.

I have come to bury Cesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them,

The good is often interred with their bones.

So, let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious

If it were so, it was a grevious fault

And grevious hath Caesar answer'd it.

When that the poor hath cried, Caesar hath wept

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff

Yet, Brutus says he was ambitious

And Brutus is an honourable man ......

- Act III, Sc II

Very subtly Antony maneuver the situation in this speech of searching and calculate irony and passion while Brutus is left helpless, a victim in a situation he created. He was already in remorse and leaves the scene with Antony in full control.

After the death of Caesar, Antony, Octavius Caesar who is a great-nephew of Caesar and Lepidus take over Rome as triumvirs. They begin the battle against the conspirators with Brutus and friend, Cassius quarreling with each other. But it is quelled and they prepare to leave for Philippi before Caesar appear as a ghost to Brutus. After exchanging farewells, they part with their armies. Cassius’ army is beaten by Antony. With wrong information supplied, for Cassius the loss of his friend Brutus, is the final blow. He orders Pindarus to hold the sword, the one he used to kill Caesar and kills himself. But Brutus is not dead. He returns in triumph to meet Cassius only to find him dead. With vengeance in mind and at the loss of his friend, he goes back to war but with no avail. He begs his small army that is left to flee and orders his servant, Strato to hold the sword on which Brutus kills himself.

With Brutus gone Octavious and Antony pardon all his followers. Antony pays tribute to Brutus;

‘This was the noblest Roman of them all,

All the conspirators save only he.

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar

He only, in general honest thought

And common good to all, made one of them.

His life was gentle and the elements

So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up

and say to all the world, ‘This was a man’

Thus, Antony speaks the epitaph over his foe.

- Act V, Sce V

In performance

Because of the powerful characters of Brutus and Cassisus, Antony is always down-played in the theatre but rises like a colossus when he speaks some of the best dialogue written by Shakespeare.

Highly volatile and extremely brilliant, these words and passages are ever green in the minds of scholars. If a director decides to mount Julius Caesar, one reason is Antony just to surface the magnificent orations both on Caesar and Brutus.

Henry Ainley was Antony at St James's in 1920 in a downright theatrical manner. Next he was played by Gielgud at the Old Vic in 1930, and again in 1988. Antony was portrayed as the vibrant character by John Wilkes Boothe in 1864. However, he was portrayed as the vibrant character by John Wilkes Boothe in 1864. However, he was portrayed at his best by Charlton Heston in 1978 in a BBC Production.