Sign In

JAMB - Literature In English (2025 - No. 66)

This question is based on ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

Enobarbus: "Caesar's whole fleet's at sea: / Well spread and almost yare. For he's not dumb, / That tells my departure."

Agrippa: "Let's grant it is not / Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy; / To give a kingdom for a mirth, to sit / And keep the turn of tippling with a slave..."

Regretful, Caesar wishes to reconcile
Formal, discussing royal marriages
Dramatic, urging Antony to return to war
Sarcastic, mocking Antony's loss of dignity

Explanation

The correct answer is D because Agrippa's speech is deeply critical of Antony’s choices.

  • Mockery of Decline: Agrippa mocks Antony's decline by sarcastically referring to his choice to exchange political power and "kingship" for the pleasure found with Cleopatra.

  • Critical Tone: The tone is described as "biting" and critical, highlighting what the Roman characters perceive as Antony's "love-blinded foolishness."

  • Specific Imagery: By mentioning "tippling with a slave" and giving a "kingdom for a mirth," Agrippa emphasizes the contrast between Antony's noble status and his current undignified behavior.

Comments (0)

Advertisement