Powerplay in Texts – Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare), Gladiator (Ridley Scott) & the Statue of Liberty (Warren Brown)

Power is conditional its a measure of one individuals ability to control the environment around itself, including the behaviour of other entities through manipulation and exploitation. The application of queen, whether this be physical or informal, individual or political, hugger-mugger or public, replicates ones ability to control, command and influence others. Ultimately, an entity with power is permitted to employ this for the benefit of others, or unfortunately to their detriment.Power is transient therefore, gains or losings in power can significantly impact on an individuals homo experience. Three texts permeated by power struggles include Shakespeares blasting wanton Antony and Cleopatra, Ridley Scotts flick Gladiator (2000), and Warren Browns political cartoon The Statue of Liberty. Each composer employs a variety of literary and ocular techniques including dialogue, symbolism, sound (both diegetic and non-diegetic), mise-en-scene, irony, soliloquy and emotive languag e, to explore the transformative effect of power on the human experience.These powerplays are extremely persuasive, and thus we are convinced to embrace the perspectives offered in these texts. The major powers examined in the three texts are political, militaristic and sexual. Antony and Cleopatra is a disastrous play that illustrates a chronicle of two leaders from two very polar worlds who fall profoundly in love with each other and their endeavor to sustain their relationship against the romish Empire, however, it ends tragically with their suicides.Antony grapples with the impinge between his love for Cleopatra and his duties to the Roman Empire the geographical poles that draw him in opposite directions represent deep-seated conflicts between his reason and sense, his sense of duty and his desire, his obligations to the state and his private needs. Soliloquies are use throughout the play as a means of aiding the audience to understand the subconscious thoughts of the chara cters. In Act IV, scene 12, Antony states to himself O sun, thy uprise shall I live no more, foreshadowing his own death.Various persuasive forms of power are displayed in this play convincing us to embrace perspectives offered in this text those forms of power being political, sexual and militaristic. Before Antony met Cleopatra, he held military and political power so great, even his lieutenants were afraid to out preform him, But twould develop him, and his offenceShould my performance perish. Antonys affair with Cleopatra makes him disregard his responsibilities where the sexual power present allows for passion to overtake his reasonable judgement.Antony knew this in his use of fertility and sexual delineationry in the metaphor These strong Egyptian fetters I must break, or lose myself in dotage. Sympathy for Antony was formed through his personal conflict between love and duty, thus weakening Antonys control over himself and his known loss of power. Antony blames himself f or the wrong decision My very hairs do mutiny, for the white warn the brown for rashness Here hair is used as a metaphor for age, and Antony hasnt acted as a man with white hair should which is with maturity, rather acting on impulse, brown hair symbolising a younger man.We see the enchanting sexual power of Cleopatra when Enobarbus explains to Agrippa From the barge, a strange invisible sum hits the senses, personifying the sexual power held by Cleopatra, not only over Antony, but the radiating power she holds over all who cross paths with her. Mardian, go tell him I have slain myself. This order delivered by Cleopatra herself is the order, which ultimately, brings Antony to kill himself illustrating Cleopatras manipulative power over him.When she learns that shes being taken to Rome, it produces a fear of dismay for her accordingly, she ends her life. Caesars use of Antonys own surrendered men in the front battle line creates a psychological advantage over Antony by bringing e motion onto the field, Plant those who have revolted in the vanthat Antony may seem to spend his furyupon himself. The emotive language manipulates the situation by making Antony feel he is fighting himself when fighting his deserted soldiers through metaphrasing them as himself.The suicide of both Antony and Cleopatra takes away from Octavius because they become tragic lovers who would always be remembered, Our army shallin businesslike show attend this funeraland then to Romeseehigh order in this great solemnity. Irony is used when Caesar parades both Antony and Cleopatra to maximise his gain in power but instead makes the best political move giving them a great ceremony. The varied force of power is extremely persuasive. Throughout the complete play the effects of Powerplay direct the vents of the characters lives and create and destroy relationships between all characters involved, persuading us to embrace these perspectives concerning the significance of power in the human e xperience. Similarly, Scotts film Gladiator, Maximus (Russell Crowe), the Roman general turned Gladiator and Commodus, the son of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius manipulates others to gain power in order to fulfill their desires. The dominant powerplays in this text and political and militaristic, and due to the perspectives offered on the significance of power in the human experience, we are persuaded to embrace these perspectives.Maximus is portrayed as a powerful character by Scott through the use of mise-en-scene, in particular Maximus costumes, that being of an Upper Class Roman General and props (ie his Imperial Sword), and the event that when we see Maximus fighting, whether it be at the ascendant of the film with the Barbarians or near to the end in the arena, we see him through a low-angled camera shot, exemplifying his fighting power and knowledge over his enemies. Maximus image of power is gained, lost, and then later re-gained through the duration of the film, despite the capturing of this power ultimately leads to his death.Correspondingly, we are persuaded to embrace these perspectives about the significance of power in the human experience in Warren Browns political cartoon The Statue of Liberty. This text uses a number of techniques to convey its political power play perspective including contrast of size between the two personas. It is a widely shared notion that power is associated with size the greater the size the greater the level of power. Yet, this cartoon chooses to test this and illustrate the idea that Osama holds power over the Statue of Liberty.This is both ironic and a contrast of size. Although America, represented as the Statue, has been damaged to various terrorist attacks, it dormant aims to protect itself, just as Maximus aimed to protect Rome at all costs, even after he had been captured and sold as a slave and gladiator. The fact that Osama is not present within this frame suggests that he holds power of the statue. The poli tical perspectives offered in this text are persuasive, thus convincing us of the significance of power in the human experience.