Discuss Cleopatra’s presentation in Act 1 Scene 3

Cleopatra’s desire for Anthony acts to undermine her portrayal of commanding through her obsession with him that seems to govern her irrational actions. Her opening line: ‘where is he?’ portrays her to be obsessed with him as it is the first thing she says and although she does not explicitly name Anthony, her enamoured view of Antony makes this obvious that it is he she speaks of. Charmian responds ‘I did not see him since’. The truncation of this line to 6 syllables results in a 4 syllable pause. When this pause is portrayed on stage it results in Cleopatra seemingly reflecting on Antony emphasising her infatuation with him. The following tricolon ‘see where he is, who’s with him, what he does’ emphasises that the focus of her mind is on him. Furthermore, the use of an imperative presents her commanding tone and her desperation for Anthony through the repetition of her desire for him thrice. Her emotionally manipulative mind is conveyed: ‘if you find him sad, say I am dancing; if in mirth, report that I am sudden sick’. Her desire to juxtapose Antony’s emotional state is a means of gaining his attention accentuating her portrayal as desperate for him. The dramatic irony of this scene as Antony is unaware is used to create an impression on an audience of Cleopatra as manipulative. Antony’s arrival followed by a 10 syllable pause conveys to an audience Cleopatra’s cunning nature as she is contemplating what her ending action should be that would best optimise her situation. Her first line to Antony: ‘I am sick and sullen’ exacerbates her emotionally manipulative nature as through dramatic irony an audience is aware of this false pretence. This meta theatrical device is used to emphasise Cleopatra’s desperation for Antony as her need to portray a false emotion or state accentuates her desire to be thought of by him. 
The characters of Cleopatra and Antony are symbolic of the states of Egypt and Rome respectively. The values of these countries are reflected in the actions of the characters and Cleopatra’s myriad of emotion represent the fluidity of Egypt as well as her pretence and acting representing the dishonesty of Egypt in the eyes of the Roman Empire. The rigidity and formality of the Roman Empire is symbolised in Antony through his straightforward manner. This lack of structure in Egypt is symbolised through Cleopatra’s bursts of uncontrollable, unwarranted anger towards several characters. At first, her anger is directed towards Charmian, the voice of reason within the play. Charmian says: ‘if you did love him dearly, you do not hold the method to enforce the like from him’. Charmian’s role as Cleopatra’s servant and her outspokenness emphasises the fluid society of Egypt as status in Rome would have meant that a similar situation between a servant and her master would result in punishment. Cleopatra displays her volatility through her outburst of rudeness and aggression towards Charmian when she says ‘Though teachest like a fool – the way to lose him’. To a modern audience, Charmian’s advice would be correct and considerate as a friend telling Cleopatra to be less obsessive, yet Cleopatra sees no reason to this. She uses the simile ‘like a fool’ to portray her own arrogance as she believes her manner to be superior and also to deride the suggestion of a friend accentuating her own portrayal as arrogant and obnoxious. The aggression behind this statement due to the fear of losing Antony: “the way to lose him” also emphasises her desperation for him as she loses control of her emotions when unsure of what to do regarding her relations with him. However, she also attacks Antony demonstrating her volatility once more. She interrupts Antony three times and ignores all that he has to say conveying her desire for control over him as she wishes to establish her superiority over him though it is he who governs her emotionally as emphasised through her obsession with him. She continues her attack on Antony when she says ‘the greatest soldier of the world, art turn’d the greatest liar’. The disrespectful attack is uncomfortable as Charmian, Iras and Alexas have not left, yet Cleopatra still expresses her anger regardless of the audience. This attack publicly humiliates Antony and emphasises Cleopatra’s attempt to control him through public humiliation. She portrays herself as angry that Antony has been disloyal to his wife despite his adultery being with her. When she first mentions Fulvia, her line is hypermetrical. This represents her jealousy at Antony’s marriage through her loss of control metrically exacerbating the reality of her lust for Antony.