Can you upload your potential titles and a brief idea (few sentences) of the abstract of the essay.
Remember: Shakespeare's presentation is the emphasis....not just character analysis
Spend time thinking how you will hit the AOs through your essay (and give me some idea in the abstract
Think back to the Tragedy Starter Unit. What will you use? Are there any quotations which you can use as a title or throughout the essay?
This needs to be done by Weds 30 November at the latest (before the lesson Period 3!)
I wanted to maybe do something like, "How does Shakespeare portray Enobarbus and Eros to be honourable characters throughout the play?" possibly.. I would talk about how Enobarbus was honourable because of the things he says about Cleopatra, and how he wouldn't accept the treasure,and at the end die from grief/guilt as a result of him abandoning his master. And I would say how Eros would rather kill himself then his master, but i'm not sure what else? I would then maybe compare both characters to Antony and discuss which character is more honourable?
ReplyDelete-Claire
I want to argue how Shakespeare’s presentation of Cleopatra and the complexity of her character affects Antony throughout the play and how this contributes to the tragic ending. I want to analyse ways in which she could be seen as a tragic heroine or a manipulative person, taking into account the other character’s opinions of her, and the overall effects this has on Antony or other characters.
ReplyDelete- Katherine
Ms Merritt says:
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea, Claire. We'll work on the title + maybe consider why Shakespeare takes such pains to present honour in such a way in the play (Integrity in politics is certainly a contemporary issue. Was it in 16th Century? )
I want you to think about the AOs and how you are going to meet them all, too.
Ms Merritt says:
ReplyDeleteOk, Katherine. Are you arguing that Clepatra is the cause of the tragedy and Antony/ Caesar/ inevitability are not? Or are you simply looking at the complex presentation of Cleopatra?
You also need to think about AOs.
Ms Merritt says:
ReplyDeleteHow does Shakespeare present the concept of honour in Antony and Cleopatra?
Claire: maybe that gives you scope to question what the interest in the theme is about/how the audience understand its importance in the play...
I was going to argue very similar to Claire, questioning how honourable Enorbarbus and Eros were and possibly including how Shakespeare uses them to emphasise Antony's gradual tragic downfall. My overall argument will be, whilst it first appears that Enorbarbus and Eros are merely supporting roles in the play, ultimately they are used to emphasise the tragic betrayal of honour that is disintegrating around Antony.
ReplyDelete- Jenny Howse
Ms Merritt says:
ReplyDeleteOK, That's great, Jenny. Think about your question if its not the one I came up with (if it is, that's fine!) Think about AOs relating to context and how you are going to meet them. You're arguing that Antony's fatal flaw is his own desertion from himself, from the way Sh. presents the Roman concept of honour? It certainly fits with Antony's (brief) analysis of himself as 'lost'.
How might the audience contextualise this concept having seen Shakespeare's presentation of the types of honour shown in the play?
Enobarbus seems to be the front runner!
I want to argue that Shakespeare presents Enobarbus to be more honourable than Antony - and that Shakespeare uses Enobarbus to "talk" to the audience, being the messenger and giving them information which from another character would be taken in a different perspective, and how his personality gains the audiences trust, which is why he is a more "likeable" character.
ReplyDeleteSophie :)
Hiya, Soph. The 'likeable' thing is harder to argue than the 'trusted' due to asides to the sudience which forge a relationship to the audience which is lacking in others. Think about your question; think about your AOs. Otherwise, Enobarbus it is!
ReplyDeleteMs M :-)
I wanted to argue something along the lines of "How does Shakespeare present Pleasure to intervene with Antony's Duties to Rome?" I would argue one side which will emphasise Antony's position as a Duty driven character, however, I will counter the argument by writing about how Antony is incapable of separating his Pleasure from his Duties, and this is ultimately a cause for his downfall. Or at least something along these lines.
ReplyDeleteJack A
Ok Jack A. The title needs a tweak and you might want to include ideas on the 'inevitability' of A's decline (as there are a number of refs to this in the play) but basically the presentation of pleasure/duty is fine..
ReplyDeleteMiss Merritt
I am not sure on what I could use as a title yet. Although, I do know what i want it to be about.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to argue how Enobarbus is used throughout the play as one of the more honourable people. I like the way he is shown to be narrative as Shakespeare can talk through him to the audience. I also am fond of the way Enobarbus is completing his duty to Antony with honesty whilst still being liked by the audience. I'm not sure how this could be put into a question where it is Shakespeare 'presents'.
Jack R
I wanted to argue about Enobarbus' honour as well, and the effects this could have on the final tragedy of the play. Also, how Shakespeare presenting him as a narrator would gain him more respect than Antony
ReplyDelete- Roberta
OK Roberta and Jack R. Maybe a simple 'how does Shakespeare's presentation of Enobarbus affect the audience's perception of the tragic in A+C? '
ReplyDeleteI want to look at the contrast between the cultures of Rome and Egypt, something like: "How does Shakespeare illustrate the contrasting cultures of Rome and Egypt in Anthony and Cleopatra?" Also, the effect they have on Anthony, and the representation of Caesar and Anthony as men from each culture.
ReplyDelete> Jack Stone
Fine, Jack (remembering, of course that Anthony does not represent the culture of Eygypt, as such, as you imply above. Maybe a question like, What impact does the presentation of culture have on the tragedy of A+C????
ReplyDeleteMiss Merritt
- I would like to argue that Antony's death is inevitable, and is presented to be so from the beginning of the play. I will focus on the idea of fate (the soothsayer) and also Antony's hamartia, hubris etc. All of these factors contribute to the inevitability of his death.
ReplyDelete- Briony
I was thinking to base my essay upon Shakespeare's presentation of Cleopatra, possibly then developing on this and including some sort of sexist, stereotypical quote in the title and proceeding to then argue against the presentation of women, society's typical representation of women, effects etc and ultimately Cleopatra and how she fits into all of this..
ReplyDeleteHannah. :)