In many ways the character of Enobarbus is the most accurate and reliable source for the audience to reveal the most about Antony’s tragic decline, and so therefore he is the most credible. This is perhaps most prominent when Enobarbus is talking with Agrippa and Maecenas in Act 2 Scene 3 and when Maecenas’ character tells him that “Now Antony must leave [Octavia] utterly”, the reply is “Never! He will not.” This shows the audience that Enobarbus’ character knows the most about Antony, as he is the only character who knows that Antony will never leave Cleopatra, and so he is the only character that is able to show the audience the scale of the tragic decline that Antony will experience. The fact that the phrase has masculine stresses on the “Never!” and “not” would have shown a Jacobean audience how assertive Enobarbus’ character was on this point and how sure he is that Antony will leave Octavia for Cleopatra, which fore-shadows Antony’s tragic decline as a Jacobean audience would have known the story of Antony and Cleopatra, and so hearing his character say this would have made him a very credible source that reveals the most about Antony’s tragic decline. Also, as the stresses are masculine, it would have portrayed Enobarbus’ character as a very strong and assertive male figure at this point in the play, which would have meant that a Jacobean audience would have seen the information he gives to them more reliable as the men were the dominant figures who were always correct, again making him more credible to reveal the most information about Antony’s tragic decline.
Another point in the play that shows how credible Enobarbus is as the source that reveals the most about Antony’s tragic decline is during the conversation between his character and the character of Menas in Act 2 Scene 6. During this conversation, and despite being enemies, both characters are very open and honest with each other, which in itself makes Enobarbus a credible source as it shows the...