Antony and Cleopatra

1684 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Julius caesar role of woman

Antony and Cleopatra

The legend of Cleopatra has percolated in the world consciousness for the past 2000 years. By the time Shakespeare wrote the tragedy Antony and Cleopatra the alluring reputation of the queen had existed primarily as a biased representation of a foreign female who insinuated herself into the Roman power structure. Shakespeare’s role in perpetuating the allure of the last of the Ptolemaic rulers was the result of synthesizing the existing biases and distilling the dichotomy between the woman and the queen. Consequently, Shakespeare portrayed her not only as an alluring woman who was thought of as a wanton corrupter of Roman ideals, but as a queen who tried to do what was best for her country, and a woman who tried to do what was best for herself. Shakespeare brought all of these aspects together and molded a character that Joseph Summers describes as the “transcendent image of beauty and nobility” (135), and firmly entrenched Cleopatra into the collective consciousness.

As suggested in the introduction to Norton’s Antony and Cleopatra, the play “presupposes familiarity not only with events dramatized in that play [Julius Caesar] but also with earlier Roman conflicts” (Cohen 847) and, I would add, the reputation of various characters. Interestingly, there is no mention of Cleopatra in Julius Caesar even though she is the mother of Caesar’s son.[1] This relationship obviously infuriated the Roman leaders and as a consequence her role with Caesar is effectively diminished and her reputation is vilified. Cicero, the great Roman orator, described Cleopatra as “unacceptably regal and arrogant” (Higgs 229), while Octavian refers to her as “the wanton daughter of the Ptolomies” (Hamer 311). Northrop Frye contends that propaganda was necessary because “she was one person the Romans were really afraid of” (Frye 123). The propaganda, as Christopher Pelling alludes, was a result of “Octavian work[ing] seduously on Italian misogyny and xenophobia” (Pelling 294). Octavian’s promulgations evoked suspicion and hostility towards Cleopatra, and their main intent was to mitigate the idea that “Cleopatra [was becoming] a legend for Romans too” (Pelling 294). There is no way they would have described her as a woman who grieved the loss of Antony so passionately that “she beat her

Show More
Related

  • Cleopatra Sparknotes

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    Out of the ashes of history Schiff argues for Cleopatra’s intellect rather than her maliciousness was what led to all her achievements. Politically and tacitly apt she won the hearts of a populace through the use of spectacles and dramas that painted her into a god like queen. Her creativity and audacity armored with her intellect allowed her to be revered and made both goddess and empress of an Empire to which she had no legitimate claim. Both Caesar and Mark Anthony fell helpless to her charm, intelligence and displays of opulent extravagance which were almost divine. She understood what powerful, intellectual men were attracted to. Most captivating, she was able to navigate her way through to the hearts of these powerful men who came from a different world than hers. As where her Egypt was the champion of women’s rights in antiquity, Rome was known for the polar opposite. To achieve such drastic success where her gender

    Read More

  • The Changing Depictions of Cleopatra's Legacy

    549 Words  | 2 Pages

    Changing social habits of a contemporary society have seen Cleopatra depicted in many different ways. Whilst few artefacts remain of the true image of Cleopatra, we see from her portrait on the coins (Fear, 2008, p, 21 Fig 1.4) that despite being no legendary beauty, she had the power to captivate two of the greatest Romans of her time. Cleopatra consummated her union with Julius Caesar, which strengthened her grip on the throne, following his assassination; she formed alliance with Mark Antony, in opposition to Octavian, a coalition that would lead to her downfall as both Antony and Cleopatra’s combined forces would be defeated against Octavian in the battle of Actium in 31 BCE. (Fear, 2008, p.7)

    Read More

  • Cleopatra Argumentative Essay

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Romans were immensely furious with Cleopatra and had primary influence over what sources were left behind about her. So certainly this is going to lead to biases and inaccuracies in the depictions we have. Furthermore, we are all well aware of how Hollywood likes to dramatize and embellish stories in order to generate ticket sales and is not worried about the accuracy of the historical anecdote. Because of this and her popularity, our knowledge of Cleopatra has been flooded with twisted truths. When examining Cleopatra’s full reign beyond her love affairs, reveals Cleopatra put all of her effort forth in order to solve the conflict between Egypt and Rome and should be recognized for her masterminded and commanding leadership

    Read More

  • The Aeneid Comparison

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, The Aeneid’s lovers and Antony and Cleopatra are both tragic tales with many connections to each other. They share a common theme of a patriotic, heroic man having to choose between duty to his country and the passionate love of a beautiful, foreign and strong queen. Then on the otherside, they both depict a powerful and noble queen who is able to overcome the rampant patriarchy in their cities and rule with a firm loyal hand.

