Explore the ways in which Antony is presented in Act 3 Scene 1, and

how his character is presented in the performed version (Marlon

Brando’s 1953 film).

Julius Caesar was originally a sixteenth century play by William Shakespeare and
then later adapted into a film in 1953 by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Mark Antony, in
the tragedy of Julius Caesar, was a brave, intelligent, pleasure-loving, and
cunning man. He was loyal to his friend, Caesar, whom he considered a true
friend. He looked at life as a game in which he had a signified part to play, and
played that part with excellent refinement and skill. Many examples of these
characteristics are outlined in Act 3 Scene 1, through his actions and speech.
Furthermore, various techniques are used in both the text and the film to present
the numerous characteristics of Mark Antony. Shakespeare uses many literary
devices such as puns, dramatic irony, repetition and rhetorical questions whilst
Mankiewicz uses camera angles and mis-en-scene to build and reveal the
characters. Doing this, they show that Mark Antony was a character with many
hidden traits until he was forced to show his true character while defending
Caesar after his death.

At the beginning of the scene in the play, Mark Antony enters to find Caesar’s
corpse lying on the floor. His first words were ‘O mighty Caesar’, immediately
putting Caesar into a position of respect. Here Shakespeare shows the audience
the admiration that Mark Antony has for Caesar, even in death. Shakespeare’s
use of the word ‘mighty’ suggests to us that Caesar was powerful and dominant
in life, not necessarily in body but in his charisma and his relationship with his
people. Mark Antony’s allegiance to Caesar is supported by Shakespeare’s use of
metaphors, ‘purpled hands’, ‘noble blood’, which also portray him as poetic and
elaborate in his speech. Mark Antony’s readiness to die for the sake of Caesar
shows the depth of his love for Caesar: ‘Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand
years, I shall not find myself so apt to die: no place will please me so, no mean of
death, as here by Caesar’. This shows Mark Antony’s bravery, as he offered to
sacrifice his own life.

Mankiewicz’s film version supports the revelations made in Shakespeare’s play

of Mark Antony’s character but uses different techniques to show it. At the
beginning of the scene, Mark Antony is introduced using an establishing shot,
which frames him in the middle of the screen. The effect is that all of our
attention is placed upon him. This shows the significance of his character and
marks him out as an important role, and therefore someone to be watched. The
director also has used this shot to create a viewpoint, as we switch from looking
at the conspirators to surveying the body of Julius Caesar. As it is Mark Antony
looking down upon Caesar’s body, this suggests that Mark Antony has suddenly
become superior to Julius Caesar, although his speech proves otherwise. Also, as
Mark Antony enters, he walks from the light into the shadows, symbolising two
sides to his personality; one of loyalty, forgiveness and obedience, another of
malice and revenge. This is supported by the fact that his robes differ in colour to
the conspirators’ robes, suggesting that he didn’t agree with the conspirators.
Furthermore, when Mark Antony is greeted by Brutus, Brutus is totally ignored,
 as if he isn’t worthy of Mark Antony’s attention. Mark Antony instead fixes his
attention on Caesar, which reinforces the use of metaphors in Shakespeare’s
play.

In Shakespeare’s play, the character of Mark Antony develops throughout until

the point when he shakes the conspirators’ hands. This reveals a point about
Mark Antony that we had not been shown before. Mark Antony’s unusual
friendliness towards the conspirators arouses the suspicion that he is planning
something altogether more sinister than what he shows on the surface. Although
he seems quite amiable when he shakes the conspirator’s hands, later in his
speech he displays his true feelings towards the conspirators. ‘That I did love
thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true: if then thy spirit look upon us now, shall it not grieve
thee dearer than thy death, to see thy Anthony making his peace, shaking the
bloody fingers of thy foes’ ‘Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds, weeping as
fast as they stream forth thy blood, it would become me better than to close in
terms of friendship with thine enemies.’ : this tells us that Mark Antony secretly
disagrees with the conspirators, and that he is somewhat superstitious, talking to
Caesar’s spirit. Finally, Mark Antony mocks the conspirators by calling them
‘princes’. This makes the audience come to the conclusion that Mark Antony
must not be siding with the conspirators, as his continuous use of irony shows his
distaste for his enemies.

Clearly in the film, Mankiewicz enhances Shakespeare’s ideas by placing Mark

Antony directly opposite the conspirators. Moreover, Mark Antony is positioned
between the statue of Caesar and the dead Caesar. This suggests that Mark
Antony is set against the conspirators, with Caesar on his side. Yet again, this
repeats the fact that Mark Antony is faithful and loyal to Caesar. Throughout the
scene, Mark Antony’s face is expressionless, to hide his feelings, and perhaps
hold back anger. In addition, his voice is steady to suppress any emotions that
he was experiencing. Mark Antony’s body language suggests that he is hiding
something away from the conspirators, which proves that he is sly and secretive.

Shakespeare straight way reveals Mark Antony’s true feelings as soon as the
conspirators have left. The speech is very malignant and shows a streak of
violence in Mark Antony’s nature. ‘A curse shall light upon the limbs of these
men’: this shows us that Mark Antony vows to take revenge on those who had
killed his friend and mentor. Mark Antony knows his friend so well that he can
almost feel Caesar’s pain: ‘Over thy wounds now do I prophesy, which, like dumb
mouths, do open their ruby lips, to beg the voice and utterance of my tongue’.
Here Mark Antony feels inclined to let the people of Rome know about the
conspirators’ treachery, and will not stop until he has achieved his revenge. This
demonstrates Mark Antony’s stubbornness and determination to do what he
feels is right.

Mankiewicz displays Mark Antony in the same way that Shakespeare intended
him to be: violent, strong and determined. Mark Antony’s clenched fists show
potential brutality, and the readiness for vengeance. Also, Mark Antony stands
over Caesar’s body in a protective manner, showing for the fifth time a sign of
his devotion to Caesar. Also, the presence of Caesar’s statue in the background
suggests that Caesar, although dead, is still present, and ready to support Mark
Antony if necessary.

In conclusion, Shakespeare and Mankiewicz approach the character of Mark

Antony in similar ways. They both portray Antony as very committed, ready to
pay with his life for Caesar if necessary, and also sly, with a plan of revenge
under the mask which he wore when the conspirators were present. Antony's
character was slow to emerge, and it wasn't until he was forced to show his true
potential, could he really be judged. He was a character with many hidden traits
until he was forced to show his true character while defending Caesar after his
death. The language devices applied by Shakespeare (e.g. irony, metaphors)
presented Mark Antony in the same way that Mankiewicz did, but through
camera angles and body language. Overall, in both play and film, Mark Antony
was presented as a loyal, trustworthy individual with the tendency to be violent
and intent on revenge, for the sake of others.