Free College Essays - The Use of Time in Antony and Cleopatra :: Antony Cleopatra Essays

  Use of Time in Anthony and Cleopatra  Ã‚     Shakespeare's use of time in Anthony and Cleopatra is seemingly [1] quite erratic.   However, it is important to note that Shakespeare was a playwright and his job was to write interesting drama, not to accurately record details of history.   It therefore seems quite unfair to expect him to use time in a precise manner.   However, to dismiss Shakespeare's use of time as merely a mistake or the by product of his dramatisation of history [2]is to do it injustice.   It could easily be argued that there is a method in it.[3]   To show this we can analyse one chunk of the play, staring at Act 1 Scene 3.   Here is where Anthony finally plucks up the courage to leave Egypt.   In Act 1 Scene 4, we are in Rome and here we have Caesar complaining about Anthony while messengers bring news of how Pompey is doing at sea as well as his allies Menecrates and Menas.     In act 1 Scene 5 we are back in Egypt and Cleopatra is talking about how she misses Anthony.   In Act 2 Scene 2 we are back in Rome and Anthony has finished his journey across the Mediterranean.   Anthony and Caesar get back on speaking terms and decide that to cement their relationship (or to destroy it, depending on your level of cynicism).   Octavia should marry Anthony.   By Act 2 Scene 5the news of Anthony's betrothal has reached Cleopatra in Egypt and though she rants and raves she doesn't actually do anything constructive about it.   In Act 2 Scene 7 we are in Rome again and there is a party where the three triumvirates become drunk to varying degrees .   In Act 3 Scene 2 Octavia and Anthony leave Rome together.   The next scene is in Egypt, where again very little action takes place. In Act 3 Scene 4 the most remarkable act of condensation occurs when eight years of Octavia and Anthony's marriage are meant to have occurred.     By Act 3 Scene 6 we are in Rome and discussing the fact that Anthony has left Octavia in Athens and is back in Egypt.[4]   So we see that in this chunk of the play there have been many things occurring in Rome, while in Egypt it might as well have been one long afternoon for all the deeds and actions that have occurred.