    Read More

  • Separation of Church and State

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Separation of Church and State Protects Both Secular and Religious Worlds.” Phi Delta Kappan Feb. 2000: 462.

    Read More

  • Empowerment of Women through the Film Cleopatra

    1613 Words  | 4 Pages

    One main message Cleopatra is presenting to society in the 1960s is the empowerment of women. Although Cleopatra is depicted in many different ways in other films and plays, the 1963 film portrays her as a ruler who tried to bridge gaps between men and women. She overthrew her brother’s power and exiled him and Cleopatra wanted to be seen as equal by both Caesar and Antony. This reflects the women’s movement of the 1960s when women mainly stayed at home and took care of children. On December 14, 1961, John F. Kennedy established the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. Led by Eleanor Roosevelt til her death on 1962, this board had twenty members that examined equality of women in school, at work, and by the law. Gender-based restrictions such as hours of work and wages were inspected as well as issues like lack of education and federal insurance and tax laws that were unequal. In 1963, the PCSW issued their report which condemned the discriminations American women face in society. The report concluded with ways to protect women’s rights. The board members wanted for the Fourteenth Amendment to be fully extended to women and even though already entitled to this amendment, women needed for it to be enforced. Recommendations such as equal hiring practices, salaried maternity leave, and inexpensive child care were included in the report. After the release of their final report, the Committee was abolished. Just as John F. Kennedy used his place of power to make necessary differences, Cleopatra did the same. She was one of the most powerful rulers of the ancient world and the fact that she was a woman gave her a sort of control over both Caesar and Antony by seducing them. She allowed Egypt to be independent for...

    Read More

  • Cleopatra: The Natural Nemesis of Rome

    2718 Words  | 6 Pages

    Cleopatra is most often remembered as the lover of two Roman consuls, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, thereby forever connecting the Egyptian queen to the history of Rome. The stories of her relationships with the two men do not always paint a flattering picture of Cleopatra, as her reported promiscuity and presumption give her a colorful reputation. Cleopatra is also sometimes seen as a misunderstood woman, someone who was never given a fair opportunity to be accepted as the wife of Marc Antony nor the mother of Caesar's child. Some historians and authors use the issue of Cleopatra's race as a reason that she was ostracized from Roman society, saying that the Romans were prejudiced against Egyptians, and despite Cleopatra's Greek background, would never accept her as a suitable mate for a Roman consul. This theory, however, is far outweighed by the numerous justifications the Roman people had for their distaste of Cleoaptra. It is not surprising that Cleopatra never found acceptance in Rome, as she offered nothing to the relationship between Egypt and Rome, she stood for everything they were against, and little by little, she succeeded in destroying parts of the society that the Roman people had worked to build.

    Read More

  • Prayer in Public Schools

    2069 Words  | 5 Pages

    Religion is one of the most controversial issues in society today. The concern of allowing prayer in schools is an on-going debate and has resulted in numerous lawsuits. Religious school clubs, after school activities, curriculums, and moments of silence during school are just a few of the court cases that judges have administered. People in favor of prayer in schools believe that their children can only learn certain values through religious practice. On the other hand, an individual against religious practice in schools views this issue as an infringement on his or her children’s rights as Americans.

    Read More

  • Cleopatra: The Historical Seductress

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cleopatra was immediately established from the second she burst out of the womb as a member of the royal family of the Ptolemy's; the family which had controlled the Egyptian throne since the rule of Ptolemy I which began in 323 BC. She was born the daughter of Ptolemy XII, King of Egypt, in 69 BC, her full name being Cleopatra VII, or "Thea Philopator" in Greek: a name, which literally translates to "a goddess loving her father." She did most definitely loved her father, so dearly, in fact, that he granted the throne to Cleopatra upon his death in 51 BC. From the moment she set foot on the throne, co-ruling Egypt with her brother and obligatory husband Ptolemy XIII, she was intent upon coercing her, and only her, influence upon all of Egypt. More specifically, she wished to possess a less influential bridegroom so that she could impose more of her ideas and policies upon Egypt. It is for this reason that Cleopatra initiated one of the most notorious and controversial relationships of all time with one of the most prominent figures in history; Julius Caesar. Caesar fell in love with Cleopatra from the moment he saw her. Even though she was not known to be exceptionally beautiful, it is derived from many accounts that she was the definition of a wicked temptress, the defining characteristic that obviously won Caesar's heart. Naturally, Caesar aided Cleopatra after Ptolemy XIII's advisors had driven her from the throne, and declared war upon Ptolemy XIII. Caesar and Cleopatra were victorious and Cleopatra returned safely to the throne. Shortly after the coup, Cleopatra was noticeably pregnant. The product of this pregnancy was a son, named Caesarion, who is widely believed to belong to Caesar.

