The Character of Marc Antony in Julius Caesar

Blending into the ground, waiting for the perfect moment to lash out, and then attacking when an opportunity presents itself, snakes hunt the same way some people do politics. In Rome, 44 BC, when one man fell prey, another man, camouflaged, found his opportunity to strike. As William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar progresses, the character of Marc Antony slowly reveals that he is not who he at first seems, a cunning manipulator rather than a blindly obedient lapdog.

Antony, when he is introduced in Act 1 is running a traditional race on the Lupercal and is asked to touch Calpurnia by Caesar, who is referring to a superstition at the time that the touch of a runner in the race could cause a woman to be fertile. Antony responds to this request by simply saying “I shall remember. When Caesar says ‘do this,’ it is performed” (Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 12-3). He not only acknowledges and consents to Caesar’s request, but also reinforces his absolute loyalty. Whatever Caesar says will be done by him. In this line, the reader is made to draw the conclusion that Antony is loyal to a fault, and will blindly follow Caesar in his every exploit.

Yet, later in the scene, when Caesar comments on how Cassius looks like a man who “thinks too much”, and is therefore dangerous, Antony dismisses it, saying “Fear him not, Caesar, he’s not dangerous. He is a noble Roman, and well given” (Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 208-9). Caesar and Antony are both warriors (having clashed earlier with Pompey and emerged victorious), and as such, have the strong instincts necessary to survive the battlefield. Antony, being the model Roman general he is, would probably have picked up on the danger presented by Cassius earlier than Caesar, yet he immediately shot the idea ...

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...ntony could be trusted, because he was willing to dirty his hands to seal the friendship. On the other hand, Antony could be vowing vengeance against the conspirators, because he formally names each before shaking their hand. The blood could symbolize his willingness to get his hands dirty in order to get revenge. This second interpretation is reinforced by Antony’s furious soliloquy addressing Caesar’s body later in the scene when the conspirators have left him alone with the corpse. Antony vows vengeance, a war that would consume Rome, tear it apart, and eviscerate the society, “[l]et slip the dogs of war”. Antony’s true feelings are shown plainly here. He acts almost unbalanced in his anger towards the conspirators.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.” Elements of Literature: Kylene Beers. Austin: Holt, 2009. 842-963. Print.