Masters of Manipulation

William Shakespeare, a master of drama, knew all too well how to portray the conflicts of his characters. Just as in life, a few key persons control the tension on the stage. The constant is to control or be controlled. Three of his plays deal differently with the concept of manipulation by a single character. In “Macbeth,” it is Lady Macbeth who fiddles with her husband’s head and encourages him to act out. In “…

…prepared and subtle but also somewhat transparent and ill equipped. Her husband eventually sees what has happened but cannot make sense of it. Cleopatra is blatant and brash. She knows she can afford to be this way because she has Antony for life, whether it be supernatural or not. And poor Antony never really realizes the spell this woman has over him. If he does he does not often admit it or try to resist.