    Read More

  • Negative Effects Of The Common Core

    1767 Words  | 4 Pages

    (Common Core State Standards Initiative) Many find flaws in the system such as Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post. Strauss points out in her article Eight Problems With Common Core Standards that the standards set by the Common Core should not be limited to school subjects, but should step outside the box and tie in real world scenarios. (Strauss) Strauss also says the lack of diversity in the curriculum puts students at a disadvantage because of the changing world around teachers should not be limited to teaching information provided by an initiative that makes students from all over the nation learn the same material. (Strauss) Strauss is especially skeptical of the Common Core’s preparation for standardized test as she says, “The Common Core Standards are a set-up for national standardized tests, tests that can’t evaluate complex thought, can’t avoid cultural bias, can’t measure non-verbal learning, can’t predict anything of consequence.” (Strauss) Strauss explains how the Common Core destroys any form of originality by stating; “The word “standards” gets an approving nod from the public (and from most educators) because it means “performance that meets a standard.” However, the word also means “like everybody else,” and standardizing minds is what the Standards

    Read More

  • The Role Of Women In Romeo And Juliet?

    1949 Words  | 4 Pages

    Under her relationships with these men it shows that she uses sex as one of her many strengths and not as a sign of submission. She does not allow men to define what and who she is as a person, which makes her a force to be reckoned with, because there was no man that could really show her soft side. When women think of empowerment, they look for someone who is admirable in showing they can be independent and maybe even rule an entire country. Cleopatra is not only the queen of Egypt, but she is the idea of Egypt itself. She is full of character including enjoyment, playfulness, sensuality, and passion. (Cedar

    Read More

  • The Importance Of The Common Core Standards

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many studies have conducted on the Common Core issue. I am interested in reading and knowing this topic, the Common Core Standards in the American perspective. According to State Standards Initiative, the Common Core State Standards established curricula for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects “the Standards” are the peak of a prolonged effort to carry out the charge supplied by the states to build the generation of K-12 standards to help guarantee that all learners are college and occupation ready in knowledge at the end of high school. (Schutz, n.d.).

    Read More

  • The Power of Cleopatra

    1773 Words  | 4 Pages

    Around 69 B.C, one of the most famous female rulers ever known was born, she was Cleopatra. She was the descendent of the Egyptian ruler, Ptolemy XII, and she would eventually became the queen of ancient Egypt herself. She was known for being extremely intelligent and very charming, and because of this many romans feared her and viewed her as a threat. When her father died the throne of Egypt was left to her and her brother, Ptolemy XIII, and rivalry formed between the two, making her even more determined to become the sole ruler of Egypt. Cleopatra had trained all her life to be the successor of Egypt and she hungered for power. Like her father, she tried to have peace with Rome and maybe even have power over them. She would gain her power by having Caesar one and only son, Caesarion, the loyalty of Marc Antony, a well-known general who was popular among the troops in Rome, and of course by using her intelligence and Egypt’s resources. Cleopatra was a successful ruler because she had a thirst for power.

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Julius Caesar

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the expansion days of Ancient Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire, women have always succumbed to living subjacent to the status of their omnipotent and dominant male figures. After leaving her childhood home and the rule of her father, a young Roman girl would then be coerced into the dominion of her husband, often taking a plethora of roles, ranging from lover, caretaker, and best friend. It is often lightheartedly stated that, “Behind every great man is an even greater woman,” and William Shakespeare exemplifies this concept beautifully in Julius Caesar, in which he effectively used the spouses of the two main characters to add more depth, drama, and literary elements to the play, bringing it to life. Although the only two female characters in Julius Caesar, Portia and Calpurnia do not play a pivotal role in the overall plot of the story, their presence is vital in illuminating and developing the characters of their husbands, Brutus and Caesar. What they reveal about their husbands leads the reader to infer that Portia is the more admirable and redeeming character.

    Read More

  • Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra

    432 Words  | 1 Pages

    Antony. Shakespeare proves this play a tragedy by selecting characteristics of ill-fated lovers in Antony and Cleopatra. Poor Antony turns victim to Cleopatra's enslavement, and forgets his duties in Rome. Antony is a disgrace to his Roman self, and "loses" himself to dotage" of Cleopatra. He also forgets of his marriage to Caesars sister Octavia flees back to Egypt, to Cleopatra.

    Read More

More about Antony and Cleopatra

Open Document